Costco December comp sales up 3% with strong performance from pharmacy division

Costco Wholesale Corporation on Wednesday reported net sales of $12.5 billion for the month of December, which includes the five weeks ended Jan. 3, 2016, an increase of 3%.



For the 18 weeks ended Jan. 3, 2016, the company reported net sales of $41.7 billion, an increase of 2%.



Comparable sales across Costco's U.S. network were up 3% across both time frames.



Comparable results were best among the company's hearing aid, optical and pharmacy categories, Jeff Elliott, AVP financial planning and investor relations, shared in a pre-recorded call for investors. Comparable sales of fresh food was up in the mid single digits and across food and sundries in the low to mid single digits, Elliott reported.