Costco sales, comps increase in October

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Sales at Costco Wholesale in October were up by 6% over last year, the club retailer said Thursday.

Costco said sales for the month were $8.15, compared with $7.66 billion in October 2012. For the nine-week period that ended Sunday, sales were $18.01 billion, a 6% increase over the $17 billion the chain had during the same period last year.

Same-store sales for the month and the nine-week period that ended Sunday increased by 4% for the company's U.S. division and by 3% for the chain overall, including downward pressure from gas prices and currency exchange rates. Costco operates 642 stores, including 457 in the United States, 86 in Canada, 34 in Mexico, 25 in the United Kingdom, 18 in Canada, 10 in Taiwan, nine in Korea and three in Australia. The company plans to open seven more stores before the end of 2013.