Type: Private
On the web: http://www.bjs.com
Employees: 24,800
Employee growth: 5.5%

"Exclusive membership" has never been as common as it is at BJ's Wholesale Club. The firm is the nation's #3 membership warehouse club (far behind leaders Costco and SAM'S CLUB) and #1 in New England, with more than nine million members and some 190 locations in 15 states, mostly along the Eastern Seaboard. Food, including canned, fresh, and frozen items, accounts for about two-thirds of sales at BJ's. The remainder comes from general merchandise, including apparel, housewares, office equipment, small appliances, and gas. Unlike its major rivals, BJ's targets individual retail customers rather than small businesses. BJ's was taken private in 2011 by two buyout firms in a deal valued at about $2.8 billion.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending January, 2011:
Sales: $10,877.2M
One year growth: 6.8%
Net income: $95.0M
Income growth: (28.1%)

Officers:
Chairman: Herbert J. (Herb) Zarkin
President, CEO, and Director: Laura J. Sen
EVP and CIO: Peter Amalfi

Competitors:
Costco Wholesale
Sam's Club
Stop & Shop

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