Costco (NASDAQ: COST) today announced its sales numbers for May, and the company watched total sales rise 8% year-over-year to $8.8 billion for the four weeks ending June 1. For the 39 weeks ending on June 1, its sales rose to $82 billion, an increase of nearly $5 billion, or 6%, relative to the first 39 weeks of 2013.

In addition to strong gains in total sales, Costco also saw solid 6% growth in its comparable-store sales after making adjustments for gasoline prices and foreign exchange rates, as shown in the chart below:

	4 Weeks	39 Weeks
U.S.	6%	5%
International	7%	7%
Total Company	6%	6%

So-called comps measure sales at stores that have been open at least a year. This marks the second year in a row in which comparable-store sales growth stood at 6% through the first 39 weeks of the fiscal year. In 2012 the numbers were slightly better and rose 7%.

In addition to strong sales growth, customer traffic was up 4.5% at the stores in the most recent four-week period, and the average sale was up by approximately 1%. The biggest gains in sales came from its automotive, lawn, and garden units, whereas the company’s director of investor relations, David Sherwood, did note Costco saw “soft sales in electronics and hardware.”

ALSO READ: Eight Companies That Owe Employees a Raise

Costco had a solid month in May, after losing a day in April to the Easter holiday. Its comparable-store sales had risen 5% year-over-year for the four- and 35-week periods in April, versus the 6% gains logged in May.

 

Top dividend stocks for the next decade
Big news stories can change every day, but great dividends last much longer. And the smartest investors know how much that adds up to over the long run. That’s why top analysts put together a report on a group of high-yielding stocks that should be in any income investor’s portfolio. To see our free report on these stocks, just click here now.

 

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.