Costco sales, profits increase in Q4

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco Wholesale had sales of $31.8 billion in fourth quarter 2013 and $102.9 billion in fiscal year 2013, the club retailer said Wednesday.

The sales figures respectively represented a 1% and 6% increase over the same period last year. Profit for the quarter was $617 million, compared with $609 million in fourth quarter 2012, and $2.04 billion for the fiscal year, compared with $1.71 billion in fiscal year 2012.

In the company's U.S. division, same-store sales increased by 5% during the quarter and 6% during the fiscal year; for the company as a whole, including stores overseas, fourth quarter and fiscal year 2013 comps respectively increased 5% and 6%, including the effects of foreign exchange rates and gas price fluctuations. For the month of October, U.S. comps increased 5%. Due to the effects of foreign exchange rates, international comps were flat, and comps for the chain overall increased by 3%.

The Issaquah, Wash.-based chain operates 638 stores, including 454 in the United States.