Costco Wholesale Corp.

DENVER - The founders of Wild Oats Markets have collected their favorite qualities from competitors to create Sunflower Market, a new low-priced natural foods prototype, the Denver Post reports.

Still busily blanketing the U.S. with stores, the largest retailer is also becoming a major presence in countries around the globe. So far, its prospects are bigger than its problems.

NEW YORK -- Several leading food retailers released earnings results today.

NEW YORK - Wal-Mart is looking to open its first store in the five New York boroughs, Crain's New York Business reported on Sunday.

St. Paul, Minn. -- SPS Commerce, a provider of hosted supply chain integration services for the retail industry, today announced continued growth in the grocery sector with the addition of 10 grocery retailers to its network during the third quarter of 2003.

CHICAGO - The International Brotherhood of Teamsters union said on Thursday it reached a tentative agreement with warehouse club operator Costco Wholesale Corp. covering about 3,500 employees on the East Coast, Reuters reports.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Flexing its muscle in an increasingly crowded Twin Cities grocery market, Cub Foods said Tuesday it will have 50 metro-area stores by early 2005.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp. warned yesterday that its quarterly earnings would miss expectations because of rising costs for everything from meat to employee health care, sending its stock down nearly 19 percent.