Costco Wholesale Corporation - COST- Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation. The Group's principal activity is to operate membership warehouses. These warehouses offer members very low prices on a limited selection of nationally branded and selected private label products in a wide range of merchandise categories and self service warehouse facilities. The Group operates in two segments: Cash and Carry Merchandise and Membership Policy. Cash and Carry Merchandise is designed to appeal to both the business and consumer requirements of its members by offering a wide range of nationally branded and selected private label products, carton or multiple-pack quantities, at attractively low prices. Costco's membership format is designed to reinforce customer loyalty and provide a continuing source of membership fee revenue. At 08-Mar-2007, it operated 506 warehouse clubs located in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Mexico. Cash and Carry Merchandise accounted for 98% of fiscal 2006 revenues and Membership Fees 2%