Costco Profit Slightly Up In Quarter Ending Nov. 22

NEW YORK — Costco Wholesale Corp. said its fiscal first-quarter profit rose 1.1%, helped by sales from Taiwan to the U.K. and a pick up in demand for non-food items. Net income rose to $266 million from $263 million. Per-share profit was unchanged at 60 cents a share after shares outstanding rose 1% to 444.8 million. Revenue, including membership income, in the quarter ended Nov. 22 rose 5.5% to $17.3 billion, the Issaquah, Wash.-based retailer said.

A survey of analysts by FactSet Research produced consensus estimates for the quarter of 60 cents of profit on $17.32 billion of revenue.

Costco shares were up slightly in pre-market trading.

Same-store sales, reflecting sales from stores open at least a year, rose 3% in the quarter, Costco /quotes/comstock/15*!cost/quotes/nls/cost (COST 58.55, -0.22, -0.37%) said Thursday. Sales inched up 1% in the U.S. and jumped 13% internationally, helped by a weaker dollar, Costco said.

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