Costco July same-store sales up 7 pct

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST.O) on Thursday reported a better-than-expected 7 percent rise in July sales at stores open at least a year, helped by strength in foreign currency.

Analysts, on average, were expecting Costco's same-store sales to rise 5.7 percent, according to Reuters Estimates.

The largest U.S. warehouse club said net sales in the four weeks ended August 5 rose 11 percent to $5.02 billion.

Costco on a recorded call said its July same-store sales results were boosted by foreign currency strength but were hurt by gasoline deflation and lower tobacco sales.

July same-store sales in its international unit rose 10 percent while they advanced 6 percent in its U.S. division.

Internationally, Costco operates warehouse clubs in Canada, the United Kingdom, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Mexico.

The company said that in July it saw strong sales of televisions, digital cameras, and books, helped by the latest Harry Potter release. It said sales of women's apparel were weak.