Costco Wholesale Corp. mentioned today that same store sales jumped up 5% for the 5 week period that ended 4 days ago. It is safe to say that growth was strongest in the United States, where comparable sales increased by 6% and International sales by 4%. Reuter analysts actually expected the same store sales to rise just 3.5% instead of 5%. If it was not for the negative impacts from gas price deflation and foreign exchange, March sales would have been up 7%. Net sales for the 5 week timeframe was at $10.43 billion, which is an increase of 8%.