PriceSmart Announces Second Quarter Results of Operations,

March Sales and the Relocation of a Warehouse Club

 

San Diego, CA (April 8, 2010) – PriceSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSMT) today announced its results of operations for the second quarter of fiscal year 2010 which ended on February 28, 2010.

For the second quarter of fiscal year 2010, net warehouse sales increased 9.3% to $358.9 million from $328.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2009.  Total revenue for the second quarter was $366.1 million compared to $334.8 million in the prior year.  The Company had 26 clubs in operation as of February 2010 and 25 clubs in operation as of February 2009.

The Company recorded operating income in the quarter of $20.4 million, compared to operating income of $17.5 million in the prior year.  Net income attributable to PriceSmart was $13.7 million, or $0.46 per diluted share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2010 compared to $12.7 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2009.

For the first six months of fiscal year 2010, net warehouse club sales increased 6.5% to $667.5 million from $626.8 million in the first six months of fiscal year 2009.  Total revenues for the first half of the fiscal year increased 6.5% to $681.5 million from $640.0 million in the same period of the prior year.  For the first six months of fiscal year 2010, the Company recorded operating income of $36.7 million and net income attributable to PriceSmart of $24.1 million, or $0.81 per diluted share.  During the same six month period in fiscal year 2009, the Company recorded operating income of $32.4 million and net income attributable to PriceSmart of $23.4 million, or $0.79 per share.

The Company also announced that for the month of March 2010 net sales increased 18.6% to $119.4 million, from $100.7 million in March a year earlier.  For the seven months ended March 31, 2010, net sales increased 8.2% to $786.9 million from $727.5 million for the seven months ended March 31, 2009.  There were 26 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of March 2010 and 25 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of March 2009.  The Company believes that March sales growth was positively impacted by the Easter holiday occurring on April 4, compared to last year when it occurred on April 12.

For the four weeks ended March 28, 2010 comparable warehouse sales for the warehouse clubs open at least 12 full months increased 12.0%, compared to the same four-week period last year.  For the thirty-week period ended March 28, 2010 comparable ware­house sales increased 4.1%, compared to the comparable thirty-week period a year ago.

PriceSmart also announced the relocation of one of its three warehouse clubs in Panama City, Panama (the Los Pueblos Club) to the recently completed new warehouse club at a nearby site, opening on April 9, 2010.  The Company will continue to operate four warehouse clubs in Panama.


About PriceSmart

PriceSmart, headquartered in San Diego, owns and operates U.S.-style membership shopping warehouse clubs in Central America and the Caribbean, selling high quality merchandise at low prices to PriceSmart members. PriceSmart now operates 26 warehouse clubs in 11 countries and one U.S. territory (five in Costa Rica; four in Panama; three each in Guatemala and Trinidad, two each in Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Honduras; and one each in Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, Nicaragua and the United States Virgin Islands).

 

This press release may contain forward-looking statements concerning the Company's anticipated future revenues and earnings, adequacy of future cash flow and related matters.  These forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements containing the words “expect,” “believe,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “project,” “estimate,” “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 following risks: the Company’s financial performance is dependent on international operations which exposes the Company to various risks; any failure by the Company to manage its widely dispersed operations could adversely affect the Company’s business; the Company faces significant competition; the Company may encounter difficulties in the shipment of and risks inherent in the importation of merchandise to its warehouse clubs; the Company is exposed to weather and other natural disaster risks associated with international operations; declines in the economies of the countries in which the Company operates its warehouse clubs would harm its business; a few of the Company's stockholders own nearly 40% of the Company's voting stock, which may make it difficult to complete some corporate transactions without their support and may impede a change in control; the loss of key personnel could harm the Company’s business; the Company is subject to volatility in foreign currency exchange; the Company faces the risk of exposure to product liability claims, a product recall and adverse publicity; a determination that the Company's long-lived or intangible assets have been impaired could adversely affect the Company's future results of operations and financial position; and the Company faces increased compliance risks associated with compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; as well as the other risks detailed in the Company's SEC reports, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on November 9, 2009.  We assume no obligation and expressly disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this presentation or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

 

For further information, please contact Robert E. Price, Principal Executive Officer (858) 551-2336; or John M. Heffner, Executive Vice President and Principal Financial Officer (858) 404-8826.


 

PRICESMART, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(UNAUDITED—AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

 

 

February 28,

 

 

February 28,

 

 

February 28,

 

 

February 28,

 

 

 

2010

 

 

2009

 

 

2010

 

 

2009

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net warehouse club sales

 

$

358,893

 

 

$

328,240

 

 

$

667,545

 

 

$

626,758

 

Export sales

 

 

1,006

 

 

 

905

 

 

 

1,593

 

 

 

1,742

 

Membership income

 

 

4,827

 

 

 

4,425

 

 

 

9,476

 

 

 

8,749

 

Other income

 

 

1,396

 

 

 

1,223

 

 

 

2,926

 

 

 

2,753

 

Total revenues

 

 

366,122

 

 

 

334,793

 

 

 

681,540

 

 

 

640,002

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of goods sold:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net warehouse club

 

 

304,867

 

 

 

279,993

 

 

 

566,584

 

 

 

534,419

 

Export

 

 

935

 

 

 

861

 

 

 

1,489

 

 

 

1,661

 

Selling, general and administrative:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warehouse club operations

 

 

31,041

 

 

 

28,544

 

 

 

60,274

 

 

 

55,829

 

General and administrative

 

 

8,667

 

 

 

7,812

 

 

 

16,235

 

 

 

15,352

 

Pre-opening expenses

 

 

175

 

 

 

99

 

 

 

286

 

 

 

99

 

Asset impairment and closure costs

 

 

 

 

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

 

264

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

345,685

 

 

 

317,325

 

 

 

644,868

 

 

 

607,624

 

Operating income

 

 

20,437

 

 

 

17,468

 

 

 

36,672

 

 

 

32,378

 

Other income (expense):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

 

122

 

 

 

115

 

 

 

338

 

 

 

241

 

Interest expense

 

 

(634

)

 

 

(609

)

 

 

(1,264

)

 

 

(1,190

)

Other expense, net

 

 

(10

)

 

 

(42

)

 

 

(7

)

 

 

(62

)

Total other expense

 

 

(522

)

 

 

(536

)

 

 

(933

)

 

 

(1,011

)

Income from continuing operations before provision for income taxes, and loss of unconsolidated affiliates

 

 

19,915

 

 

 

16,932

 

 

 

35,739

 

 

 

31,367

 

Provision for income taxes

 

 

(6,190

)

 

 

(4,090

)

 

 

(11,592

)

 

 

(7,737

)

Loss of unconsolidated affiliates

 

 

(3

)

 

 

(7

)

 

 

(5

)

 

 

(12

)

Income from continuing operations

 

 

13,722

 

 

 

12,835

 

 

 

24,142

 

 

 

23,618

 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax

 

 

35

 

 

 

(63

)

 

 

44

 

 

 

(81

)

Net income

 

 

13,757

 

 

 

12,772

 

 

 

24,186

 

 

 

23,537

 

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

 

 

(60

)

 

 

(85

)

 

 

(112

)

 

 

(150

)

Net income attributable to PriceSmart

 

$

13,697

 

 

$

12,687

 

 

$

24,074

 

 

$

23,387

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income attributable to PriceSmart:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income from continuing operations

 

 

13,662

 

 

 

12,750

 

 

 

24,030

 

 

 

23,468

 

Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax

 

 

35

 

 

 

(63

)

 

 

44

 

 

 

(81

)

 

 

$

13,697

 

 

$

12,687

 

 

$

24,074

 

 

$

23,387

 

Net income per share attributable to PriceSmart and available for distribution:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic net income per share from continuing operations

 

$

0.46

 

 

$

0.43

 

 

$

0.81

 

 

$

0.80

 

Basic net income per share from discontinued operations, net of tax

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

Basic net income per share

 

$

0.46

 

 

$

0.43

 

 

$

0.81

 

 

$

0.80

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted net income per share from continuing operations

 

$

0.46

 

 

$

0.43

 

 

$

0.81

 

 

$

0.79

 

Diluted net income per share from discontinued operations, net of tax

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

Diluted net income per share

 

$

0.46

 

 

$

0.43

 

 

$

0.81

 

 

$

0.79

 

Shares used in per share computations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

 

29,222

 

 

 

28,916

 

 

 

29,163

 

 

 

28,888

 

Diluted

 

 

29,250

 

 

 

29,179

 

 

 

29,206

 

 

 

29,145

 

Dividends per share

 

$

0.50

 

 

$

0.50

 

 

$

0.50

 

 

$

0.50

 


PRICESMART, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE DATA)

 

 

 

N

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2010

(Unaudited)

 

 

August 31,

2009

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

63,047

 

 

$

44,193

 

Short-term restricted cash

 

 

 

 

 

10

 

Receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $8 and $10 as of February 28, 2010 and August 31, 2009, respectively

 

 

2,454

 

 

 

2,187

 

Merchandise inventories

 

 

124,077

 

 

 

115,841

 

Deferred tax assets – current

 

 

2,800

 

 

 

2,618

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

 

15,982

 

 

 

19,033

 

Assets of discontinued operations

 

 

820

 

 

 

900

 

Total current assets

 

 

209,180

 

 

 

184,782

 

Long-term restricted cash

 

 

823

 

 

 

732

 

Property and equipment, net

 

 

251,398

 

 

 

231,798

 

Goodwill

 

 

37,455

 

 

 

37,538

 

Deferred tax assets – long term

 

 

19,168

 

 

 

20,938

 

Other assets

 

 

3,982

 

 

 

3,927

 

Investment in unconsolidated affiliates

 

 

8,097

 

 

 

7,658

 

Total Assets

 

$

530,103

 

 

$

487,373

 

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short-term borrowings

 

$

4,344

 

 

$

2,303

 

Accounts payable

 

 

113,097

 

 

 

101,412

 

Accrued salaries and benefits

 

 

7,878

 

 

 

8,831

 

Deferred membership income

 

 

9,490

 

 

 

8,340

 

Income taxes payable

 

 

5,785

 

 

 

5,942

 

Other accrued expenses

 

 

8,718

 

 

 

10,022

 

Dividends payable

 

 

7,429

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt, current portion

 

 

6,002

 

 

 

4,590

 

Deferred tax liability – current

 

 

200

 

 

 

189

 

Liabilities of discontinued operations

 

 

109

 

 

 

299

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

163,052

 

 

 

141,928

 

Deferred tax liability – long-term

 

 

1,091

 

 

 

1,026

 

Long-term portion of deferred rent

 

 

2,902

 

 

 

2,673

 

Long-term income taxes payable, net of current portion

 

 

3,545

 

 

 

3,458

 

Long-term debt, net of current portion

 

 

47,127

 

 

 

37,120

 

Total liabilities

 

 

217,717

 

 

 

186,205

 

Equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 45,000,000 shares authorized; 30,463,930 and 30,337,109 shares issued and 29,741,523 and 29,681,031 shares outstanding (net of treasury shares) as of February 28, 2010 and August 31, 2009, respectively

 

 

3

 

 

 

3

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

380,147

 

 

 

377,210

 

Tax benefit from stock-based compensation

 

 

4,724

 

 

 

4,547

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

 

(17,108

)

 

 

(17,230

)

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(40,786

)

 

 

(49,998

)

Less: treasury stock at cost; 722,407 and 656,078 shares as of February 28, 2010 and August 31, 2009, respectively.

 

 

(15,460

)

 

 

(14,134

)

Total PriceSmart stockholders’ equity

 

 

311,520

 

 

 

300,398

 

Noncontrolling interest

 

 

866

 

 

 

770

 

Total equity

 

 

312,386

 

 

 

301,168

 

Total Liabilities and Equity

 

$

530,103

 

 

$

487,373