Costco reports December sales

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Net sales for Costco rose 9% in December to nearly $10.1 billion, the company announced Thursday.

The company also reported that U.S. comparable-store sales and international comps rose 7$ and 9%, respectively, during the five-week period. Excluding gasoline price increases and a slightly negative impact of foreign-currency translations, the quarter's same-store sales rose 7%, Costco noted.

Costco currently operates 598 warehouses, including 433 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 82 in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 22 in the United Kingdom, 11 in Japan, eight in Taiwan, seven in Korea and three in Australia.