COSTCO PROFIT FALLS; SALES HURT BY STRONG DOLLAR

Costco reported second-quarter earnings that missed expectations late Wednesday as foreign markets were hit hard by a strong dollar. Same-store sales in the USA were up 3%, likely buoyed in February by warmer weather and purchases for Super Bowl Sunday, said Oliver Chen, an equity research analyst with Cowen. But overall, profit slipped to $546 million from $598 million, coming in at $1.24 a share. Analysts expected $1.28 a share.