October 10, 2008 | By Ryan C. Fuhrmann Membership warehouse operator Costco (Nasdaq: October 8 that continued to demonstrate why it is one of the safest bets in retailing these days. Given the diminished value of real estate, investment accounts, higher commodity costs and anemic economic-growth prospects, consumers are looking to stretch their dollars as much as possible, and Costco is one of their primary destinations. But is it the best destination for investors? The Quarterly Recap Total quarterly sales improved 13% on new store growth and reported same-store sales of 9%, which would have still been an impressive 6% when stripping out the impact of higher gas prices. Management cited particular strength in the Midwest and Southeast, with both less affected by the housing bubble and the former representing a newer market...
[read full story]
Your Web Site
