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BY MarketWatch — 10:01 PM ET 10/10/2012

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(MarketWatch) -- Costco Wholesale Corp.,the Issaquah, Wash., warehouse retailer, on Wednesday reported fiscal-fourth-quarter net income rose 27% as both net sales and total revenue moved 14% higher. For the quarter ended Sept. 2, Costco earned $609 million, or $1.39 a share, compared with $478 million, or $1.08, in the year-earlier quarter. Net sales reached $31.52 billion from $27.59 billion. Total revenue, reflecting membership fees, rose to $32.22 billion from $28.18 billion. A survey of analysts by FactSet Research produced consensus estimates of profit of $1.31 a share on sales of $31.66 billion. Comparable-store sales for the quarter rose 5%, reflecting increases of 6% in the U.S. and 2% internationally. Excluding lower gasoline prices and a negative impact from foreign-currency translations, comparable-store sales rose 6% overall. Costco ended fiscal 2012 operating 608 stores and plans to open another 14 by the end of calendar 2012.