UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549



FORM 10-K





For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017 

OR





For the transition period from                to 



COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 000-22793

PriceSmart, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



9740 Scranton Road, San Diego, CA 92121

(Address of principal executive offices)



Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (858) 404-8800

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Common Stock, $0.0001 Par Value

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None



Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes ☑    No ☐



Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act.             Yes ☐    No ☑



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports); and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes ☑    No ☐



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  Yes  ☑   No ☐



Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  ☐



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,”  and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.



If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.   ☐



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).         Yes ☐    No ☑



The aggregate market value of the Registrant’s voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of the last day of the Registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter was $1,925,567,077 based on the last reported sale price of $88.40 per share on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on February 28, 2017.



As of October 18, 2017,  30,400,674 shares of Common Stock were outstanding.



DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE





Portions of the Company’s definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on January 24, 2018 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K. 



 

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PRICESMART, INC.



ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR

THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED August 31, 2017



TABLE OF CONTENTS





 



 

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PART I

 

Item 1. Business



General

 

This Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements concerning PriceSmart, Inc.'s (“PriceSmart,” "we," or the “Company”) anticipated future revenues and earnings, adequacy of future cash flow, projected warehouse club openings, the Company's performance relative to competitors and related matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements containing the words “expect,” “believe,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipated,” “scheduled” and like expressions, and the negative thereof. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements, including foreign exchange risks, political or economic instability of host countries, and competition, as well as those risks described in the Company's U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including the risk factors referenced in this Form 10-K. See Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors.”



Our Company



PriceSmart owns and operates U.S.-style membership shopping warehouse clubs in Latin America and the Caribbean that offer high quality brand name and private label consumer goods at low prices to individuals and businesses. Our typical no-frills warehouse club-type buildings range in size from 48,000 to 100,000 square feet and are located primarily in and around the major cities in our markets to take advantage of dense populations and relatively higher levels of disposable income. During fiscal year 2017, average net sales per warehouse club were approximately $74.6 million. By offering our members high quality merchandise at competitive prices, we seek to reinforce the value of a PriceSmart membership. We also seek to provide above market and fair wages and benefits to all of our employees as well as a fair return to our stockholders.



Our warehouse clubs operate in developing markets that historically have had higher growth rates and lower warehouse club market penetration than the U.S. market. In the countries in which we operate, we do not currently face direct competition from U.S. membership warehouse club operators. However, we do face competition from various retail formats such as hypermarkets, supermarkets, cash and carry, home improvement centers, electronic retailers, specialty stores and traditional wholesale distribution.



The numbers of warehouse clubs in operation as of August 31, 2017 for each country or territory were as follows:







 We opened a new warehouse club in Chia, Colombia, in September 2016 (fiscal year 2017) that we constructed on land we acquired in May 2015, bringing the total of warehouse clubs operating in Colombia to seven. In April 2015, we acquired land in Managua, Nicaragua. We constructed and then opened a warehouse club on this site in November 2015 of fiscal year 2016, bringing the total number of warehouse clubs operating in Nicaragua to two. 



On February 1, 2017, we acquired land in Santa Ana, Costa Rica, upon which we built a new warehouse club. We opened this new warehouse club on October 5, 2017, fiscal year 2018.  This new warehouse club brings the number of PriceSmart warehouse clubs operating in Costa Rica to seven. In June 2017, we acquired land in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, upon which we are currently building a new warehouse club. We expect to open this new warehouse club in the spring of 2018. This

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will bring the number of PriceSmart warehouse clubs operating in Dominican Republic to four. We continue to explore other potential sites for future warehouse clubs in Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia.



Our warehouse clubs and local distribution centers are located in Latin America and the Caribbean, and our corporate headquarters, U.S. buying operations and regional distribution centers are located primarily in the United States.  Our operating segments are the United States, Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia.



Competitive Strengths



Low Operating Costs.  Our format is designed to move merchandise from our suppliers to our members at a lower expense ratio than our competitors. We focus on achieving efficiencies in product distribution, minimizing the labor required to stock and display merchandise, limiting non-payroll operating expenses and maintaining low occupancy costs. For example, we offer a limited number of stock keeping units (SKUs) (approximately 2,500 per warehouse club) with large pack sizes, which allows us to keep shelves stocked with less labor cost than competitors that offer a greater number of SKUs. We also have opened distribution centers in certain of our high volume markets to improve in-stock rates on high volume products. Our focus on driving down operating costs relative to net warehouse club sales allows us to offer lower prices to our members, which we believe helps generate member loyalty and increased sales. 



Membership. Membership has been a basic operating characteristic in the warehouse club industry beginning over 40 years ago at Price Club, the first warehouse club. Membership fees enable us to operate our business on lower margins than conventional retail and wholesalers and represent approximately 1.6% of net warehouse club sales.  In addition, membership serves to promote customer loyalty.



Business Members. Our product selection, marketing and general business focus are directed to both business and retail consumers. Our business members include a broad cross section of businesses such as restaurants, institutions including schools, and other businesses that purchase products for resale or use in their businesses. These business members represent a significant source of sales and profit and provide purchasing volume that gives us better prices from our suppliers.



Innovation. The warehouse club industry surpassed its fortieth anniversary in 2016, since the founding of Price Club in 1976. The world of merchandising has changed greatly in those 40 years, particularly related to technology, the worldwide sourcing of products, a growing middle class in developing countries and ever changing consumer preferences. We have developed know-how to operate effectively in multiple markets, many of which are relatively small, each with different legal requirements, local buying opportunities, cultural norms, unique distribution and logistical challenges and member preferences that require a studied mix of local versus imported merchandise. We believe that fundamental to our future success is our capacity to continue to adapt and innovate to meet the needs of our current and future members.  We have therefore established an innovation team reporting to a committee of the Board of Directors that is dedicated to the evaluation and development of technologies with the objective of offering our members a seamless multi-channel experience, including on-line shopping.



Experienced Management Team. Our Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and many of our senior executives and managers have worked in the warehouse club business most, if not all, of their careers. Their experience and knowledge represent a key strength and competitive advantage for our company.



Growth Strategy



Our Board of Directors has approved a growth strategy that includes the following elements:



Increasing Sales in Current PriceSmart Locations. Our approach for increasing sales at current PriceSmart locations focuses primarily on expanding or reconfiguring our buildings to add selling space and additional parking in our higher volume locations; identifying and purchasing the right products at the lowest possible prices to provide value to our members; and expanding the number of private label products we sell under our Member’s Selection brand.



Adding New Warehouse Clubs in Existing Markets. We operate in 13 countries/territories. All of our country markets are small in terms of population and gross domestic product (“GDP”) except Colombia. In our non-Colombia markets, we plan to add additional warehouse clubs where we believe the markets can support additional clubs. We also plan to continue to add warehouse clubs in Colombia, which is a large market that we believe can potentially provide significant expansion opportunities.



Efficient Distribution Center Network. Logistics and distribution efficiencies are an important part of what allows us to deliver high quality merchandise at low prices to our members.  Our warehouse clubs acquire a significant amount of merchandise internationally, primarily processed through our Miami distribution centers. We then ship the merchandise either directly to our warehouse clubs or to regional distribution centers located in some of our larger markets.  Our ability to efficiently receive, handle and distribute merchandise to the point where our members put that merchandise into their shopping carts has a significant impact on our level of operating expenses and ultimately how low we can price our merchandise.  We continue to explore ways to

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improve efficiency, reduce costs and ensure a good flow of merchandise to our warehouse clubs.  We have added local and regional distribution centers in several of our markets to improve merchandise flow and in-stock conditions and reduce operating costs, the benefit of which can be passed on to our members in the form of lower merchandise prices.  These locations are generally leased, and the addition of new locations or expansion of current capacity will not require significant investment. Additionally, in January 2017 we purchased a distribution center in Medley, Miami-Dade County, Florida, into which we transferred our Miami dry distribution center activities from a leased facility during the third quarter of fiscal year 2017.  This new distribution facility will increase our ability to efficiently receive, handle and distribute merchandise.  Our distribution centers are currently contributing to efficiencies in buying and product handling, and we expect our in-country distribution centers to continue to expand their range of operations to increase PriceSmart sales and to lower operating expenses.



New Markets. We are focused on efforts to expand in Colombia, a market where our membership concept has proven to be well-received and holds significant potential to grow our business, while we continually evaluate potential opportunities for future expansion into new markets in South America.



On-line Shopping and Other Services. We believe that there is significant opportunity to increase sales and profits with our current and future members through increasing online shopping opportunities; providing home and business product delivery; and offering additional products and services not currently available to our members. These capabilities are currently under development.



Our Membership Policy



We offer three types of memberships: Business, Diamond and, in Costa Rica and Panama, Platinum memberships. Businesses qualify for Business membership. We promote Business membership through our marketing programs and by offering certain merchandise targeted primarily to businesses such as restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, offices and institutions. Business members pay an annual membership fee of approximately the equivalent of $30 for a primary and secondary membership card and approximately $10 for additional add-on membership cards.



The Diamond membership is targeted at individuals and families. The annual fee for a Diamond membership in most markets is approximately $35 (entitling members to two cards). We increased the fee in June 2012 from approximately $30.    In Colombia, the Diamond membership fee has been 65,000 (COP) (including VAT) since our initial entrance into the Colombian market.  The Colombian peso (COP) was trading at approximately 2,000 COP to $1.00 US dollar at that time.  More recently, the Colombian peso has been trading at approximately 3,000 COP to $1.00 US dollar, so that the converted membership price in U.S. dollars decreased from approximately U.S. $30 to approximately U.S. $20.  In February 2017, we raised the membership fee in Colombia to 75,000 COP, moving the converted membership price to approximately U.S. $25. 



The Company began offering Platinum memberships in Costa Rica during fiscal year 2013, which provides members with a 2% rebate on most items, up to an annual maximum of $500.00.  Platinum members can apply this rebate to future purchases at the warehouse club at the end of the annual membership period.  The Company records this 2% rebate as a reduction of revenue at the time of the sales transaction.  Accordingly, the Company has reduced warehouse sales and has accrued a liability within other accrued expenses.  The rebate is issued annually to Platinum members on March 1 and expires August 31.  Any rebate amount not redeemed by August 31 is recognized as breakage revenue.  In September of fiscal year 2018, we expanded this membership offering to our Panama market and plan on adding the Platinum membership level in the Dominican Republic over the next few months. We are considering expanding Platinum membership to other PriceSmart markets and may do so during fiscal year 2018.

We recognize membership income over the 12-month term of the membership.  Deferred membership income is presented separately on the consolidated balance sheet and totaled $22.1 million and $20.9 million as of August 31, 2017 and August 31, 2016, respectively.  Our membership agreements provide that our members may cancel their membership and may receive a refund of the prorated share of their remaining membership fee if they so request.  



Our Intellectual Property Rights



It is our policy to obtain appropriate proprietary rights protection for trademarks by filing applications for registration of eligible trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in certain foreign countries. We rely on copyright and trade secret laws to protect our proprietary rights. We attempt to protect our trade secrets and other proprietary information through agreements with our employees, consultants and suppliers and other similar measures. There can be no assurance, however, that we will be successful in protecting our proprietary rights. While management believes that our trademarks, copyrights and other proprietary know-how have significant value, changing technology and the competitive marketplace make our future success dependent principally upon our employees’ technical competence and creative skills for continuing innovation.



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Our Competition



Our international merchandising business competes with a wide range of international, regional, national and local retailers, and traditional wholesale distributors.  Our industry is highly competitive, based on factors such as price, merchandise quality and selection, warehouse location and member service.  Some of our competitors may have greater resources, buying power and name recognition.  In the countries in which we operate, we do not currently face direct competition from U.S. membership warehouse club operators.  However, we do face competition from various retail formats such as hypermarkets, supermarkets, cash and carry, home improvement centers, electronic retailers and specialty stores, including those within Latin America that are owned and operated by large U.S. and international retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in Central America and Grupo Éxito and Cencosud in Colombia.  We have competed effectively in these markets in the past and expect to continue to do so in the future due to the unique nature of the membership warehouse club format.  We have noted that certain retailers are making investments in upgrading their locations within our markets.  These actions may result in increased competition within our markets.  Further, it is possible that additional U.S. warehouse club operators may decide to enter our markets and compete more directly with us in a similar warehouse club format.



Our Employees



As of August 31, 2017, we had a total of 7,903 employees. Approximately 95% of our employees were employed outside of the United States, and approximately 1,105 employees are represented by unions. Our policy is to provide employees with good wages relative to the competition in the markets in which they work and to provide good benefits which often exceed the legal requirements for countries in which we do business.  We believe that investing in our employees, treating them as partners in our business and providing opportunities for career advancement lead to long-serving, loyal employees, which in turn creates efficiencies in operations and results in better service to our members.  We consider our employee relations to be very good.



Seasonality and Quarterly Fluctuations



Historically, our merchandising businesses have experienced holiday retail seasonality in our markets. In addition, fluctuations in our comparable store net sales, operating income and net income occur as a result of a variety of factors in our markets.  These factors, include but are not limited to:





Because of such fluctuations, the results of operations of any quarter are not indicative of the results that may be achieved for a full fiscal year or any future quarter. In addition, there can be no assurance that our future results will be consistent with past results or the projections of securities analysts.



Working Capital Practices



Information about our working capital practices is disclosed in Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations--Liquidity and Capital Resources.”



Financial Information about Segments and Geographic Areas



Financial information about segments and geographic areas is incorporated herein within Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations--Net Warehouse Club Sales by Segments” and Part II, Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data Segment: Notes to Financial Statements, Note 15-Segments.”



Other Information



PriceSmart, Inc. was incorporated in the State of Delaware in 1994.  Our principal executive offices are located at 9740 Scranton Road, San Diego, California 92121.  Our telephone number is (858) 404-8800.  Our website home page on the Internet is www.pricesmart.com.  We make our website content available for information purposes only.  It should not be relied upon for investment purposes, nor is it incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K.



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Available Information



The PriceSmart, Inc. website or internet address is www.pricesmart.com. On this website we make available, free of charge, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports, and the annual report to the stockholders as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing such material with or furnishing it to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Our SEC reports can be accessed through the investor relations section of our website under “SEC Filings.” All of our filings with the SEC may also be obtained at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at Room 1580, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549. For information regarding the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room, please contact the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Additionally, the SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.  We will make available our annual report on Form 10-K and our annual Proxy Statement for the fiscal year 2017 at the internet address http://materials.proxyvote.com/741511 as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing such material with or furnishing it to the SEC.

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

 

In evaluating the Company’s business, you should consider the following discussion of risk factors, in addition to other information contained in this report and in the Company’s other public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  Any such risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow and prospects. However, the risks described below or incorporated by reference herein are not the only risks facing us. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or those we currently view to be immaterial may also materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow and prospects.



Our financial performance is dependent on international operations, which exposes us to various risks. 



Our international operations account for nearly all of our total revenues. Our financial performance is subject to risks inherent in operating and expanding our international membership warehouse club business, which include:





Circumstances relating to these risks may arise, which may then result in disruption to our sales, banking transactions, operations, merchandise shipments, and currency exchange rates, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.



Any failure by us to manage our widely dispersed operations could adversely affect our business.



As of August 31, 2017, the Company had 39 warehouse clubs in operation, located in 12 countries and one U.S. territory (seven in Colombia; six in Costa Rica; five in Panama; four in Trinidad; three each in Guatemala, Honduras, and in the Dominican Republic; two in El Salvador and Nicaragua; and one each in Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, and the United States Virgin Islands).  We will need to continually evaluate the adequacy of our existing infrastructure, systems and procedures, financial controls, inventory controls and safety controls and make upgrades from time to time. Moreover, we will be required to continually analyze the sufficiency of our inventory distribution channels and systems and may require additional or expanded facilities in order to support our operations. We may not adequately anticipate all the changing demands that will be imposed on these systems. Any inability to effectively update our internal systems or procedures as required could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.



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We face significant competition. 



Our international warehouse club business competes with exporters, importers, wholesalers, local retailers and trading companies in various international markets. Some of our competitors have greater resources, buying power and name recognition than we have. 



In the countries in which we operate, we do not currently face direct competition from U.S. membership warehouse club operators. However, we do face competition from various retail formats such as hypermarkets, supermarkets, cash and carry, home improvement centers, electronic retailers and specialty stores, including those within Latin America that are owned and operated by large U.S. and international retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in Central America and Grupo Éxito and Cencosud in Colombia. We have noted that certain retailers are making investments in upgrading their locations which may result in increased competition. Further, it is possible that current U.S. warehouse club operators may decide to enter our markets and compete more directly with us in a similar warehouse club format.  Our ability to operate profitably in our markets, particularly small markets, may be adversely affected by the existence or entry of competing warehouse clubs or discount retailers.



We also face competition from on-line retailers who serve our markets, and we expect that this type of competition will grow and intensify in the future.



We compete in a variety of ways, including the prices at which we sell our merchandise, merchandise selection and availability, services offered to customers, location, store hours and the shopping convenience and overall shopping experience we offer. We may be required to implement price reductions to remain competitive if any of our competitors reduce prices in any of our markets. In response to the increasing threat associated with on-line retailers, we are making technology investments which may result in increases in the use of cash and reduced profitability in the near term.



Future sales growth depends, in part, on our ability to successfully open new warehouse clubs and grow sales in our existing locations.



Sales growth at the existing warehouse clubs can be impacted by, among other things, the physical limitations of the warehouse clubs, which restrict the amount of merchandise that can be safely stored and displayed in the warehouse clubs and the number of members that can be accommodated during business hours. As a result, sales growth will depend, in part, upon our acquiring suitable sites for additional warehouse clubs. Land for purchase or lease, or buildings to be leased, in the size and locations in those markets that would be suitable for new PriceSmart warehouse clubs may be limited in number or not be available or financially feasible. In this regard, we compete with other retailers and businesses for suitable locations. Additionally, local land use, environmental and other regulations restricting the construction and operation of our warehouse clubs may impact our ability to find suitable locations, and increase the cost of constructing, leasing and operating our warehouse clubs. We have experienced these limitations in Colombia and in some of our other existing markets, which has negatively affected our growth rates in those markets. Limitations on the availability of appropriate sites for new warehouse clubs in the areas targeted by us could have a material adverse effect on the future growth of PriceSmart.



In some cases, we have more than one warehouse club in a single metropolitan area, and we may open new warehouse clubs in certain areas where we already have warehouse clubs. A new warehouse club in an area already served by existing warehouse clubs may draw members away from existing warehouse clubs and adversely affect comparable warehouse club sales performance. We experienced this adverse effect on comparable sales for existing warehouse clubs recently within our Costa Rica and Honduras markets when we opened one new warehouse club in each of these markets in areas that already had an existing warehouse club.



We operate in comparatively small markets. Given the growth of our sales over the past few years, market saturation could impact the rate of future sales growth.



We might open warehouse clubs in new markets in the future. The risks associated with entering a new market include potential difficulties in attracting members due to a lack of familiarity with us and our lack of familiarity with local member preferences. In addition, entry into new markets may bring us into competition with new competitors or with existing competitors with a large, established market presence. As a result, our new warehouse clubs might not be successful in new markets.



We might not identify in a timely manner or effectively respond to changes in consumer preferences for merchandise, which could adversely affect our relationship with members, demand for our products and market share.  



Our success depends, in part, on our ability to identify and respond to trends in demographics and changes in consumer preferences for merchandise. It is difficult to consistently and successfully predict the products and services our members will demand. Failure to timely identify or respond effectively to changing consumer tastes, preferences or spending patterns could adversely affect our relationship with our members, the demand for our products and our market share. If we are not successful at predicting sales trends and adjusting purchases accordingly, we might have too much or too little inventory of certain products.

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If we buy too much of a product, we might be required to reduce prices or otherwise liquidate the excess inventory, which could have an adverse effect on margins (net sales less merchandise costs) and operating income. If we do not have sufficient quantities of a popular product, we might lose sales and profits we otherwise could have made.



Although we offer limited online shopping to our members in certain markets, our sales could be adversely affected if one or more major international online retailers were to enter our markets or if other competitors were to offer a superior online experience. 



Online sales currently represent a small fraction of the total sales in our markets of the types of merchandise we offer, but online shopping may become more prevalent in our markets as we and our competitors begin to offer more opportunities for online shopping and as delivery systems in our markets improve.  While major international online retailers have not established a significant penetration in any of our markets, it is possible that they or smaller regional companies will increase the penetration of online shopping in our markets. We continue to invest in our websites and systems with the long-term objective of offering our members a seamless multichannel experience.  If we do not successfully develop and maintain a relevant multichannel experience for our members, our ability to compete and our results of operations could be adversely affected.



Failure to grow our e-commerce business through the integration of physical and digital retail or otherwise, and the cost of our increasing e-commerce investments, may materially adversely affect our market position, net sales and financial performance.



The retail business is quickly evolving and consumers are increasingly embracing shopping online and through mobile commerce applications. As a result, the portion of total consumer expenditures with all retailers and wholesale clubs occurring online and through mobile commerce applications is increasing and the pace of this increase could accelerate. We are increasing our investments in e-commerce, technology and other customer initiatives. The success of our ecommerce initiative will depend in large measure on our ability to build and deliver a seamless shopping experience across the physical and digital retail channels. If we fail to successfully implement our ecommerce initiative, our market position, net sales and financial performance could be adversely affected. In addition, a greater concentration of e-commerce sales could result in a reduction in the amount of traffic in our warehouse clubs, which would, in turn, reduce the opportunities for cross-store or cross-club sales of merchandise that such traffic creates and could reduce our sales within our clubs and materially adversely affect the financial performance of the physical retail side of our operations. In addition, the cost of certain e-commerce and technology investments will adversely impact our financial performance in the short-term and may adversely impact our financial performance over the longer term.





Our profitability is vulnerable to cost increases.



Future increases in costs such as the cost of merchandise, wage and benefits costs, shipping rates, freight costs, fuel costs, utilities and other store occupancy costs may reduce our profitability. We seek to adjust our product sales pricing, operate more efficiently, and increase our comparable store net sales to offset currency rate changes, changes in tax rates or in the methods used to calculate or collect taxes on our sales or income, inflation and other factors that can increase costs. We might not be able to adjust prices, operate more efficiently or increase our comparable store net sales in the future to a great enough extent to offset increased costs. Please see Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” of this Form 10-K for further discussion of the effect of currency rate changes, inflation and other economic factors on our operations.



We face difficulties in the shipment of, and risks inherent in the importation of, merchandise to our warehouse clubs. 



Our warehouse clubs typically import nearly half or more of the merchandise that they sell. This merchandise originates from various countries and is transported over long distances, typically over water, which results in:





Moreover, each country in which we operate has different governmental rules and regulations regarding the importation of foreign products. Changes to the rules and regulations governing the importation of merchandise may result in additional delays, costs or barriers in our deliveries of products to our warehouse clubs or may affect the type of products we select to

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import. In addition, only a limited number of transportation companies service our regions. The inability or failure of one or more key transportation companies to provide transportation services to us, any collusion among the transportation companies regarding shipping prices or terms, changes in the regulations that govern shipping tariffs or the importation of products, or any other disruption to our ability to import our merchandise could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.



We are exposed to weather and other natural disaster risks that might not be adequately compensated by insurance. 



Our operations are subject to volatile weather conditions and natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, which are encountered periodically in the regions in which our warehouse clubs are located. Natural disasters could result in many days of lost sales at our warehouse clubs or adversely affect our distribution chain. For example, operations at our USVI warehouse club have been adversely affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.  The warehouse club was closed for nine days, and after re-opening, the warehouse club operated with limited hours for 16 days due to a government-imposed curfew. Damaged and destroyed roads continue to restrict traffic flow, adversely affecting customer access.  Losses from business interruption may not be adequately compensated by insurance and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.



Negative economic conditions could adversely impact our business in various respects. 



A slowdown in the economies of one or more of the countries in which we operate or adverse changes in economic conditions affecting discretionary consumer spending, such as employment rates, business conditions, inflation, fuel and energy costs, consumer debt levels, availability of credit, interest rates, tax rates and consumer spending patterns in each of our foreign markets, could adversely affect consumer demand for the products we sell, change the mix of products we sell to one with a lower average gross margin, cause a slowdown in discretionary purchases of goods, adversely affect our net sales and result in slower inventory turnover and greater markdowns of inventory, or otherwise materially adversely affect our operating results.  Factors such as declining expatriate remittances, reduced tourism and less foreign investment also could negatively impact the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean. A significant decline in the economies of the countries in which our warehouse clubs are located may lead to increased governmental ownership or regulation of the economy, higher interest rates and increased barriers to entry such as higher tariffs and taxes. The economic factors that affect our operations also may adversely affect the operations of our suppliers, which can result in an increase in the cost to us of the goods we sell to our customers or, in more extreme cases, in certain suppliers not producing goods in the volume typically available to us for sale.





Our failure to maintain our brand and reputation could adversely affect our results of operations.



Our success depends on our ability to continue to preserve and enhance our brand and reputation.  Damage to the PriceSmart brand could adversely impact warehouse club sales, diminish member trust, reduce member renewal rates and impair our ability to add new members.  A failure to maintain and enhance our reputation also could lead to loss of new opportunities or employee retention and recruiting difficulties.  Negative incidents, such as a data breach or product recall, can quickly erode trust and confidence, particularly if they result in adverse mainstream publicity, governmental investigations or litigation. In particular, the propagation of negative publicity on social media, whether merited or not, can have a damaging effect on our business in one or more markets. In addition, we sell many products under our private label Member’s Selection brand. If we do not maintain consistent product quality of our Member’s Selection products, which generally carry higher margins than national brand products carried in our warehouse clubs, our net warehouse sales and gross margin results could be adversely affected and member loyalty could be harmed.



We face the risk of exposure to product liability claims, a product recall and adverse publicity. 



We market and distribute products purchased from third-party suppliers and products prepared by us for resale, including meat, dairy and other food products, which exposes us to the risk of product liability claims, a product recall and adverse publicity. We may inadvertently redistribute food products or prepare food products that are contaminated, which may result in illness, injury or death if the contaminants are not eliminated by processing at the food service or consumer level. We generally seek contractual indemnification and proof of insurance from our major suppliers and carry product liability insurance for all products sold to our members by us. However, if we do not have adequate insurance or contractual indemnification available, product liability claims relating to products that are contaminated or otherwise harmful could have a material adverse effect on our ability to successfully market our products and on our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, even if a product liability claim is not successful or is not fully pursued, the negative publicity surrounding a product recall or any assertion that our products caused illness or injury could have a material adverse effect on our reputation with existing and potential members and on our business, financial condition and results of operations.





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We are subject to risks associated with possible changes in our relationships with third parties with which we do business, as well as the performance of such third parties. 



We have important ongoing relationships with various third-party suppliers of services and merchandise. These include, but are not limited to, local and regional merchandise suppliers, information technology suppliers, warehouse facilities and equipment suppliers, financial institutions, credit card issuers and processors, and lessors. Significant changes in the relationships or the agreements that govern the terms through which business is conducted could adversely affect our ability to purchase merchandise in sufficient quantities and at competitive prices, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation. We have no assurances of continued supply, pricing or access to new merchandise, and any supplier could at any time change the terms upon which it sells to us or discontinue selling to us. One of our significant suppliers operates a warehouse club business and may in the future seek to compete with us in some of our markets. In addition, the manner in which we acquire merchandise, either directly from the supplier’s parent company or through a local subsidiary or distributor, is subject to change from time to time based on changes initiated by the supplier and for reasons beyond our control. Significant changes or disruptions in how we acquire merchandise from these suppliers could negatively affect our access to such merchandise, as well as the cost of merchandise to us and hence our members, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.



Additionally, our suppliers are subject to risks, including labor disputes, union organizing activities, financial liquidity, inclement weather, natural disasters, supply constraints, regulatory compliance with local and international agencies and general economic and political conditions that could limit their ability to timely provide us with acceptable merchandise, which could adversely affect our business. Furthermore, one or more of our suppliers might fail to comply with appropriate production, labor, environmental and other practices, as well as quality control, legal or regulatory standards. We might not identify any such deficiencies, which could lead to litigation and recalls, damage our reputation and our brands, increase our costs, and otherwise adversely impact our business.



We could be subject to additional tax liabilities or subject to reserves on the recoverability of tax receivables. 



We compute our income tax based on enacted tax rates in the countries in which we operate. As the tax rates vary among countries, a change in earnings attributable to the various jurisdictions in which we operate could result in an unfavorable change in our overall taxes.  Changes in tax laws, increases in the enacted tax rates, adverse outcomes in connection with tax audits in any jurisdiction, including transfer pricing disputes, or any change in the pronouncements relating to accounting for income taxes could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.  In some countries, there have been changes in the method of computing minimum tax prepayments and there are no clear rules that allow the Company to obtain refunds or to offset prepayments that are substantially in excess of the actual computed tax liability.  Additionally, in one country the government alleges that there is not a clearly defined process in the laws and regulations to allow the tax authorities to refund Value Added Tax (“VAT”) receivables.  We, together with our tax and legal advisers, are currently appealing these interpretations in court.  If we do not prevail on our appeal, we may be required to establish a valuation reserve against these VAT receivables and take an accompanying charge, which would adversely affect our financial condition and results of operation. 



We file federal and state tax returns in the United States and various other tax returns in foreign jurisdictions. The preparation of these tax returns requires us to interpret the applicable tax laws and regulations in effect in such jurisdictions, which affects the amount of tax paid by us. We, in consultation with our tax advisors, base our tax returns on interpretations that we believe to be reasonable under the prevailing circumstances. The tax returns, however, are subject to routine reviews by the various taxing authorities in the jurisdictions in which we file our returns. As part of these reviews, a taxing authority may disagree with respect to the interpretations we used to calculate our tax liability and therefore require us to pay additional taxes.



We face the possibility of operational interruptions related to union work stoppages. 



We currently have labor unions at our distribution center in Miami, FL and in three of our subsidiaries (Trinidad, Barbados, and Panama). A work stoppage or other limitation on operations from union or other labor-related matters could occur for any number of reasons, including as a result of disputes under existing collective bargaining agreements with labor unions or in connection with negotiation of new collective bargaining agreements. A lengthy work stoppage or significant limitation on operations could have a substantial adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. For example, a work stoppage at our Miami distribution facility could affect our ability to supply adequate inventories of U.S. goods to our warehouse clubs, and work stoppages at one or more clubs would adversely affect sales by the affected warehouse club or clubs.



We are subject to volatility in foreign currency exchange rates and limits on our ability to convert foreign currencies into U.S. dollars. 



As of August 31, 2017, we had a total of 39 warehouse clubs operating in 12 foreign countries and one U.S. territory, 31 of which operate under currencies other than the U.S. dollar. For fiscal year 2017, approximately 77% of our net warehouse club

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sales were in foreign currencies. We may enter into additional foreign countries in the future or open additional locations in existing countries, which may increase the percentage of net warehouse sales denominated in foreign currencies. 



Our consolidated financial statements are denominated in U.S. dollars, and to prepare those financial statements we must translate the amounts of the assets, liabilities, net sales, other revenues and expenses of our operations outside of the U.S. from foreign currencies into U.S. dollars using exchange rates for the current period. As a result of such translations, fluctuations in currency exchange rates from period-to-period may result in our consolidated financial statements reflecting significant adverse period-over-period changes in our financial performance or reflecting a period-over-period improvement in our financial performance that is not as robust as it would be without such fluctuations in the currency exchange rates.



In addition, devaluing foreign local currencies compared to the U.S. dollar could negatively impact the purchasing power of our members for imported merchandise in those countries.  Merchandise imported into our markets are generally purchased by the Company in U.S. dollars and priced and sold in the local currency of that country.  If the local currency devalues against the U.S. dollar, the prices for those products in the local currency will increase.  Depending on the severity of the devaluation and corresponding price increase (as experienced in Colombia in 2015) the demand for, and sales of, those products could be negatively impacted.



Finally, the ability of the Company to convert local currency into U.S. dollars to settle U.S, dollar invoices can be impacted in certain markets due to economic factors or government policies creating illiquidity of the local currency.  This was the case in Trinidad at the end of 2016 which led us to reduce shipments from the U.S. to Trinidad to amounts that our Trinidad subsidiary could pay for using the amount of tradeable currency that could be sourced in that market, resulting in lost sales.



Volatility and uncertainty regarding the currencies and economic conditions in the countries where we operate could have a material impact on our operations in future periods.



We face compliance risks related to our international operations.



In the United States and within the international markets where we operate, there are multiple laws and regulations that relate to our business and operations. These laws and regulations are subject to change, and any failure by us to effectively manage our operations and reporting obligations as required by the various laws and regulations can result in our incurring significant legal costs and fines as well as disruptions to our business and operations. Such failure could also result in investors’ loss of confidence in us, which could have a material adverse effect on our stock price.



In foreign countries in which we have operations, a risk exists that our employees, contractors or agents could, in contravention of our policies, engage in business practices prohibited by U.S. laws and regulations applicable to us, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the laws and regulations of other countries. We maintain policies prohibiting such business practices and have in place global anti-corruption compliance programs designed to ensure compliance with these laws and regulations. Nevertheless, we remain subject to the risk that one or more of our employees, contractors or agents, including those based in or from countries where practices that violate such U.S. laws and regulations or the laws and regulations of other countries may be customary, will engage in business practices that are prohibited by our policies, circumvent our compliance programs and, by doing so, violate such laws and regulations. Any such violations, even if prohibited by our internal policies, could adversely affect our business or financial performance.





We rely extensively on computer systems to process transactions, summarize results and manage our business. Failure to adequately maintain our systems and disruptions in our systems could harm our business and adversely affect our results of operations. 



Given the number of individual transactions we have each year, we seek to maintain uninterrupted operation of our business-critical computer systems. Our computer systems, including back-up systems, are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, internal or external security breaches, catastrophic events such as fires, earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes, and errors by our employees. If our computer systems and back-up systems are damaged or cease to function properly, we may have to make significant investments to fix or replace them, and we may suffer interruptions in our operations in the interim. Any material interruption in our computer systems could have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations.



From time to time, we make technology investments to improve or replace our information processes and systems that are key to managing our business. The risk of system disruption is increased when system changes are undertaken. Targeting the wrong opportunities, failing to make the best investments or making an investment commitment significantly above or below our needs could result in the loss of our competitive position and adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, the potential problems and interruptions associated with implementing technology initiatives could disrupt or reduce

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the efficiency of our operations in the short term. These initiatives might not provide the anticipated benefits or may provide them on a delayed schedule or at a higher cost. 





We may experience difficulties implementing our new global enterprise resource planning system.



We are engaged in the selection of a new global enterprise resource planning system (ERP). ERP systems are designed to accurately maintain a company’s books and records and provide information important to the operation of the business to the management team. Implementation of the new ERP, which will take several years, will require significant investment of human and financial resources. In implementing the ERP, we may experience significant delays, increased costs and other difficulties. Any significant disruption or deficiency in the design and implementation of the ERP could adversely affect our ability to operate our business.





Any failure by us to maintain the security of the information that we hold relating to our company, members, employees and vendors, whether as a result of cybersecurity attacks on our information systems, failure of internal controls, employee negligence or malfeasance or otherwise, could damage our reputation with members, employees, vendors and others, could disrupt our operations, could cause us to incur substantial additional costs and to become subject to litigation and could materially adversely affect our operating results.



We receive and store in our digital information systems certain personal information about our members, and we receive and store personal information concerning our employees and vendors. We also utilize third-party service providers for a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, cloud services, back-office support, and other functions. In addition, our online operations and our websites in certain of our foreign markets depend upon the secure transmission of confidential information over public networks, including information permitting cashless payments. Each year, computer hackers, cyber terrorists, and others make numerous attempts to access the information stored in companies’ information systems.



We or our third-party service providers may be unable to anticipate one or more of the rapidly evolving and increasingly sophisticated means by which computer hackers, cyber terrorists and others may attempt to defeat our security measures or those of our third-party service providers and breach our or our third party service providers' information systems. Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and are becoming increasingly sophisticated. As cyber threats evolve and become more difficult to detect and successfully defend against, one or more cyber threats might defeat our security measures or those of our third-party service providers in the future and obtain the personal information of members, employees and vendors that we hold or to which our third-party service providers have access, and we or our third-party service providers may not discover any security breach and loss of information for a significant period of time after the security breach occurs. We or one of our third-party service providers also may be subject to a ransomware or cyber-extortion attack, which could significantly disrupt our operations.  In the enterprise context, ransomware attacks involve restricting access to computer systems or vital data until a ransom is paid.  Associate error or malfeasance, faulty password management or other irregularities may result in a defeat of our or our third-party service providers’ security measures and breach our or our third-party service providers’ information systems (whether digital or otherwise).



Any breach of our security measures or those of our third-party service providers and loss of our confidential information, which could be undetected for a period of time, or any failure by us to comply with applicable privacy and information security laws and regulations, could cause us to incur significant costs to protect any members whose personal data was compromised and to restore member confidence in us and to make changes to our information systems and administrative processes to address security issues and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.



In addition, such events could materially adversely affect our reputation with our members, employees, vendors and stockholders, as well as our operations, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, could result in the release to the public of confidential information about our operations and financial condition and performance and could result in litigation against us or the imposition of penalties or liabilities. Moreover, a security breach could require us to devote significant management resources to address the problems created by the security breach and to expend significant additional resources to upgrade further the security measures that we employ to guard such important personal information against cyberattacks and other attempts to access such information, resulting in a disruption of our operations.



We are subject to payment related risks.



We rely on third parties to provide payment transaction processing services, including the processing of credit and debit cards and the processing of payments to vendors. Our business could be disrupted if these companies become unwilling or unable to provide these services to us. Additionally, failures or disruptions in data communication and transfer services could significantly impact our ability to transact payments to vendors and process credit and debit card transactions. We are also subject to payment card association rules and network operating rules, including data security rules, certification requirements and rules

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governing electronic funds transfers, which could change over time. If we fail to comply with these rules or transaction processing requirements, we may not be able to accept certain payment methods. In addition, if our internal systems are breached or compromised, we may be liable for banks’ compromised card re-issuance costs, we may be subject to fines and higher transaction fees and lose our ability to accept credit and/or debit card payments from our members, and our business and operating results could be adversely affected.



Failure to attract and retain qualified employees, increases in wage and benefit costs, changes in laws and other labor issues could materially adversely affect our financial performance.



Our success depends to a significant degree on the continued contributions of members of our senior management and other key operations, merchandising and administrative personnel, and the loss of any such persons could have a material adverse effect on our business. We must develop and retain a growing number of qualified employees, while controlling related labor costs and maintaining our core values. We compete with other retail and non-retail businesses for these employees and invest significant resources in training and motivating them. There is no assurance that we will be able to adequately develop, retain and attract highly qualified employees in the future, or to replace retiring key executives which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We do not maintain key man insurance.





Changes in accounting standards and assumptions, projections, estimates and judgments by management related to complex accounting matters could significantly affect our financial condition and results of operations.



Generally accepted accounting principles and related accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines and interpretations with regard to a wide range of matters that are relevant to our business are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, projections, estimates and judgments by our management. These include, but are not limited to assumptions, projections, estimates and judgements related to contingencies and litigation, income taxes, value added taxes, and long-lived assets. Changes in these rules or their interpretation or changes in underlying assumptions, projections, estimates or judgments by our management could significantly change our reported or expected financial performance.



A few of our stockholders own approximately 25.3% of our voting stock as of August 31, 2017,  which may make it difficult to complete some corporate transactions without their support and may impede a change in control.



Robert E. Price, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, and affiliates of Mr. Price, including Price Charities, Price Philanthropies, The Price Group, LLC, The Robert & Allison Price Charitable Remainder Trust and various other trusts, collectively beneficially own approximately 25.3% of our outstanding shares of common stock. Of this amount, approximately 14.4% is held by charitable entities.  As a result of their beneficial ownership, these stockholders have the ability to significantly affect the outcome of all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election of directors. In addition, this ownership could discourage the acquisition of our common stock by potential investors and could have an anti-takeover effect, possibly depressing the trading price of our common stock. 



 

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

 

None.



 

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Item 2. Properties



At August 31, 2017, PriceSmart operated 39 membership warehouse clubs, as detailed below:









Although we have entered into real estate leases in the past and will likely do so in the future, our preference is to own rather than lease real estate. We lease land and in some cases land and buildings when sites within market areas are not available to purchase. The term on these leases generally run for 20 to 30 years and contain options to renew from 5 to 20 years.  As current leases expire, we believe that we will be able to obtain lease renewals, if desired, for present store locations, or to obtain leases for equivalent or better locations in the same general area. As of August 31, 2017, the Company’s warehouse club buildings occupied a total of approximately 2,925,731 square feet, of which 522,131 square feet were on leased property.



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The following is a summary of other leased facilities as of August 31, 2017:







We lease non-warehouse club facilities and expect to continue to lease these types of facilities as we expand.  Our leases typically provide for initial lease terms between five and ten years, with options to extend; however, in some cases we have lease terms over ten years, mainly related to our Corporate Headquarters and Panama Central Offices.  We believe this leasing strategy for non-warehouse clubs enhances our flexibility to pursue various expansion opportunities resulting from changing market conditions.  As current leases expire, we believe that we will be able to obtain lease renewals, if desired, for these present locations, or to obtain leases for equivalent or better locations in the same general area.



In January 2017, we purchased a distribution center in Medley, Miami-Dade County, Florida. We transferred our Miami dry distribution center activities that were previously in a leased facility to the new facility, during the third quarter of fiscal year 2017.  Some portions of the vacated space have been subleased (and subsequently returned to the landlord) while the remainder remains available for sublease.  We believe that the purchase of this distribution center will enable us to increase our ability to efficiently receive, handle and distribute merchandise.









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The following is a summary of the warehouse clubs and Company facilities located on leased property as of August 31, 2017:









 

Item 3.     Legal Proceedings

 

We are often involved in claims arising in the ordinary course of business seeking monetary damages and other relief. Based upon information currently available to us, none of these claims is expected to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.



 

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Item 4.    Mine Safety Disclosures

 

Not applicable.



 

PART II

 

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

The Company's common stock has been quoted and traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “PSMT” since September 2, 1997. As of October 18, 2017, there were approximately 23,510 holders of record of the common stock. 







Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities



There were no sales of unregistered securities during the year ended August 31, 2017.  



Dividends







The Company anticipates the ongoing payment of semi-annual dividends in subsequent periods, although the actual declaration of future dividends, the amount of such dividends, and the establishment of record and payment dates is subject to final determination by the Board of Directors at its discretion after its review of the Company’s financial performance and anticipated capital requirements. 



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Repurchase of Equity Securities



Upon vesting of restricted stock awarded by the Company to employees, the Company repurchases shares and withholds the amount of the repurchase payment to cover employees’ tax withholding obligations. As set forth in the table below, during fiscal year 2017, the Company repurchased a total of 38,634 shares in the indicated months. These were the only repurchases of equity securities made by the Company during fiscal year 2017. The Company does not have a stock repurchase program.







 

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Item 6. Selected Financial Data

 

The selected consolidated financial data presented below is derived from the Company's consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. This selected financial data should be read in conjunction with “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes thereto included elsewhere in this report.



SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA







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SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA- (Continued)









 

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Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations



This annual report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements concerning PriceSmart Inc.'s ("PriceSmart", the "Company" or "we") anticipated future revenues and earnings, adequacy of future cash flows, proposed warehouse club openings, the Company's performance relative to competitors and related matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements containing the words “expect,” “believe,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipated,” “scheduled,” and like expressions, and the negative thereof. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the risks described herein under the heading “Part I - Item 1A - Risk Factors,” could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These risks are not the only risks that the Company faces. The Company could also be affected by additional factors that apply to all companies operating globally and in the U.S., as well as other risks that are not presently known to the Company or that the Company currently considers to be immaterial.



Our business consists primarily of operating international membership shopping warehouse clubs similar to, but smaller in size than, warehouse clubs in the United States.  We operate in 13 countries/territories that are located in Latin America and the Caribbean.  Our ownership in all operating subsidiaries as of August 31, 2017 is 100%, and they are presented on a consolidated basis.  The number of warehouse clubs in operation as of August 31, 2017 for each country or territory are as follows:







 We constructed and opened a new warehouse club in Chia, Colombia, in September 2016 (fiscal year 2017) on land we acquired in May 2015, bringing the total of warehouse clubs operating in Colombia to seven. In April 2015, we acquired land in Managua, Nicaragua.  We constructed and then opened a warehouse club on this site in November 2015 of fiscal year 2016 bringing the total number of warehouse clubs operating in Nicaragua to two. 



On February 1, 2017, we acquired land in Santa Ana, Costa Rica upon which we opened a new warehouse club on October 5, 2017, fiscal year 2018.  This new warehouse club brings the number of PriceSmart warehouse clubs operating in Costa Rica to seven. In June 2017, we acquired land in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. We are currently building a warehouse club on this site that we expect to open in the spring of calendar year 2018. This will bring the number of PriceSmart warehouse clubs operating in Dominican Republic to four. We continue to explore other potential sites for future warehouse clubs in Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia.



Our warehouse clubs and local distribution centers are located in Latin America and the Caribbean, and our corporate headquarters, U.S. buying operations and regional distribution centers are located primarily in the United States.  Our operating segments are the United States, Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia.

 

General Market Factors



Our sales and profits vary from market to market depending on general economic factors, including GDP growth; consumer spending patterns; foreign currency exchange rates; political policies and social conditions; local demographic characteristics (such as population growth); the number of years PriceSmart has operated in a particular market; and the level of retail and wholesale competition in that market.



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Currency fluctuations can be the largest variable affecting our overall sales and profit performance, as we experienced in fiscal year 2015 and 2016, as many of our markets are susceptible to foreign currency exchange rate volatility.  During fiscal year 2017, approximately 77% of our net warehouse sales were in markets whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar.  Of these sales, approximately 52% were comprised of sales of products we purchased in U.S. dollars.



Currency fluctuations within our Colombia market adversely affected our consolidated results of operations in prior fiscal years. Major changes in the value of the Colombian peso (“COP”) relative to the U.S. dollar negatively impacted sales and margins in that market during fiscal years 2015 and 2016.  For example, in fiscal year 2016, the devaluation of the Colombian peso against the U.S. dollar resulted in decreased U.S. dollar reported warehouse club sales for that market, after translation, by approximately 26% when compared to fiscal year 2015, following an approximately 60% devaluation that occurred in fiscal year 2015.  A devaluation of the COP not only reduces the value of sales and membership income that is generated in Colombia when translated to U.S. dollars for our consolidated results, but also increases the local currency price of imported merchandise, which impacts demand for a significant portion of the Company’s merchandise offering.  This, along with the fact that we are still relatively new in the Colombian market, and the sophisticated level of competition in that market, impacted overall business performance resulting in an operating loss in Colombia in fiscal years 2015 and 2016. A stabilization of the currency during fiscal year 2017 has contributed to improving business conditions in Colombia, resulting in good sales growth and a return to operating profitability in our Colombia segment. 



Certain of our Central American and Caribbean markets have experienced some slowing of overall economic activity during the fiscal year which may continue to impact the level of consumer spending in the coming months. In particular, Trinidad’s economy, with its dependence on oil and gas exports as a major source of income and resulting government policy to manage its foreign exchange reserves, has been experiencing overall difficult economic conditions with a corresponding impact on consumer spending. Other countries where general market conditions have provided a difficult operating environment which we expect may continue into fiscal year 2018 include Barbados, and USVI where Hurricanes Irma and Maria had a severe impact on the infrastructure of the island.



Our capture of retail and wholesale sales can vary from market to market due to competition and the availability of other shopping options for our members.  In larger, more developed countries, such as Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia, customers have many alternatives available to them to satisfy their shopping needs, and therefore, our market share is less than in other smaller countries, such as Jamaica and Nicaragua, where consumers have a limited number of shopping options.



Demographic characteristics within each of our markets can also affect both the overall level of sales and also future sales growth opportunities.  Island countries such as Aruba, Barbados and the U.S. Virgin Islands offer us limited upside for sales growth given their overall market size.  Countries with a smaller upper and middle class consumer population, such as Honduras, El Salvador, Jamaica and Nicaragua, also have a more limited potential opportunity for sales growth as compared to more developed countries with larger upper and middle class consumer populations.



Political and other factors in each of our markets may have significant effects on our business.  For example, when national elections are being held, the political situation can introduce uncertainty about how the leadership change may impact the economy and affect near-term consumer spending. The need for increased tax revenue in certain countries can cause changes in tax policies affecting consumer’s personal tax rates, and/or added consumption taxes, such as VAT (value-added taxes) effectively raising the prices of various products.



From time to time we have experienced a lack of availability of U.S. dollars in certain markets (U.S. dollar illiquidity).  This impedes our ability to convert local currencies obtained through warehouse sales into U.S. dollars to settle the U.S. dollar liabilities associated with our imported products, increasing our foreign exchange exposure to any devaluation of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar.  During fiscal year 2017 and continuing into fiscal year 2018, we experienced this situation in Trinidad (“TT”).  We have been and continue to work with our banks in Trinidad to source tradable currencies (including Euros and Canadian dollars), but until the central bank in Trinidad makes more U.S. dollars available, this illiquidity condition is likely to continue.  During part of the first half of fiscal year 2017 we limited shipments of merchandise to Trinidad from our distribution center in Miami to levels that generally aligned with our Trinidad subsidiary’s ability to source U.S. dollars to pay for that merchandise.  This resulted in a reduced level of shipments, which negatively affected sales in the second quarter, particularly December, although by less than our initial estimate. These actions did not impact the level of merchandise we obtain locally in Trinidad.  Starting in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017, we were able to improve our sourcing of tradeable currencies, which, in addition to other steps we took, allowed for a more normalized flow of imported merchandise during the third and fourth fiscal quarters.  As of August 31, 2017, our Trinidad subsidiary had net U.S. dollar denominated assets of approximately $4.0 million. However, the illiquidity situation remains in the Trinidad market, and we could face similar issues in sourcing U.S. dollars during the first and second quarters of fiscal year 2018, which may require us to limit shipments from the U.S. to Trinidad in line with our ability to exchange Trinidad dollars for tradeable currencies to manage our exposure to any potential devaluation. 



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Business Strategy



Our business strategy is to operate membership warehouse clubs in Latin America and the Caribbean.  We sell a limited number of high volume products and services across a broad range of categories to business and families at the lowest possible prices.  PriceSmart members pay an annual membership fee, and that fee, combined with volume purchasing and operating efficiencies throughout the supply chain, enable us to operate our business very efficiently with lower margins and prices than conventional retail stores and wholesale suppliers. 

 

While our traditional membership warehouse club strategy continues to work well in our markets, we recognize that technology is having an increasingly profound impact on shopping habits throughout the world.  We believe our business strategy needs to be broadened to respond to changes in shopping habits so our members will have the shopping experience they desire.

 

Our longer range strategic objective is to combine the traditional membership warehouse club “brick and mortar” business with online shopping to provide the best shopping experience possible for our members.

 

Current and Future Management Actions



Generally, our operating efficiencies, earnings and cash flow improve as sales increase.  Higher sales provide greater purchasing power which often translates into lower cost of merchandise from our suppliers and lower prices for our members.  Higher sales, coupled with continuous efforts to improve efficiencies through our distribution network and within our warehouse clubs, also give us the opportunity to leverage our operating costs and reduce prices for our members.



We seek to grow sales by increasing transaction size and shopping frequency of our members by providing high quality, differentiated merchandise at a good value.  We also grow sales by attracting new members and improving the capacity of our existing warehouse clubs to serve the growing membership base and level of sales in those locations through physical expansions of the building or adding additional parking or improving the flow of merchandise to and within the warehouse club. Sales growth is also achieved when we add new warehouse clubs with a corresponding increase in members in those markets that can support that growth.  Sales during fiscal year 2017 were positively impacted by the addition of a new warehouse club that opened in Chia, Colombia in September 2016, fiscal year 2017. Although we recognize that opening new warehouse club locations in certain existing markets can have adverse short-term implications for comparable store growth, as the new warehouse club will often attract sales from existing locations, each decision to add a location in an existing market is based on a long-term outlook.  Overall, for fiscal year 2017, net warehouse sales increased 3.2% when compared to fiscal year 2016. Finally, in the future we believe that technology supported online sales will constitute a significant opportunity to grow sales.



One of the distinguishing features of the warehouse club format is the role membership plays, both in terms of pricing and member loyalty.  Membership fees are considered a component of overall gross margin and therefore allow us to reduce merchandise prices.  In most of our markets, the annual membership fee is the equivalent of U.S. $35 for both business members and non-business “Diamond” members.  In Colombia, the membership fee has been 65,000 (COP) (including VAT) since our initial entrance into the Colombian market.  The Colombian peso (COP) was trading at approximately 2,000 COP to $1.00 US dollar at that time.  More recently, the Colombian peso has been trading at approximately 3,000 COP to $1.00 US dollar so that the converted membership price in U.S. dollars decreased from approximately U.S. $30 to approximately U.S. $20.  In February, we raised the membership fee in Colombia to 75,000 COP moving the converted membership price to approximately U.S. $25.  In addition to the standard warehouse club membership, we have offered in Costa Rica what we call Platinum membership since 2012 for $75.  A Platinum membership earns a 2% rebate on annual purchases up to a maximum $500 rebate per year. In September, fiscal year 2018, we introduced the Platinum membership in Panama and plan on adding a Platinum membership level in the Dominican Republic in the next few months. We are considering expanding Platinum membership to other PriceSmart markets and may do so during fiscal year 2018.

Logistics and distribution efficiencies are an important part of what allows us to deliver high quality merchandise at low prices to our members.  We acquire a significant amount of merchandise internationally, which we receive primarily at our Miami distribution centers.  In January 2017, we purchased a distribution center in Medley, Miami-Dade County, Florida, into which we transferred our Miami dry distribution center activities from a leased facility during the third quarter of fiscal year 2017.  This new distribution facility will increase our ability to efficiently receive, handle and distribute merchandise.We then ship the merchandise either directly to our warehouse clubs or to regional distribution centers located in some of our larger markets. Our ability to efficiently receive, handle and distribute merchandise to the point where our members put that merchandise into their shopping carts has a significant impact on our level of operating expenses and ultimately how low we can price our merchandise. We continue to explore ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs and ensure a good flow of merchandise to our warehouse clubs. As we continue to refine our logistics and distribution infrastructure, we are investing in regional distribution centers. We recently entered into a long-term lease for a 107,640 square foot distribution center in Costa Rica, with the expectation that this distribution center will improve the merchandise flow and in-stock conditions in our warehouse clubs, reduce merchandise costs and facilitate online sales to our members in Costa Rica.

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Purchasing land and constructing warehouse clubs is generally our largest ongoing capital investment.  Securing land for warehouse club locations is challenging within our markets, especially in Colombia, because suitable sites at economically feasible prices are difficult to find.  While our preference is to own rather than lease real estate, we have entered into real estate leases in certain cases (most recently our Bogota, Colombia site) and will likely do so in the future.  Real estate ownership provides a number of advantages as compared to leasing, including lower operating expenses, flexibility to expand or otherwise enhance our buildings, long-term control over the use of the property and the residual value that the real estate may have in future years.  In order to secure warehouse club locations, we occasionally have purchased more land than is actually needed for the warehouse club facility.  To the extent that we acquire property in excess of what is needed for a particular warehouse club, we generally have looked to either sell or develop the excess property.  Excess land at Alajuela (Costa Rica) and Brisas (Panama) is being developed by joint ventures formed by us and the sellers of the property.  We are employing a similar development strategy for the excess land at the San Fernando, Trinidad and Arroyo Hondo, Dominican Republic locations where the properties are fully owned by us.  The profitable sale or development of real estate not required to operate a warehouse club is highly dependent on real estate market conditions.



We are currently engaged in the selection of a new global enterprise resource planning system (ERP) and evaluating other technology-related investments with the long-term objective of offering our members a seamless multi-channel experience. To oversee our efforts to identify and adopt new technologies that can help us better serve our members, our Board of Directors has approved a new sub-committee within our Board, the Innovation Committee.  The committee members include Board Chairman Robert Price as Chairman of the committee, our CEO Jose Luis Laparte and two other members of our Board.  The Board of Directors has designated an incremental $3.0 to $5.0 million of technology-related spending for fiscal year 2018 for evaluation and selection of the ERP vendor and to fund a newly established team to direct our technology investment and preopening spending to develop a new online business that we hope to launch during the summer of 2018. Substantially all of this spending for fiscal year 2018 will be recorded as expenses on the statement of income that will impact earnings during the upcoming fiscal year as we pursue these long-term initiatives, which will likely require further investments beyond the current fiscal year.

 

Financial highlights for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017 included:





Financial highlights for fiscal year 2017 included:





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Financial highlights for fiscal year 2016 included:



 

Comparison of Fiscal Year 2017 to 2016 and Fiscal Year 2016 to 2015



The following discussion and analysis compares the results of operations for each of the three fiscal years ended August 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes included elsewhere in this report.  Unless otherwise noted, all tables present U.S. dollar amounts in thousands.  Certain percentages presented are calculated using actual results prior to rounding.  Our operations consist of four reportable segments: Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia and the United States.  The Company’s reportable segments are based on management’s organization of these locations into operating segments by general geographic location, which are used by management and the Company's chief operating decision maker in setting up management lines of responsibility, providing support services, and making operational decisions and assessments of financial performance.  Segment amounts are presented after converting to U.S. dollars and consolidating eliminations.  From time to time, we revise the measurement of each segment's operating income, including certain corporate overhead allocations, and other measures as determined by the information regularly reviewed by our chief operating decision maker. When we do so, the previous period amounts and balances are reclassified to conform to the current period's presentation.

 

Growth



We measure our growth primarily by the amount of the period-over-period growth in our net warehouse sales, our comparable warehouse club sales (which include the impact of e-commerce sales) and our membership income. At times, we make strategic investments that are focused on the long-term growth of the Company. These investments can impact near-term results; such as an opening of a new warehouse club in a market which can reduce reported comparable warehouse sales due to the cannibalization of sales from existing warehouse clubs; or negatively impact operating profit and net income, as fixed costs are added in advance of achieving full projected sales.



Net Warehouse Club Sales



The following tables indicate the net warehouse club sales in the reportable segments in which we operate, and the percentage growth in net warehouse club sales by segment during fiscal years 2017, 2016 and 2015.











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Comparison of 2017 and 2016



Overall net warehouse sales growth of 3.2% for fiscal year 2017 compared to fiscal year 2016 resulted from a 2.8% increase in transactions and a 1.0% increase in average ticket.



Net warehouse sales in our Central America segment increased 1.7% for fiscal year 2017. General weakness in Costa Rica, our largest market in that segment, resulted in negative growth there of 2.6%.  All other Central American countries recorded positive growth in warehouse sales for the twelve-month period, with Panama, Guatemala, and Honduras all recording sales growth of between 4-5%. 



Our Caribbean segment had a full-year sales decline of 1.6% driven largely by sales decreases in Trinidad, our largest market in that segment. The difficult economic environment there continues to negatively impact consumer spending, and earlier in the year, we restricted shipments of U.S. goods for a period of three months as a result of currency illiquidity in the market.  Trinidad net warehouse club sales for fiscal year 2017 declined 4.8% compared to fiscal year 2016.  The Company is not currently limiting shipments to Trinidad, but illiquidity concerns remain, which may again cause us to restrict shipments in the future.



Net warehouse sales in our Colombia segment reported growth with the addition of our new Chia club on September 1, 2016 contributing to an overall net warehouse club sales growth of 27.2% for the twelve-month period.  With the stabilization of the exchange rate between the Colombian peso and the U.S. dollar over the past eighteen months, we have seen an improving sales picture in all of our warehouse clubs in Colombia. This, coupled with our efforts to source high quality merchandise from local suppliers, resulted in a 15.2% increase in transactions in the fiscal year and average ticket growth of 10.4%.  During fiscal year 2016, the average exchange rate was 3,070 pesos to the dollar, and in the current fiscal year, the rate was 2,983. 



Comparison of 2016 and 2015



Net warehouse sales growth resulted from a 6.2% increase in transactions and a 2.4% decrease in the average sale.



Net warehouse sales growth in Central America was positively impacted by the openings of two new warehouse clubs, one in Panama (June 2015) and one in Nicaragua (November 2015).  All other Central American countries without additional warehouse clubs also recorded positive sales growth in fiscal year 2016 compared to fiscal year 2015.



The Caribbean segment had no new warehouse clubs opened in the comparable periods and recorded a 2.3% increase in net warehouse sales. A significant increase in the number of products subject to Value Added Taxes starting in February in Trinidad and currency devaluations in both Trinidad and the Dominican Republic (the Company’s two largest markets in the Caribbean segment) resulted in a negative sales growth in the second half of the fiscal year compared to the same period last year.



Net warehouse sales in Colombia were significantly impacted during the fiscal year by the devaluation of the Colombian peso relative to the U.S. dollar.  The strength of the U.S. dollar causes the price of imported merchandise to increase in Colombian pesos, which reduces sales volumes of those products.  In addition, net warehouse sales made in Colombian pesos when translated yielded 26% fewer U.S. dollars in the fiscal year compared to the year ago period.  Net warehouse sales in local currency (COP) for fiscal year 2016 grew 6.0%, reflecting the addition of three new warehouse clubs for fiscal year 2016 compared to fiscal year 2015 and a stabilizing currency exchange rate in the fourth fiscal quarter of fiscal year 2016.

   

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Net Warehouse Club Sales by Category

 

The following table indicates the approximate percentage of net sales accounted for by each major category of items sold us during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015. 





Comparison of 2017 to 2016



The mix of sales by major category did not change between fiscal year 2017 and 2016. 



Comparison of 2016 to 2015



There was a slight shift in the mix of sales by major category between fiscal year 2016 and 2015, with a slight decrease in food and hardlines compared to the other categories. These categories were impacted more by price compression and the effect of devaluation in Colombia than the other merchandise categories.

 

Comparable Sales



We report comparable warehouse club sales on a “same week” basis with 13 weeks in each quarter beginning on a Monday and ending on a Sunday.  The periods are established at the beginning of the fiscal year to provide as close a match as possible to the calendar month and quarter that is used for financial reporting purposes.  This approach equalizes the number of weekend days and weekdays in each period for improved sales comparison, as we experience higher warehouse club sales on the weekends.  Approximately every five years, the Company uses a 53-week year and a six-week “August” to account for the fact that 52 weeks is only 364 days.   For fiscal year 2016, we used a 53-week year and a six-week “August.”  Further, each of the warehouse clubs used in the calculations was open for at least 13 ½ calendar months before its results for the current period were compared with its results for the prior period.  For example, sales related to the warehouse club opened in Colombia on September 1, 2016 will not be used in the calculation of comparable sales until November 2017. Sales transacted through our e-commerce platform are included in our calculation of comparable warehouse sales.



The following tables indicate the comparable net warehouse club sales in the reportable segments in which we operate, and the percentage growth in net warehouse club sales by segment during fiscal years 2017 and 2016.







Comparison of 2017 to 2016



Comparable warehouse club sales for those warehouse clubs that were open for at least 13 ½ months for some or all of the 52-week period ended September 3, 2017 grew 1.5%.  Colombia recorded the highest comparable warehouse club sales, despite some cannibalized sales resulting from the opening of the new warehouse club in Chia, Colombia which is not yet included in the calculation of comparable sales. Often times, new warehouse clubs that we open are not far from existing warehouse clubs that are included in the calculation for comparable warehouse club sales, as was the case in Colombia.  The new warehouse clubs attract new members from areas not previously served by us, but they also create the opportunity for some existing members,

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particularly those who now find the new clubs closer to their homes, to shop at the new locations.  This transfer of sales from existing warehouse clubs that are included in the calculation of comparable warehouse club sales to new warehouse clubs that are not included in the calculation can have an adverse impact on reported comparable warehouse club sales.



The Caribbean segment experienced negative comparable net warehouse sales primarily due to the economic downturn in Trinidad.  We expect to experience a continued softness in the Trinidad economy during fiscal year 2018.



The Central America segment experienced low single digit growth in comparable sales primarily due to the general weakness in the Costa Rica market. 



Comparison of 2016 to 2015



Comparable warehouse club sales for those warehouse clubs that were open for at least 13 ½ months for some or all of the 53 week period ending September 4, 2016 decreased 0.8%, compared to the same 53-week period in the prior year.  Comparable warehouse sales were negatively impacted by the devaluation of the Colombian peso from the prior-year period.  Six warehouse clubs in Colombia are included in the calculation of comparable warehouse sales. Excluding those warehouse clubs, the 53-week comparable warehouse sales for the other 30 warehouse clubs open for at least 13 ½ months increased 1.7%. We opened a new warehouse club west of Panama City, Panama in June 2015 and one in Managua, Nicaragua in November 2015.

 

Membership Income











Comparison of 2017 to 2016



Membership income is recognized ratably over the one-year life of the membership. The increase in membership income primarily reflects a growth in membership accounts for which income is recognized during the last twelve months. The average

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number of member accounts during the fiscal year was 3.0% higher than the year before. The income recognized per average member account increased 1.5%. In February 2017, we increased the annual membership fee in Colombia by 15.4% to the equivalent of U.S. $25 (at the year-end exchange rate of 2,937 Colombian pesos per U.S. dollar), which had the effect of increasing the membership income per average membership account in Colombia by 5.1%.



The growth in membership accounts from the end of fiscal year 2016 to the end of the current fiscal year in Colombia was primarily attributable to the new warehouse club in Chia which opened on September 1, 2016.   The Company’s twelve-month renewal rate for the period ended August 31, 2017 improved to 85% from 80% for the twelve months ended August 31, 2016. 



Comparison of 2016 to 2015



The increase in membership income primarily reflects a growth in membership accounts for which income is recognized during fiscal year 2016. The average number of member accounts during the fiscal year was 7.6% higher than the year before. The income recognized per average member account decreased 0.3%, which primarily reflects the effect of the impact of devaluation in Colombia on the translation of membership fees in local currency to U.S. dollars. In Colombia, the membership is priced in Colombian pesos (COP). At the August 2016 exchange rate, a membership in Colombia yielded approximately $19 compared to approximately $35 in most other countries. We ended the fiscal year with a renewal rate of 80% for the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2016.



During fiscal year 2016, the Company experienced a net growth in membership accounts of 4,239 accounts, or 0.3%. Colombia’s membership accounts during the fiscal year declined 57,522, while the other countries grew by 61,761 accounts. The decrease in overall accounts in Colombia was due to the first anniversary date for a large number of accounts associated with the three warehouse clubs in Colombia that opened in October and November 2015 and the low renewal rate for those accounts.  The opening of these three warehouse clubs in fiscal year 2015 resulted in approximately 124,000 expiring accounts in October, November and December from the record number of new member sign-ups experienced at the opening of these clubs. As expected, we experienced a low renewal rate for those expiring accounts due to a historically low renewal rate for first year members across our markets, the distance of our warehouse clubs in Bogota and Medellin to where certain members live, and the impact of price increases on imported products due to the Colombian peso devaluation.  While we continue to see new member sign-ups in Colombia, and an improving renewal rate of current members in Colombia, the twelve-month renewal rate is impacted by those non-renewals earlier in the fiscal year.   The Company’s twelve-month renewal rate for the period ended August 31, 2016 declined to 80% from 86% for the twelve months ended August 31, 2015.  Excluding Colombia, the twelve-month renewal rate was 87% as of August 31, 2016, consistent with 87% in August 2015, November 2015, and February 2016. 

 

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Results of Operations



Results of Operations Consolidated









Comparison of 2017 to 2016



Warehouse Club gross margin as a percent of net warehouse sales increased 23 basis points (0.23%) to 14.5% for the twelve months ended August 31, 2017 compared to the same twelve month period a year ago due to increased margins in Colombia, resulting from improving market conditions and business performance.  Warehouse Club gross margins in Colombia increased 273 basis points (2.73%).  Warehouse Club gross margins in Central America and the Caribbean were approximately equal to the same period a year ago.



Selling, general, and administrative expenses consist of warehouse club operations, general and administrative expenses, pre-opening expenses, and loss/(gain) on disposal of assets.  In total, selling, general and administrative expenses increased $21.8 million to 11.4% of sales compared to 11.0% of sales in fiscal year 2016.  Warehouse club operations expense was 9.2% of sales compared 8.9% a year ago.  Low or negative comparable warehouse club sales growth, particularly in Trinidad and Costa Rica, contributed to an overall increase in warehouse expense as a percent of sales in Central America and the Caribbean.  Colombia had a 50 basis point (0.50%) improvement in warehouse club operations expense as a percent of sales compared to fiscal year 2016.  General and administrative expenses grew 8.8% to 2.4% of sales compared to a year ago at 2.2% of sales resulting from increased staffing in our buying department, information technology costs and costs associated with the relocation of an executive to our San Diego headquarters. Expenses incurred before a warehouse club is in operation are captured in pre-opening expenses, which in fiscal year 2016 included the preopening expenses for Chia, Colombia and Masaya, Nicaragua.



Operating income of $136.2 million was $494,000 below last year.  Higher net warehouse sales and membership income and increased warehouse club gross margins resulted in a $10.3 million increase in operating profit in Colombia compared to a

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year ago.  Operating income decreased $406,000 in Central America and $4.3 million in the Caribbean on the low or negative sales growth experienced in those segments.    



Comparison of 2016 to 2015



For the twelve months ended August 31, 2016, total gross margin as a percent of sales was 40 basis points (0.40%) lower than the twelve months ended August 31, 2015.  Total gross margin as a percent of total consolidated revenues  decreased 41 basis points (0.41%) in Colombia from the year ago period largely as a result of pricing actions we took during the year to provide value on imported goods to our members. Total gross margins as a percent of sales in the non-Colombia markets were in aggregate 1 basis points (0.01%) higher.  This was largely due to increased margins in Central America segment offset by higher level of markdowns, reduced endcap activity and higher per unit distribution costs.



Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 15 basis points (0.15%) year-over-year when compared to total revenues.  The Company incurred the expenses associated with five new warehouse clubs for all or a portion of fiscal year 2016 compared to fiscal year 2015.  The combination of lower first year sales and resulting higher expense ratio for new warehouse clubs compared to more mature clubs, and the cannibalization of sales from an existing nearby club without the proportionate decrease in expenses, resulted in an overall 7 basis point (0.07%) increase in warehouse operations expense as a percent of net warehouse sales.  Additionally, added staffing to support the Company’s growth, most notably in the buying and information technology areas, and increased deferred compensation expense associated with stock awards granted in the first quarter, added $3.0 million of selling, general and administrative expense in fiscal year 2016 compared to fiscal year 2015.



During the first and second quarters of fiscal year 2016, pre-opening expenses were related to the warehouse club opened in Managua, Nicaragua during November 2015, and during the third and fourth quarters, pre-opening expenses incurred were related to the new warehouse club opened in Chia, Colombia on September 1, 2016. This resulted in flat spending for both pre-opening and asset disposal costs, when compared to total revenue, year-over-year.

 

Interest Expense











Interest expense reflects borrowings by PriceSmart, Inc. and our wholly owned foreign subsidiaries to finance new land acquisition and construction for new warehouse clubs, warehouse club expansions, and distribution centers, the capital requirements of warehouse club operations and ongoing working capital requirements.



Comparison of 2017 to 2016



Net interest expense for fiscal year 2017 increased from a year ago, with an increase in long-term debt, primarily to finance the acquisition of the distribution center in Miami, Florida and an additional loan within our Trinidad subsidiary as part

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efforts to improve liquidity. Additionally, a decrease in interest capitalized year-over-year, due to lower levels of construction activities, also accounted for the increased interest expense.  These increases were partially offset by the decrease in interest expense related to hedging activity due to the retirement of loans and their related cross-currency interest rate hedges for our Colombia subsidiary.  



Comparison of 2016 to 2015



Net interest expense for the twelve-months ended August 31, 2016 decreased from the prior fiscal year due to a decrease in interest expense from hedging activity.  This was primarily related to the decrease in the volatility in interest rates for the interest rates related to the hedged loans.  This decrease was partially offset by an increase in interest expense related the net increase of new loans for approximately $11.6 million year-on year.    

 

Other Income (Expense), net



Other income consists of currency gain or loss and proceeds from insurance reimbursements.











Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the respective entity (primarily U.S. dollars) are revalued to the functional currency using the exchange rate on the balance sheet date.  These foreign exchange transaction gain (losses), including repatriation of funds, are recorded as currency gain or losses. 



Receipts from insurance reimbursements up to the amount of the losses recognized are considered recoveries. These recoveries are accounted for when they are probable of receipt. Insurance recoveries are not recognized prior to the recognition of the related cost. Anticipated proceeds in excess of the amount of loss recognized are considered gains and are subject to gain contingency guidance. Anticipated proceeds in excess of a loss recognized in the financial statements are not recognized until all contingencies related to the insurance claim are resolved.



Comparison of 2017 to 2016



For the twelve-month period, we had a net gain associated with foreign currency transactions of approximately $1.2 million compared to an approximate $899,000 net loss in fiscal year 2016. This net gain resulted from the revaluation of net U.S. dollar assets in certain markets where the local functional currency devalued against the U.S. dollar, and from exchange transactions, net of any exchange reserve movements.  We also continue to incur higher transaction costs associated with converting TT dollars into available tradeable currencies such as Euros or Canadian dollars before converting them to U.S. dollars, which partially offset the gains resulting from revaluations. While that situation continues in Trinidad, we have taken that additional cost into consideration in our pricing model.



During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017, we recorded income for approximately $241,000 due to an insurance recovery for losses recognized in fiscal year 2015.



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Comparison of 2016 to 2015



We had a net loss associated with foreign currency transactions of approximately $899,000 for fiscal year 2016 compared to a net loss of approximately $4.4 million for fiscal year 2015. The improvement in fiscal year 2016 compared to 2015 is mostly related to Colombia where we took a number of actions to mitigate any large exposures to the Colombian peso, including increased capitalization of the Colombian subsidiary, which allows for timely payments by the Colombia subsidiary for merchandise and fixed assets shipped by PriceSmart, Inc. to Colombia. We experienced increased volatility of currencies within our other markets that largely offset each other.

 

Provision for Income Taxes 











Comparison of 2017 to 2016



For fiscal year 2017, the effective tax rate was 31.7%.  The decrease in the effective rate versus the prior year was primarily attributable to the following factors:











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Comparison of 2016 to 2015



For fiscal year 2016, the effective tax rate was 32.6%.  The decrease in the effective rate versus the prior year was primarily attributable to an intercompany transaction between PriceSmart, Inc. and our Colombian subsidiary in support of PriceSmart’s ongoing market development and growth in Colombia.  This intercompany transaction resulted in a favorable impact on the effective tax rate of 3% due to reductions to taxable income in the U.S. and a resulting increase in taxable income in our Colombia subsidiary. This income did not generate income tax expense in Colombia, because the additional taxable income in Colombia was fully offset by the reversal of valuation allowances on accumulated net losses in that subsidiary.  We expect a similar favorable impact to the consolidated Company’s effective tax rate over the next several quarters.  Additionally, in comparison to the prior year, there was an offsetting unfavorable impact of 1.5% due to the establishment of a valuation allowance against the deferred tax assets of the Company’s Barbados subsidiary. While the Company’s forecasts indicate profitability for the immediate and foreseeable future, the existence of negative objective evidence from recent years established the need for a valuation allowance of approximately $2.0 million in order to reduce deferred tax assets to amounts expected to be realized.



 

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)







Comparison of 2017 to 2016



Other comprehensive income/(loss) for fiscal years 2017 and 2016 resulted primarily from foreign currency translation adjustments related to the assets and liabilities and the translation of the statements of income related to revenue, costs and expenses of our subsidiaries whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar. When the functional currency in our international subsidiaries is the local currency and not U.S. dollars, the assets and liabilities of such subsidiaries are translated to U.S. dollars at the exchange rate on the balance sheet date, and revenue, costs and expenses are translated at average rates of exchange in effect during the period. The corresponding translation gains and losses are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss. These adjustments will not affect net income until the sale or liquidation of the underlying investment. The reported other comprehensive income or loss reflects the unrealized increase or decrease in the value in U.S. dollars of the net assets of the subsidiaries as of the date of the balance sheet, which will vary from period to period as exchange rates fluctuate. During fiscal year 2017, the largest translation adjustments were related to the translation of the Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua subsidiaries’ balance sheets and statements of income that required us to record losses to comprehensive net income on translation of approximately $6.8 million. 



 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES



Financial Position and Cash Flow



We require cash to fund our operating expenses and working capital requirements, including the investment in merchandise inventories, acquisition of land and construction of new warehouse clubs and distribution centers, expansion of existing warehouse clubs and distribution centers, acquisitions of fixtures and equipment, routine upgrades and maintenance of fixtures and equipment within existing warehouse clubs, investments in joint ventures in Panama and Costa Rica to own and operate commercial retail centers located adjacent to the new warehouse clubs, the purchase of treasury stock upon the vesting of restricted stock awards and payment of dividends to stockholders.  Our primary sources for funding these requirements are cash and cash equivalents on hand, cash generated from operations and bank borrowings.  We evaluate on a regular basis whether we may need to borrow additional funds to cover any shortfall in our ability to generate sufficient cash from operations to meet our operating and capital requirements.  As such, we may enter into or obtain additional loans and/or credit facilities to provide additional liquidity when necessary.  In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic

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230)—Restricted Cash. This ASU addresses the diversity in practice that exists regarding the classification and the presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. The amendments in ASU No. 2016-18 require that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Thus, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and the end-of-period total amounts set forth on the statement of cash flows.  The Company early adopted this ASU, and has accordingly updated its liquidity analysis to reflect the change.



The following table summarizes the cash and cash equivalents held by our foreign subsidiaries and domestically (in thousands).  Repatriation of cash and cash equivalents held by foreign subsidiaries may require us to accrue and pay taxes.  We have no plans at this time to repatriate cash through the payment of cash dividends by our foreign subsidiaries to our domestic operations and, therefore, have not accrued taxes that would be due from repatriation.







From time to time we have experienced a lack of availability of U.S. dollars in certain markets (U.S. dollar illiquidity).  This impedes our ability to convert local currencies obtained through warehouse sales into U.S. dollars to settle the U.S. dollar liabilities associated with our imported products, increasing our foreign exchange exposure to any devaluation of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar.  During fiscal year 2017 and continuing into fiscal year 2018, we experienced this situation in Trinidad (“TT”).  We have been and continue to work with our banks in Trinidad to source tradable currencies (including Euros and Canadian dollars), but until the central bank in Trinidad makes more U.S. dollars available, this illiquidity condition is likely to continue. During part of the first half of fiscal year 2017, we limited shipments of merchandise to Trinidad from our distribution center in Miami to levels that generally aligned with our Trinidad subsidiary’s ability to source U.S. dollars to pay for that merchandise.  This resulted in a reduced level of shipments, which negatively affected sales in the second quarter, particularly December, although by less than our initial estimate. These actions did not impact the level of merchandise we obtain locally in Trinidad.  Starting in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017, we were able to improve our sourcing of tradeable currencies, which, in addition to other steps we took, allowed for a more normalized flow of imported merchandise during the third and fourth fiscal quarters.  As of August 31, 2017, our Trinidad subsidiary had net U.S. dollar denominated assets of approximately $4.0 million. However, the illiquidity situation remains in the Trinidad market, and we could face similar issues in sourcing U.S. dollars during the first and second quarters of fiscal year 2018, which may require us to limit shipments from the U.S. to Trinidad in line with our ability to exchange Trinidad dollars for tradeable currencies to manage our exposure to any potential devaluation.



Our cash flows are summarized as follows (in thousands):







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Our operating activities provided cash for all periods presented as summarized below:







Net income from operating activities reconciled for non-cash operating activities increased approximately $4.9 million for the twelve-months ended August 31, 2017 over the same period last year.  This was primarily a result of a year-over-year increases in net income of approximately $2.0 million and a year-over-year increase in non-cash adjustments of  approximately $2.9 million.    The increase in non-cash adjustment was primarily the result of the increase in depreciation and amortization due to the opening in fiscal year 2017 of a new warehouse club in Colombia, a new distribution center in Miami and continued expansion of existing facilities combined with the normal ongoing additions to fixtures and equipment.  Additionally the non-cash related expenses also increased due to stock-based compensation expenses for approximately $1.0 million associated with stock awards granted in the first quarter.   These were offset by year-on-year decreases in non-cash adjustments related to the increase in deferred income taxes for approximately $5.7 million.  The increase in deferred tax assets was primarily the result of the non-recurrence of a valuation allowance established against the net deferred tax assets of the Company’s Barbados subsidiary in fiscal year 2016; an increase in foreign tax credit generation related to our offshore warehouse club operations; and a decrease in U.S. foreign tax credit utilization related to tax deduction timing.

 

Net income from operating activities reconciled for non-cash operating activities decreased approximately $1.0 million for the twelve-months ended August 31, 2016 over the same period last year.  This was primarily a result of a year-over-year decrease in net income of approximately $400,000 and a year-on-year decrease in non-cash adjustments of approximately $617,000.  The decrease in non-cash adjustment was primarily the result of proceeds from settlements of derivatives recorded in fiscal year 2015 for approximately $8.5 million, with no proceeds being recorded during fiscal year 2016.  This decrease to net non-cash related expenses was partially offset by increases in depreciation expenses for approximately $5.3 million and increases in stock-based compensation expenses for approximately $3.7 million associated with stock awards granted in the first quarter of fiscal year 2016.  The increase in depreciation is due to new warehouse club investments and the continued ongoing capital improvements to existing warehouse clubs. 



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Our use of cash in investing activities for the period presented is summarized below:







Net cash used in investing activities increased in fiscal year 2017 compared to fiscal year 2016 by approximately $57.0 million.  This was primarily due to an increase in cash expenditures related to the acquisition of a distribution center in Medley, Miami-Dade County, Florida in January 2017, construction activities for a warehouse club in Santa Ana, Costa Rica that opened in  October 2017, construction activities for a warehouse club in the Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic that we plan to open in the spring of 2018 and construction activities for a warehouse club in Chia, Colombia that opened in September 2016.  The Company also used cash for the acquisition of land in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. An increase in overall warehouse club expansion activities, related to warehouse expansions in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador during fiscal year 2017 also increased year-over-year investing activities.

 

Net cash used in investing activities decreased in fiscal year 2016 compared to fiscal year 2015 by approximately $10.9 million primarily due to decreases in cash expended for the purchase of land, the decrease in expenditures for warehouse club expansion, and a lower level of construction and land improvement activities during fiscal year 2016. These decreases were partially offset by period-over-period increases in the acquisition of fixtures and equipment and deposits for land purchase option agreements. During fiscal year 2016, expenditures for warehouse club expansions and for fixtures and equipment were associated with the construction of the completed warehouse club in Managua, Nicaragua that opened in November 2015 and construction activities of a warehouse club in Chia, Colombia, during fiscal year 2016. Net cash used in investing activities in fiscal year 2015 consisted of cash expended for the construction and completion of warehouse clubs in Bogota, Colombia ("Salitre"), Pereira, Colombia, and Medellin, Colombia and the additions of fixtures and equipment for these warehouse clubs. Additionally, we constructed a warehouse club in Panama during the first nine months of fiscal year 2015.  Acquisition of fixtures and equipment increased year-over-year by approximately $14.4 million. This was primarily due to the continued normal ongoing capital expenditures for the upgrade and replacement of equipment and building and leasehold improvements.



As of August 31, 2017, we had commitments for capital expenditures for new warehouse club construction for approximately $7.9 million related to our building of warehouse clubs in Santa Ana, Costa Rica and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  We expect to spend between $120.0 million and $140.0 million in capital expenditures for ongoing replacement of equipment, building/leasehold improvements, expansion projects on existing warehouse clubs and land acquisitions during fiscal year 2018.  Future capital expenditures will be dependent on the timing of future land purchases and/or warehouse club construction activity.



We have entered into land purchase option agreements within our subsidiaries that have not been recorded as a commitments, for which we have recorded deposits of approximately $600,000.  The land purchase option agreements can generally be canceled at our sole option with the deposits being fully refundable up and until all permits are issued.  We also entered into a land lease option in one of our markets, for which no deposits have been made. We do not have a timetable of when or if we will exercise these land purchase/lease options, due to the uncertainty related to the completion of our due diligence reviews.  Our due diligence reviews include evaluations of the legal status of the property, the zoning and permitting issues related to acquiring approval for the construction and operation of a warehouse club and any other issues related to the property itself that could render the property unsuitable or limit the property's economic viability as a warehouse club site.  If all of these purchase option agreements are exercised, the cash use for the acquisition of land would be approximately $20.8 million.  We may enter into additional land purchase option agreements in the future.



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 In January 2017, the Company finalized its acquisition of a distribution center in Medley, Miami-Dade County, Florida, for a total purchase price of approximately $46.0 million and the Company transferred its Miami dry distribution center activities previously located in its leased facilities to this location.  This was completed during the third quarter of fiscal year 2017. The Company has terminated and intends to continue to terminate leases with respect to portions of the existing leased Miami distribution facilities or enter into sublease agreements for portions of the leased facilities.



Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities for the period presented is summarized below:









Net cash from long-term and short-term loan activities decreased approximately $5.7 million in fiscal year 2017 when compared to fiscal year 2016, with an overall increase in cash due to long-term and short-term loan activities for the year of approximately $1.8 million.  This increase in cash from long-term and short-term loan activities was primarily comprised of the addition of a new loan for approximately $35.7 million related to the acquisition of the Miami distribution center and a new loan within our Trinidad subsidiary for approximately $12.0 million.  These additional loan amounts were offset by regularly scheduled long-term loan payments of $16.1 million, additional net payments of approximately $16.5 million on short-term loans and the early pay down of a loan within our Panama subsidiary for approximately $13.3 million. 



Net cash provided by long-term and short-term loan activities decreased approximately $27.1 million in fiscal year 2016 over fiscal year 2015.  We received cash during fiscal year 2016 from short-term borrowings for approximately $28.9 million and cash from additional long-term loans entered into by our subsidies of approximately $14.4 million.  This increase in cash was offset by repayments of long-term loans of approximately $2.8 million and regularly scheduled loan payments of $13.7 million.  Additional payments for approximately $19.3 million on the short-term loans were recorded. This activity accounted for an overall increase in cash provided by long-term and short-term loan activities of approximately $7.5 million. 



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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements



The Company does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have had, or are reasonably likely to have, a material current or future effect on its financial condition or consolidated financial statements.



Repurchase of Equity Securities and Reissuance of Treasury Shares



At the vesting dates for restricted stock awards to our employees, we repurchase a portion of the shares that have vested at the prior day's closing price per share, with the funds used to pay the employees' minimum statutory tax withholding requirements related to the vesting of restricted stock awards.  We do not have a stock repurchase program.



Shares of common stock repurchased by us are recorded at cost as treasury stock and result in the reduction of stockholders’ equity in our consolidated balance sheets.  We may reissue these treasury shares.  When treasury shares are reissued, we use the first in/first out (“FIFO”) cost method for determining cost of the reissued shares.  If the issuance price is higher than the cost, the excess of the issuance price over the cost is credited to additional paid-in capital (“APIC”).  If the issuance price is lower than the cost, the difference is first charged against any credit balance in APIC from treasury stock and the balance is charged to retained earnings.



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The following table summarizes the shares repurchased during fiscal years 2017, 2016 and 2015:







We have reissued treasury shares as part of our stock-based compensation programs.  However, as summarized below, we did not reissue any treasury shares during the fiscal years 2017, 2016 and 2015.

 

Dividends



The following table summarizes the dividends declared and paid during fiscal years 2017, 2016 and 2015.







We anticipate the ongoing payment of semi-annual dividends in subsequent periods, although the actual declaration of future dividends, the amount of such dividends, and the establishment of record and payment dates is subject to final determination by the Board of Directors at its discretion after its review of the Company’s financial performance and anticipated capital requirements.

 

Financing Activities



Financing Activities



In August 2017, the Company’s Panama subsidiary paid off outstanding loan principal balance of U.S. $13.3 million under loan agreement entered into with Scotiabank. The Company’s subsidiary also settled the interest rate swap that it had entered into with Scotiabank related to this loan.



On March 31, 2017, the Company's Trinidad subsidiary entered into a loan agreement with Citibank, N.A. The agreement provides for a US $12.0 million loan to be repaid in eight quarterly principal payments plus interest.  The interest rate is set at the 90 day LIBOR rate plus 3%.  The loan was funded on March 31, 2017.



On January 27, 2017 the Company entered into a 10-year real estate secured loan with MUFG Union Bank, N.A.  (“Union Bank”). The loan establishes a credit facility of up to 75% LTV of the acquired property at a variable interest rate of 30-day LIBOR plus 1.7% for a ten-year term, with monthly principal and interest payments, maturing in 2027. The monthly principal and interest payments begin in April 2019.  An initial loan amount of $35.7 million was funded on January 27, 2017.  The Company entered into an interest rate hedge on November 7, 2016 with Union Bank for $35.7 million, the notional amount.  The Company will receive variable 30-day LIBOR plus 1.7% and pay fixed (3.65%), with an effective date of March 1, 2017 and maturity date of March 1, 2027.



On May 31, 2016, the Company's Trinidad subsidiary entered into a loan agreement with First Caribbean International Bank (“FCIB”).  The agreement supplements the outstanding loan facility agreement between the same parties.  The amount outstanding under the original loan was approximately $2.8 million as of May 31, 2016.  The agreement provides for a U.S. $7.0 million loan to be repaid in 60 monthly principal payments plus interest, and balloon payment of $2.0 million due on the repayment date.  The interest rate is set at the 90 day LIBOR rate plus 2.75%.  The $7.0 million loan was funded and the pre-existing $2.8 million dollar loan was paid in full on June 8, 2016. 



On September 18, 2015, the Company's Costa Rica subsidiary entered into a loan agreement with Banco BAC San Jose S.A. The agreement establishes a credit facility for 3.955 billion Costa Rican Colones ("CRC") (approximately U.S. $7.4 million) with a fixed interest rate of 7.5% for the first two years, and a rate of 3.0% over the rate of interest used by individual commercial banks as a basis for their lending rates as published by the Central Bank of Costa Rica for the remainder of the term.  The loan term is for seven years with a twelve-month grace period on principal repayment.  Monthly interest is due beginning with the

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first month and monthly principal payments are due after the twelve-month grace period ends.  The loan was funded on September 30, 2015.

 

Derivatives



We are exposed to certain risks relating to our ongoing business operations.  One risk managed by us using derivative instruments is interest rate risk.  To manage interest rate exposure, we enter into hedging transactions (interest rate swaps) using derivative financial instruments.  The objective of entering into interest rate swaps is to eliminate the variability of cash flows in the interest payments associated with variable-rate LIBOR loans over the life of the loans.  As changes in interest rates impact the future cash flow of interest payments, the hedges provide a synthetic offset to interest rate movements.



In addition, we are exposed to foreign currency and interest rate cash flow exposure related to non-functional currency long-term debt of two of our wholly owned subsidiaries.  To manage foreign currency and interest rate cash flow exposure, these subsidiaries enter into cross-currency interest rate swaps that convert their U.S. dollar denominated floating interest payments to functional currency fixed interest payments during the life of the hedging instrument.  As changes in foreign exchange and interest rates impact the future cash flow of interest payments, the hedges are intended to offset changes in cash flows attributable to interest rate and foreign exchange movements.



We are also exposed to foreign-currency exchange-rate fluctuations on U.S. dollar denominated liabilities within our international subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar.  We manage these fluctuations, in part, through the use of non-deliverable forward foreign-exchange contracts that are intended to offset changes in cash flow attributable to currency exchange movements.  The contracts are intended primarily to economically address exposure to U.S. dollar merchandise inventory expenditures made by our international subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar.  We seek to mitigate foreign-currency exchange-rate risk with the use of these contracts and do not intend to engage in speculative transactions.  Currently, these contracts do not contain any credit-risk-related contingent features.  These contracts do not qualify for derivative hedge accounting.  The forward currency hedges are not effective cash flow hedges because the notional amount and maturity date of the forward contract does not coincide with the accounts payable balance and due dates.  The hedge ineffectiveness is measured by use of the “hypothetical derivative method,” and we record the changes in the fair value of the forward contract related to the re-measurement of the payable at spot exchange rates as exchange rate gains or losses.  The implied interest rate included within the forward contract is reflected in earnings as interest expense.



For derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative is reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss) and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction is determined to be ineffective.  There were no such amounts for the periods reported herein.



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The following table summarizes agreements for which we recorded cash flow hedge accounting transactions during the twelve months ended August 31, 2017:





We measure the fair value for all financial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis during the reporting period.  We have designated the interest rate swaps and cross-currency interest rate swap agreements as hedging instruments and have accounted for them under hedge accounting rules.  Derivatives listed on the table below were designated as cash flow hedging instruments.  The table summarizes the effect of the fair value of interest rate swap and cross-currency interest rate swap derivative instruments that qualify for derivative hedge accounting and its associated tax effect on accumulated other comprehensive (income) / loss (in thousands, except footnote data):







From time to time, we enter into non-deliverable forward exchange contracts.  These contracts are treated for accounting purposes as fair value contracts and do not qualify for derivative hedge accounting.  As of August 31, 2017 the Company did not have any open non-deliverable forward foreign-exchange contracts. 



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The following table summarizes the fair value of foreign currency forward contracts that do not qualify for derivative hedge accounting (in thousands):



 



Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt



Short-term borrowings consist of lines of credit which are secured by certain assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, which, in some cases, are guaranteed by the Company. The following table summarizes the balances of total facilities, facilities used and facilities available (in thousands):







As of August 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had approximately $40.0 million of short-term facilities in the U.S. that require compliance with certain quarterly financial covenants.  As of August 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company was in compliance with respect to these covenants.  Each of the facilities expires annually and is normally renewed.



The following table provides the changes in our long-term debt for the twelve months ended August 31, 2017:









As of August 31, 2017, the Company had approximately $85.6 million of long-term loans in Trinidad, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Barbados and Colombia that require these subsidiaries to comply with certain annual or quarterly financial covenants, which include debt service and leverage ratios.  As of August 31, 2017, the Company was in compliance with all covenants or amended covenants.



As of August 31, 2016, the Company had approximately $76.0 million of long-term loans in Trinidad, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Barbados and Colombia that require these subsidiaries to comply with certain annual or quarterly

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financial covenants, which include debt service and leverage ratios.  As of August 31, 2016, the Company was in compliance with all covenants or amended covenants.

 

Critical Accounting Estimates



The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires that management make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period.  Some of our accounting policies require management to make difficult and subjective judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain.  Management continues to review its accounting policies and evaluate its estimates, including those related to contingencies and litigation, income taxes, value added taxes, and long-lived assets.  We base our estimates on historical experience and on other assumptions that management believes to be reasonable under the present circumstances.  Using different estimates could have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations.



Income Taxes:    We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method.  Under the asset and liability method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences and carry-forwards are expected to be recovered or settled.  The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.  A valuation allowance is established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to amounts expected to be realized.  As of August 31, 2017, we evaluated our deferred tax assets and liabilities and determined that a valuation allowance was necessary for certain foreign deferred tax asset balances, primarily because of the existence of significant negative objective evidence, such as the fact that certain subsidiaries are in a cumulative loss position for the past three years, indicating that certain net operating loss carry-forward periods are not sufficient to realize the related deferred tax assets.



We and our subsidiaries are required to file federal and state income tax returns in the United States and various other tax returns in foreign jurisdictions.  The preparation of these tax returns requires us to interpret the applicable tax laws and regulations in effect in such jurisdictions, which could affect the amount of tax we pay.  In consultation with our tax advisors, we base our tax returns on interpretations that we believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.  The tax returns, however, are subject to routine reviews by the various federal, state and foreign taxing authorities in the jurisdictions in which we or one of our subsidiaries file tax returns.  As part of these reviews, a taxing authority may disagree with respect to the income tax positions we have taken (“uncertain tax positions”) and, therefore, require us or one of our subsidiaries to pay additional taxes.



We accrue an amount for our estimate of probable additional income tax liability.  In certain cases, the impact of an uncertain income tax position on the income tax return must be recognized at the largest amount that is more likely than not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant tax authority.  An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than 50% likelihood of being sustained.  This requires significant judgment, the use of estimates, and the interpretation and application of complex tax laws.  When facts and circumstances change, we reassess these probabilities and record any changes in the consolidated financial statements as appropriate.  There were no material changes in our uncertain income tax positions for the periods ended on August 31, 2017 and 2016.  During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017, one of the Company’s subsidiaries received assessments claiming $2.6 million of taxes, penalties and interest related to withholding taxes on certain charges for services rendered by the Company.  In addition, this subsidiary received assessments totaling $5.3 million for lack of deductibility of the underlying service charges due to the lack of withholding.  Based on the Company's interpretation of local law, rulings and jurisprudence (including Supreme Court precedents with respect to the deductibility assessment), the Company expects to prevail in both instances and has not recorded a provision for these assessments.



We have not provided for U.S. deferred taxes on cumulative non-U.S. undistributed earnings as we deem such earnings to be indefinitely reinvested.  It is not practicable to determine the U.S. federal income tax liability that would be associated with the repatriation earnings because of the complexity of the computation.



Tax Receivables: We pay Value Added Tax (“VAT”) or similar taxes (“input VAT”), income taxes, and other taxes within the normal course of our business in most of the countries in which we operate related to the procurement of merchandise and/or services we acquires and/or on sales and taxable income.  We also collect VAT or similar taxes on behalf of the government (“output VAT”) for merchandise and/or services we sell.  If the output VAT exceeds the input VAT, then the difference is remitted to the government, usually on a monthly basis.  If the input VAT exceeds the output VAT, this creates a VAT receivable.  In most countries where we operate, the governments have implemented additional collection procedures, such as requiring credit card processors to remit a portion of sales processed via credit card directly to the government as advance payments of VAT and/or income tax.  In the case of VAT, these procedures alter the natural offset of input and output VAT and generally leave us with a net VAT receivable, forcing us to process significant refund claims on a recurring basis.  With respect to income taxes paid, if the estimated income taxes paid or withheld exceed the actual income tax due this creates an income tax receivable.  We

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either request a refund of these tax receivables or apply the balance to expected future tax payments.  These refund or offset processes can take anywhere from several months to several years to complete.



In most countries where the Company operates, the tax refund process is defined and structured with regular refunds or offsets.  However, as of August 31, 2017, in one country the government has alleged there is not a clearly defined process to allow the tax authorities to refund VAT receivables. As of August 31, 2016, there were three countries that lacked a clearly defined process; however, during the third and fourth quarters of 2017, two of these countries clarified the refund mechanism, which we are currently pursuing. The Company, together with our tax and legal advisers, is currently seeking clarification in court in the country without a clearly defined process and expects to prevail. The balance of the VAT receivable in the country with undefined refund mechanisms was approximately $1.2 million and $800,000 as of August 31, 2017 and August 31, 2016, respectively.  In another country in which the Company has warehouse clubs, beginning in fiscal year 2015, a new minimum income tax mechanism took effect, which requires us to pay taxes based on a percentage of sales rather than income.  As a result, we are making income tax payments substantially in excess of those we would expect to pay based on taxable income. The current rules (which we have challenged in court) do not clearly allow us to obtain a refund or offset this excess income tax against other taxes.  As of August 31, 2017, the Company had deferred tax assets of approximately $2.0 million in this country.  Also, the Company had an income tax receivable balance of $4.3 million as of August 31, 2017 related to excess payments from fiscal year 2015 to 2017. We have not placed any type of allowance on the recoverability of these tax receivables or deferred tax assets because we believe that it is more likely than not that we will ultimately succeed in our refund requests, related appeals and/or court challenge on this matter.



Our policy for classification and presentation of VAT receivables, income tax receivables and other tax receivables is as follows:









Long-lived Assets: We periodically evaluate our long-lived assets for indicators of impairment.  Indicators that an asset may be impaired are:





Management's judgments are based on market and operational conditions at the time of the evaluation and can include management's best estimate of future business activity, which in turn drives estimates of future cash flows from these assets. These periodic evaluations could cause management to conclude that impairment factors exist, requiring an adjustment of these assets to their then-current fair market value.  Future business conditions and/or activity could differ materially from the projections made by management causing the need for additional impairment charges.  No impairment charges have been recorded during fiscal year 2017 related to the loss of legal ownership or title to assets; significant changes in the Company's strategic business objectives or utilization of assets; or the impact of significant negative industry or economic trends.  Loss/(gain) on disposal of assets recorded during the years reported resulted from improvements to operations and normal preventive maintenance.

 

Seasonality



Historically, our merchandising businesses have experienced holiday retail seasonality in their markets.  In addition to seasonal fluctuations, our operating results fluctuate quarter-to-quarter as a result of economic and political events in markets that we serve, the timing of holidays, weather, the timing of shipments, product mix, and currency effects on the cost of U.S.-sourced products which may make these products more or less expensive in local currencies and therefore more or less affordable.  Because of such fluctuations, the results of operations of any quarter are not indicative of the results that may be achieved for a full fiscal year or any future quarter.  In addition, there can be no assurance that our future results will be consistent with past results or the projections of securities analysts.

 

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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk



We are exposed to market risk from changes in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and commodity price risk. These market risks arise in the normal course of business. We do not engage in speculative trading activities. To manage the risk arising from these exposures, we utilize interest rate swaps, cross-currency interest rate swaps, non-deliverable foreign currency forward contracts and loans denominated in foreign currencies. For a discussion of our accounting policies for derivative instruments and further disclosures, please see Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements - Note 12 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.



Each market risk sensitivity analysis presented below is based on hypothetical scenarios used to calibrate potential risk and do not represent our view of future market changes. The effect of a change in a particular assumption is calculated without adjusting any other assumption. In reality, however, a change in one factor could cause a change in another factor, which may magnify or negate other sensitivities.



Interest Rate Risk



We are exposed to changes in interest rates as a result of our short-term borrowings and long-term debt borrowings. We have mitigated a portion of our interest rate risk by managing the mix of fixed and variable rate debt and by entering into interest rate swaps and cross-currency interest rate swaps to hedge interest rate risk. The notional amount, interest payment and maturity dates of the swap match the terms of the associated debt.



The table below provides information about our financial instruments that are sensitive to changes in interest rates. For debt obligations, the table represents the principal cash flows and related weighted-average interest rates by expected maturity dates. For interest rate swaps, including cross-currency interest rate swaps, the table represents the contractual cash flows and weighted-average interest rates by the contractual maturity date, unless otherwise noted. The notional amounts are used to calculate contractual cash flows to be exchanged under the contracts. The weighted-average variable rates are based upon prevailing market interest rates and the outstanding balances as of August 31, 2017.



Annual maturities of long-term debt and derivatives are as follow (in thousands):









Foreign Currency Risk



We have foreign currency risks related to sales, operating expenses and financing transactions in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. As of August 31, 2017, we had a total of 39 consolidated warehouse clubs operating in 12 foreign countries and

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one U.S. territory, 31 of which operate under currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Approximately 52% of our net warehouse sales are comprised of products we purchased in U.S. dollars and were sold in countries whose currencies were other than the U.S. dollar. Approximately, 77% of our net warehouse sales are in markets whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar. We may enter into additional foreign countries in the future or open additional locations in existing countries, which may increase the percentage of net warehouse sales denominated in foreign currencies.



Currency exchange rate changes either increase or decrease the cost of imported products that we purchase in U.S. dollars and price in local currency. Price changes can impact the demand for those products in the market. Currency exchange rates also affect the reported sales of the consolidated company when local currency-denominated sales are translated to U.S. dollars. In addition, we revalue all U.S. dollar denominated assets and liabilities within those markets that do not use the U.S. dollar as the functional currency. These assets and liabilities include, but are not limited to, excess cash permanently reinvested offshore and the value of items shipped from the U.S. to our foreign markets. The gain or loss associated with this revaluation, net of reserves, is recorded in other income (expense).



Foreign currencies in most of the countries where we operate have historically devalued against the U.S. dollar and are expected to continue to devalue.  The following tables summarize by country, for those countries with functional currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the weakening of the countries' currency against the U.S. dollar (devaluation) or the strengthening of their currencies (revaluation):







We seek to manage foreign exchange risk by (1) adjusting prices on goods acquired in U.S. dollars on a periodic basis to maintain our target margins after taking into account changes in exchange rates; (2) obtaining local currency loans from banks within certain markets where it is economical to do so and where management believes the risk of devaluation and the level of U.S. dollar denominated liabilities warrants this action; (3) reducing the time between the acquisition of product in U.S. dollars and the settlement of that purchase in local currency; (4) maintaining a balance between assets held in local currency and in U.S. dollars; and (5) by entering into cross-currency interest rate swaps and forward currency derivatives. We have local-currency-denominated long-term loans in Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala and Barbados; we have cross-currency interest rate swaps and forward currency derivatives in Costa Rica and Colombia; we have cross-currency interest rate swaps in Honduras and we have interest rate swaps in Panama and El Salvador. Turbulence in the currency markets can have a significant impact on the value of the foreign currencies within the countries in which we operate. We report the gains or losses associated with the revaluation of these monetary assets and liabilities on our Consolidated Statements of Income under the heading “Other income (expense), net.” Future volatility and uncertainties regarding the currencies in the countries that we operate in could have a material impact on our operations in future periods. However, there is no way to accurately forecast how currencies may trade in the future and, as a result, we cannot accurately project the impact of the change in rates on our future demand for imported products, reported sales, or financial results.



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We are exposed to foreign exchange risks related to U.S. dollar-denominated and other foreign-denominated cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, to U.S. dollar-denominated intercompany debt balances and to other U.S. dollar-denominated debt/asset balances (excluding U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations for which we hedge a portion of the currency risk inherent in the interest and principal payments), within entities whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar. The following table discloses the net effect on other income (expense) for these U.S. dollar-denominated and other foreign-denominated accounts relative to hypothetical simultaneous currency devaluation in all the countries listed in the table above, based on balances as of August 31, 2017:







From time to time we have experienced a lack of availability of U.S. dollars in certain markets (U.S. dollar illiquidity).  This impedes our ability to convert local currencies obtained through warehouse sales into U.S. dollars to settle the U.S. dollar liabilities associated with our imported products.  During fiscal year 2017 and continuing into fiscal year 2018, we experienced this situation in Trinidad (“TT”).  We are limited in our ability to convert TT dollars that we generated through sales of merchandise into U.S. dollars to settle U.S. dollar liabilities, increasing our foreign exchange exposure to any devaluation of the TT dollar. We are working with our banks to source other tradable currencies (such as Euros and Canadian dollars), but until the central bank in Trinidad makes more U.S. dollars available, this condition will continue and we plan to take steps to limit our exposure to a potential devaluation. During part of the first half of fiscal year 2017 we maintained shipments of merchandise to Trinidad from our distribution center in Miami at levels that generally aligned with our Trinidad subsidiary’s ability to pay for the merchandise in U.S. dollars.  This resulted in a reduced level of shipments, which negatively affected sales in the second quarter, particularly December, although by less than our initial estimate. These actions did not impact the level of merchandise we obtain locally in Trinidad.  Starting in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017, we were able to improve our sourcing of tradeable currencies, which allowed for a more normalized flow of imported merchandise during the third and fourth fiscal quarters.  Due to the actions taken by us, as of August 31, 2017, our Trinidad subsidiary had net U.S. dollar denominated assets of approximately $4.0 million. However the illiquidity situation remains in the Trinidad market, and we expect to face similar issues in sourcing U.S. dollars during the first and second quarters of fiscal year 2018 to those we faced in the same quarters of fiscal year 2017. Going forward, we could again find ourselves in a net U.S. dollar denominated liability position that may require us to limit shipments from the U.S. to Trinidad in line with our ability to exchange Trinidad dollars for tradeable currencies or to reduce our exposure to a potential devaluation.  If, for example, a hypothetical 20% devaluation of the Trinidad currency occurred while we held levels of net U.S. denominated liabilities similar to those at August 31, 2016 ($18.9 million), the net effect on other expense would be approximately $3.8 million. This may result in once again limiting shipments to our Trinidad subsidiary, causing it to run out of certain merchandise, from time to time, during fiscal year 2018.



We are also exposed to foreign exchange risks related to local-currency-denominated cash and cash equivalents, to local-currency-denominated debt obligations, to local-currency-denominated current assets and liabilities and to local-currency-denominated long-term assets and liabilities within entities whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar. The following table discloses the net effect on other comprehensive income (loss) for these local currency denominated accounts relative to hypothetical simultaneous currency devaluation in all the countries listed in the table above, based on balances as of August 31, 2017:







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In addition, we are exposed to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations associated with our U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations that we hedge. We hedge a portion of the currency risk inherent in the interest and principal payments associated with this debt through the use of cross-currency interest rate swaps. The terms of these swap agreements are commensurate with the underlying debt obligations. The aggregate fair value of these swaps was in a net asset position of approximately $1.3 million at August 31, 2017 and approximately $1.2 million at August 31, 2016. A hypothetical 10% increase in the currency exchange rates underlying these swaps from the market rates at August 31, 2017 would have resulted in a further increase in the value of the swaps of approximately $654,000. Conversely, a hypothetical 10% decrease in the currency exchange rates underlying these swaps from the market rates at August 31, 2017 would have resulted in a net decrease in the value of the swaps of approximately of $574,000.



We use non-deliverable forward foreign exchange contracts primarily to address exposure to U.S. dollar merchandise inventory expenditures made by our international subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar. Currently, these contracts do not qualify for derivative hedge accounting. The market risk related to foreign currency forward contracts is measured by estimating the potential impact of a 10% change in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the local currency exchange rates. The net increase or decrease in the fair value of these derivative instruments are economically offset by the gains or losses on the underlying transactions. 



Commodity Price Risk



The increasing price of oil and certain commodities could have a negative effect on our operating costs and sales. Higher oil prices can negatively impact the economic growth of the countries in which we operate, thereby reducing the buying power of our members. Higher oil prices can also increase our operating costs, particularly utilities and distribution expenses. Inflationary pressures on various commodities also may impact consumer spending. We do not currently seek to hedge commodity price risk.



Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data



See the list of financial statements filed with this report under Part IV — Item 15 below.

 



 

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

 

None.

 



Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

 

(a) Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures.

 

As of August 31, 2017, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, including the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, the Company carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e). These disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in its periodic reports with the SEC is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the SEC’s rules and forms, and that the information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including the principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The design of any disclosure controls and procedures also is based in part on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.

 

Based upon their evaluation, the principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

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(b) Management's report on internal control over financial reporting

 

Internal control over financial reporting refers to the process designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer, and effected by its board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and includes those policies and procedures that: (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the Company's assets; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and that receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of the company's management and directors; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Internal control over financial reporting cannot provide absolute assurance of achieving financial reporting objectives because of its inherent limitations. Internal control over financial reporting is a process that involves human diligence and compliance and is subject to lapses in judgment and breakdowns resulting from human failures. Internal control over financial reporting also can be circumvented by collusion or improper management override. Because of such limitations, there is a risk that material misstatements may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis by internal control over financial reporting. However, these inherent limitations are known features of the financial reporting process. Therefore, it is possible to design into the process safeguards to reduce, though not eliminate, this risk.

 

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over the Company's financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Under the supervision, and with the participation, of the Company's management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, the Company conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting.  Management has used the 2013 framework set forth in the report entitled “Internal Control-Integrated Framework” published by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission to evaluate the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. Based on its evaluation, management has concluded that the Company's internal control over financial reporting was effective as of August 31, 2017, the end of its most recent fiscal year.



Ernst & Young LLP, the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, has issued an attestation report on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2017, as stated in their report which is included herein.

 

(c) Changes in internal control over financial reporting.

 

There have been no changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act), during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2017, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

 

The certifications required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are filed as Exhibit 31.1 and 31.2 to this report.

 





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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

  

   

The Board of Directors and Stockholders of PriceSmart, Inc.

   

   

We have audited PriceSmart, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework) (the COSO criteria). PriceSmart, Inc.’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

  

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

  

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

  

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

  

In our opinion, PriceSmart, Inc. maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2017, based on the COSO criteria.

  

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the 2017 consolidated financial statements of PriceSmart, Inc. and our report dated October 26, 2017 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon. 

  

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

  

  

  

San Diego, California

October 26, 2017





Item 9B. Other Information

 

Not applicable.

 

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PART III

 

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance

 

PriceSmart has adopted a code of conduct that applies to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer, controller, and to all of its other officers, directors, employees and agents. The code of conduct is available on PriceSmart's web site at www.pricesmart.com. PriceSmart intends to disclose on its website future amendments to, or waivers from, certain provisions of its code of conduct within four business days following the date of such amendment or waiver.

 

The additional information required by Item 10 is incorporated herein by reference from PriceSmart's definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the headings “Election of Directors,” “Information Regarding Directors,” “Information Regarding the Board,” “Executive Officers of the Company” and “Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act.”





Item 11. Executive Compensation

 

The information required by Item 11 is incorporated herein by reference from PriceSmart's definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the heading “Executive and Director Compensation.”





Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

 

The information required by Item 12 is incorporated herein by reference from PriceSmart's definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the headings “Securities Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” and “Equity Compensation Plan Information.”

 



Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

 

The information required by Item 13 is incorporated herein by reference from PriceSmart's definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the headings “Certain Transactions” and “Information Regarding Directors.”

 



Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services

 

The information required by Item 14 is incorporated herein by reference from PriceSmart's definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the heading “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.”



 

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PART IV

 

 

Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 

(a)    Documents filed as part of this report.

 

(1)  Financial Statements:

 

Index to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

Consolidated Statements of Income

 

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income



Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements



(2) List of financial statement schedules:

 

Schedule II – Valuation and Qualifying Accounts



Schedules not listed above have been omitted because they are not applicable or the required information is included in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.

 

(3) List of exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K. See part (b) below.



 (b)    The following exhibits are filed as a part of this report:





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Item 16. Form 10-K Summary



None

 

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SCHEDULE II



PRICESMART, INC.



VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

(amounts in thousands)



















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SIGNATURES



Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.







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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Annual Report on Form 10-K has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.