Hello, and thank you for calling Costco Wholesale Corporation. I'm David Sherwood, AVP of Finance and Investor Relations. And I will review our sales results for the 4 week retail month of October, which started on Monday, October 8 and ended on Sunday, November 4. This period is compared to the 4 weeks beginning on Monday, October 9 and ending on Sunday, November 5, 2017. This call will include forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results and or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those outlined in today's call as well as other risks identified from time to time in the company's public statements and reports filed with the SEC. Forward looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company does not undertake to update these statements except as required by law. Now with regards to the sales. As reported in our release, net sales for the 4 week month of October came in at $11,160,000,000 an increase of 10.6 percent from $10,090,000,000 last year.
As discussed last month, the company adopted revenue recognition standard ASC 606 for fiscal year 2019. For the full fiscal year 2019, we estimate the new standard will benefit net and comparable sales by approximately 1%. The benefit in October was approximately 65 basis points. Comparable sales were as follows. On a reported basis, the U.
S. 4 weeks was at 10.4% the 9 weeks, 10.4% in Canada, the 4 weeks, 2.4% 9 weeks, 2.7% other international, 4 weeks, 5.5 percent 9 weeks, 4.8%. Total company, the 4 weeks were 8.6%, the 9 weeks was an 8.5%. And for e commerce, the 4 weeks was a 20.0 percent 9 weeks, 24.8%. Comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices, foreign exchange and revenue recognition, ASC 606, were as follows: In the U.
S, the 4 weeks is a 7.1 percent 9 weeks, 7.4 percent Canada, the 4 weeks is a 4.2% 9 weeks, 5.5%. Other international, the 4 weeks is a 6.6% and the 9 weeks, 6.4%. Total company 4 weeks 6.6 percent 9 weeks 7.0 percent and e commerce 4 weeks 20.0% and the 9 weeks 23.1%. In terms of regional and merchandising categories, the general highlights for the month of October were as follows. The U.
S. Regions with the strongest results were the Midwest, San Diego, Northeast and L. A. Internationally, in local currencies, we saw the strongest results in Spain, Mexico, Japan and Australia. Foreign currencies year over year relative to the U.
S. Dollar impacted October comp sales as follows: Canada was hurt by a little more than 3.25 basis points other international was hurt by a little less than 200 basis points and total company was hurt by approximately 75 basis points. Revenue recognition benefited sales by approximately 80 basis points in the United States and approximately 65 basis points for the total company. The negative impact of cannibalization was approximately 50 basis points in the U. S, a little less than 75 basis points in Canada, a little less than 100 basis points in other international and approximately 65 basis points for the total company.
Moving to merchandise highlights, the following comparable sales results by category for October exclude the impact of foreign exchange. Food and sundries were positive mid single digits. Departments with the strongest results were tobacco, candy and sundries. Hard lines were positive high single digits. Better performing departments were tires, automotive and majors.
Softlines were up high single digits. Better performing departments included apparel, small appliances and special order kiosks. Fresh foods were up mid single digits. All departments performed similarly. Within the ancillary businesses, gasoline, hearing aids and optical had the best comp sales increases in October.
Gasoline price inflation added a little more than 200 basis points to total reported comp sales. The average selling price was up 19% at $3.08 this year compared to 2.58 dollars last year. Our comp traffic or frequency for October was up 4.6% worldwide and 4.8% in the U. S. The average transaction was up 3.8% for the month, which includes the negative impact from foreign exchange and positive impacts from both gasoline price inflation and revenue recognition.
Looking ahead, the November reporting period will include the 4 weeks beginning November 5 and ending December 2 compared to the 4 weeks beginning November 6 and ending December 3, 2017. Sales will be announced Wednesday, December 5 after market close at 1:15 Pacific Time. Costco currently operates 766 warehouses, including 531 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 100 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 28 in the United Kingdom, 26 in Japan, 15 in Korea, 13 in Taiwan, 10 in Australia, 2 in Spain, 1 in Iceland and 1 in France. Costco also operates e commerce websites in the U. S, Canada, U.
K, Mexico, Korea and Taiwan. If you have any questions regarding our October sales results or any other Investor Relations questions, please do not hesitate to call Bob Nelson at 425-313-8255, Josh Damon at 425-313-8254 or myself, David Sherwood at 425-313-8239. This recording will be available until 5 p. M. Pacific Time, Wednesday, November 14th.
Thanks for calling Costco and have a great day.