Costco Wholesale Corp.

With everybody trying to get ethnic at retail, supermarkets have to fight harder than ever to stake their claim.

KALISPELL, Mont.--Costco has decided to delay plans to build new units in the state of Montana because of a proposed tax on big-box stores under consideration by the state legislature, according to published reports.

NEW YORK - Wal-Mart met securities analysts¿ expectations for December same-store sales yesterday, reporting a 3 percent rise in comps for the all-important holiday closer.

DALLAS - La Familia Distributors, Inc., a privately held company that sells Hispanic foods and consumer products, has announced plans to open six "club stores" in North Texas in 2005, according to published reports.

CARTERET, N.J. - Pathmark Stores, Inc. and Premier Retail Networks, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of San Francisco-based PRN Corp., have signed an agreement to install PRN's in-store television network at checkout lanes in all of Pathmark's stores.

NEW YORK - Struggling Southeast grocer Winn-Dixie has made the right choice by hiring noted "people person" and former Albertsons' executive Peter Lynch as its new president and c.e.o., observers agreed late last week.

ISSAQUAH, Wash ¿ Strong showings by food and sundries and fresh foods helped Costco bring in a 10 percent increase in net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2005, to $11.34 billion from $10.31 billion during the first quarter of fiscal 2004. On a comparable warehouse basis, net sales increased 7 percent for the club chain.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. - Costco Wholesale Corp. selected Microsoft Commerce Server 2002 to increase speed and efficiency in building its online commerce solutions.