Issaquah, WA, Apr. 8--Costco Wholesale sales jumped 11 percent in March at stores open at least a year, boosted by gasoline turnover as customers shopped around in the face of record high pump prices.
The largest U.S. warehouse club operator said total sales for the five-week period ended April 4 reached $4.41 billion, up 14 percent from a year earlier.
The company also said sales results were helped by stronger foreign currencies.
Costco has gas stations at many of its warehouse clubs. Prices are usually cheaper than at traditional gas stations, so customers tend to flock to those stores when pump prices rise. U.S. pump prices hit record highs in March.
