Costco December same-store sales rose 7 percent

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Costco Wholesale Corp (COST.O) on Thursday reported a stronger-than-expected 7 percent rise in December sales at its warehouse clubs open at least a year, helped by higher gasoline prices and strength in foreign currency.

Analysts, on average, had been expecting an increase of 5.7 percent, according to Reuters Estimates.

Costco, the largest U.S. warehouse club operator, said net sales were $7.55 billion in the five weeks ended January 6, up 10 percent from a year earlier.

On a recorded call, it said sales were strong in televisions, cameras, camcorders, sporting goods, and men's and women's clothing.

Same-store sales in its U.S. division rose 5 percent, boosted in part by a 27 percent rise in the average price of gasoline during the five-week period.

Excluding gasoline, it said U.S. same-store sales would have been up 4 percent.

International same-store sales jumped 16 percent, helped by strength in foreign currency, especially in Canada and Britain.

(Reporting by Ritsuko Ando and Nicole Maestri; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)