COSTCO

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Net sales for December at Costco rose 11% to nearly $9.2 billion for the five weeks ended Jan. 2, compared with the year-ago period.

Same-store sales rose 4%, while international same-store sales rose 12%.

Costco currently operates 582 warehouses, including 425 in the United States and Puerto Rico.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Mass merchandiser Costco had global sales of $18.82 billion during first quarter fiscal 2011, which ended Nov. 21, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday.

That represented an 11% increase over $16.92 billion in first quarter fiscal 2010.

Profits for the quarter were $312 million, compared with $266 million a year ago.


NEW YORK — Walgreens. Costco. CVS Caremark. Rite Aid. H-E-B. Wegmans. Kerr Drug. The list goes on. In all, it was a veritable who’s who of retailing as Drug Store News’ annual Industry 
Issues Summit, which also included a Specialty Pharmacy Roundtable and Diabetes Roundtable, attracted more than 200 attendees — a new attendance record — and featured the most diverse retail panelists to date.


NEW YORK — The entire retail store is a diabetes destination, and pharmacists are critical in educating and communicating with consumers to help them and their loved ones better manage the chronic disease. That was one of several important messages that industry leaders expressed during Drug Store News’ 8th Annual Diabetes Roundtable discussion on Tuesday in New York at the New York Athletic Club. More than 100 leading industry players gathered for the event, which also included the 12th Annual Industry Issues Summit in the afternoon.

NEW YORK — Costco customers walking past this Living Essentials 5-Hour Energy pallet aren't likely to know what 2:30 in the afternoon feels like, and neither should Costco.

Energy shot sales projections are expected to nearly double in the coming year, even while consumers continue to be cautious around spending. According to Consumer Edge Research projections, overall food/drug/mass sales could crest to some $700 million, excluding Walmart.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — A brand of cheese sold at Costco stores has been linked to E. coli infections in five states, the mass merchandise chain, the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Thursday.

SEATTLE — A ballot initiative in Washington to deregulate liquor sales has failed, while another appears to be headed in the same direction, according to published reports.

The Seattle Times reported Wednesday that Initiative-1105, which would abolish state liquor taxes and require retailers to buy liquor from distributors, failed with less than 37% of the vote. A second initiative, I-1100, which mass merchandiser Costco had strongly promoted, had around 48% of the vote with more than half the votes counted, according to the Times.