ISSAQUAH, WA -- (Marketwire) -- 03/04/09 -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST)
announced today its operating results for the second quarter (12 weeks) and
first half (24 weeks) of fiscal 2009, both ended February 15, 2009, and its
February sales results for the four weeks ended March 1, 2009.
Net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2009 declined one percent, to
$16.49 billion, from $16.62 billion during the second quarter of fiscal
2008. Net sales for the first half of fiscal 2009 increased one percent,
to $32.52 billion, from $32.09 billion during the first half of fiscal
2008.
Comparable sales for the second quarter (12 weeks) and first half (24
weeks) of fiscal 2009 were as follows:
12 Weeks 24 Weeks
-------- --------
U.S. -1% +1%
International -11% -9%
Total -3% -1%
======== ========
Comparable sales for the 12-week and 24-week periods, excluding the
negative impacts from gasoline deflation and foreign exchange (primarily in
Canada, the United Kingdom and Korea), were as follows:
12 Weeks 24 Weeks
-------- --------
U.S. (w/o gas deflation) +4% +3%
International (w/o Fx) +8% +8%
Total +5% +4%
======== ========
Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2009 was $239.7 million, or
$.55 per diluted share, compared to $327.9 million, or $.74 per diluted
share, during the second quarter of fiscal 2008. Net income for the first
half of fiscal 2009 was $502.2 million, or $1.14 per diluted share,
compared to net income for the first half of fiscal 2008 of $589.8 million,
or $1.33 per diluted share.
According to Richard Galanti, Chief Financial Officer of Costco, "Second
quarter 2009 earnings results were negatively impacted by a variety of
factors, primarily centered around overall weak economic conditions. In
particular, our quarterly results were hurt by the continued weakness in
non-foods sales and related margins. Margins in foods and non-foods were
also negatively affected by increased pre-holiday seasonal markdowns and
other selective price reductions to drive sales and increase market share.
In addition, results were hurt by lower year-over-year gasoline profits and
lower reported international profits, the latter a result of the
significant strengthening of the U.S. dollar when compared to the
currencies of Canada, the United Kingdom, Korea and Mexico."
The Company today also reported net sales of $5.06 billion for the four
weeks ended March 1, 2009, a decrease of one percent from $5.13 billion in
the same four-week period of the prior fiscal year. For the six-month
retail reporting period of September through February, the twenty-six weeks
ended March 1, 2009, which includes the first two weeks of the Company's
fiscal third quarter, the Company reported net sales of $35.08 billion, an
increase of one percent from $34.77 billion during the comparable period of
the prior fiscal year.
Comparable sales for the 4-week retail-reporting month of February and the
26-week retail-reporting period of September through February were as
follows:
4 Weeks 26 Weeks
-------- --------
U.S. 0% +1%
International -15% -9%
Total -3% -1%
======== ========
Comparable sales for the 4-week and 26-week periods, excluding the negative
impacts from gasoline deflation and foreign exchange (primarily in Canada,
the United Kingdom and Korea), were as follows:
4 Weeks 26 Weeks
-------- --------
U.S. (w/o gas deflation) +4% +3%
International (w/o Fx) +6% +8%
Total +5% +4%
======== ========
Costco currently operates 553 warehouses, including 406 in the United
States and Puerto Rico, 76 in Canada, 21 in the United Kingdom, six in
Korea, five in Taiwan, eight in Japan and 31 in Mexico. The Company also
operates Costco Online, an electronic commerce web site, at www.costco.com
and at www.costco.ca in Canada. The Company plans to open an additional 10
to 11 new warehouses prior to the end of its 2009 fiscal year on August 30,
2009.
A conference call to discuss these second quarter operating results and
February sales is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. (PT) today, March 4, 2009, and is
available via a webcast on www.costco.com (click on Investor Relations and
"Webcasts").
Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. For these purposes, forward-looking statements are statements
that address activities, events, conditions or developments that the
Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. Such
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause
actual events, results or performance to differ materially from those
indicated by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but
are not limited to, domestic and international economic conditions
including exchange rates, the effects of competition and regulation,
uncertainties in the financial markets, consumer and small business
spending patterns and debt levels, conditions affecting the acquisition,
development, ownership or use of real estate, actions of vendors, rising
costs associated with employees (including health care and workers'
compensation costs), rising costs associated with the acquisition of
merchandise (including the direct and indirect effects of the rising cost
of petroleum-based products and fuel and energy costs), geopolitical
conditions and other risks identified from time to time in the Company's
public statements and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)
12 Weeks Ended 24 Weeks Ended
------------------------- -------------------------
February February February February
15, 2009 17, 2008 15, 2009 17, 2008
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
REVENUE
Net sales $16,488,631 $16,616,962 $32,524,083 $32,088,462
Membership fees 355,634 342,924 714,348 680,954
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Total revenue 16,844,265 16,959,886 33,238,431 32,769,416
OPERATING EXPENSES
Merchandise costs 14,770,103 14,833,189 29,046,773 28,656,700
Selling, general and
administrative 1,666,509 1,615,531 3,343,504 3,185,125
Preopening expenses 7,263 9,699 20,112 31,191
Provision for
impaired assets and
closing costs, net 1,188 (2,865) 7,952 (2,786)
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
Operating income 399,202 504,332 820,090 899,186
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
Interest expense (25,163) (23,471) (49,786) (46,439)
Interest income and
other 7,841 40,604 26,018 73,881
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
INCOME BEFORE INCOME
TAXES 381,880 521,465 796,322 926,628
Provision for income
taxes 142,140 193,615 294,082 336,797
----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
NET INCOME $ 239,740 $ 327,850 $ 502,240 $ 589,831
=========== =========== =========== ===========
NET INCOME PER COMMON
SHARE:
Basic $ 0.55 $ 0.75 $ 1.16 $ 1.36
=========== =========== =========== ===========
Diluted $ 0.55 $ 0.74 $ 1.14 $ 1.33
=========== =========== =========== ===========
Shares used in
calculation (000's)
Basic 433,476 434,779 432,963 434,934
Diluted 439,688 444,925 440,096 445,148
Dividends per share $ 0.160 $ 0.145 $ 0.32 $ 0.29
CONTACTS:
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Richard Galanti, 425/313-8203
Bob Nelson, 425/313-8255
Jeff Elliott, 425/313-8264
