NET MERCHANDISE SALES GREW 13.0%COMPARABLE NET MERCHANDISE SALES INCREASED 8.8% $1.31 EARNINGS PER DILUTED SHARE & ADJUSTED EARNINGS PER  DILUTED SHARE SAN DIEGO, April 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PriceSmart, Inc. ("PriceSmart" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:PSMT), operator of 54 warehouse clubs in 12 countries and one U.S. territory, today announced results for the fiscal second quarter of 2024, which ended on February 29, 2024. Second Quarter Financial Results Total revenues for the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 increased 13.1% to $1.29 billion compared to $1.14 billion in the comparable period of the prior year. For the second quarter of fiscal year 2024, net merchandise sales increased 13.0% to $1.26 billion from $1.12 billion in the second quarter of fiscal year 2023. Net merchandise sales - constant currency increased 9.0% over the comparable prior year period. Foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacted net merchandise sales positively by $44.2 million, or 4.0%, versus the same period in the prior year.  The Company had 54 warehouse clubs in operation as of February 29, 2024 compared to 50 warehouse clubs in operation as of February 28, 2023. Comparable net merchandise sales for the 50 warehouse clubs that have been open for greater than 13 ½ calendar months increased 8.8% for the 13-week period ended March 3, 2024 compared to the comparable 13-week period of the prior year. Comparable net merchandise sales - constant currency for the 13 weeks ended March 3, 2024 increased 5.2%. Foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacted comparable net merchandise sales positively by 3.6% versus the same period in the prior year. The Company recorded operating income during the fiscal second quarter of $63.6 million compared to operating income of $53.8 million in the prior year period. Net income increased 25.3% to $39.3 million, or $1.31 per diluted share, in the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 compared to $31.3 million, or $1.02 per diluted share, in the second quarter of fiscal year 2023. Adjusted net income for the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 was $39.3 million, or an adjusted $1.31 per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $38.5 million, or an adjusted $1.25 per diluted share, in the comparable prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 was $84.1 million compared to $79.4 million in the same period last year. Year-to-Date Financial Results Total revenues for the six months ended February 29, 2024 increased 11.9% to $2.46 billion compared to $2.20 billion in the comparable period of the prior year. For the first six months of fiscal year 2024, net merchandise sales increased 11.9% to $2.40 billion from $2.14 billion in the comparable prior year period. Net merchandise sales - constant currency increased 8.0% over the comparable prior year period. Foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacted net merchandise sales positively by $84.1 million, or 3.9%, versus the same period in the prior year. Comparable net merchandise sales for the 50 warehouse clubs that have been open for greater than 13 ½ calendar months increased 8.4% for the 26-week period ended March 3, 2024 compared to the comparable 26-week period of the prior year. Comparable net merchandise sales - constant currency for the 26 weeks ended March 3, 2024 increased 4.7%. Foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacted comparable net merchandise sales positively by 3.7% versus the same period in the prior year. The Company recorded operating income during the first six months of fiscal year 2024 of $121.8 million compared to operating income of $109.3 million in the prior year period. Net income increased 20.3% to $77.3 million, or $2.54 per diluted share, in the first six months of fiscal year 2024 compared to $64.3 million, or $2.07 per diluted share, in the first six months of fiscal year 2023. Adjusted net income for the first six months of fiscal year 2024 was $77.3 million, or an adjusted $2.54 per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $73.6 million, or an adjusted $2.37 per diluted share, in the comparable prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA for the first six months of fiscal year 2024 was $161.9 million compared to $154.6 million in the same period last year. Special Dividend The Company has decided to distribute excess cash to stockholders in the form of a special dividend. On April 3, 2024, the Company's Board of Directors declared a one-time $1.00 per share special dividend payable on April 30, 2024 to stockholders of record on April 19, 2024. The declaration of future dividends (ongoing or otherwise), if any, 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. New Club Growth The Company has purchased land and plans to open its ninth warehouse club in Costa Rica, located in Cartago, approximately 10 miles east from the nearest clubs in the greater San Jose metropolitan area. The club will be built on a six-acre property and is anticipated to open in early 2025. Once this new club is open, PriceSmart will operate 55 warehouse clubs in total. Note Regarding Non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) Financial Measures The foregoing discussion of the Company's operating results includes references to adjusted net income, adjusted net income per diluted share, adjusted EBITDA, net merchandise sales - constant currency and comparable net merchandise sales - constant currency, which are non-GAAP financial measures. We believe these supplemental measures are useful to investors and analysts because they exclude items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures are defined and reconciled to the most comparable GAAP measures later in this document. Conference Call Information PriceSmart management will host a conference call at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time (9:00 a.m. Pacific time) on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, to discuss the financial results. Individuals interested in participating in the conference call may do so by dialing toll free (800) 549-8228 or (646) 564-2877 for international callers and asking to join the PriceSmart earnings call. A digital replay will be available shortly following the conclusion of the call through Wednesday, April 17, 2024 by dialing (888) 660-6264  for domestic callers, or (646) 517-3975 for international callers, and entering replay passcode 59511#. About PriceSmart PriceSmart, headquartered in San Diego, owns and operates U.S.-style membership shopping warehouse clubs in Latin America and the Caribbean, selling high quality merchandise and services at low prices to PriceSmart Members. PriceSmart operates 54 warehouse clubs in 12 countries and one U.S. territory (ten in Colombia; eight in Costa Rica; seven in Panama; six in Guatemala; five in Dominican Republic; four each in Trinidad and El Salvador; three in Honduras; two each in Nicaragua and Jamaica; and one each in Aruba, Barbados and the United States Virgin Islands). In addition, the Company plans to open one warehouse club in Cartago, Costa Rica in early 2025. Once this new club is open, the Company will operate 55 warehouse clubs. This press release may contain forward-looking statements concerning PriceSmart, Inc.'s ("PriceSmart", the "Company" or "we") anticipated future revenues and earnings, adequacy of future cash flows, future dividends, omni-channel initiatives, 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," "intend," and like expressions, and the negative thereof. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially including, but not limited to: various political, economic and compliance risks associated with our international operations, adverse changes in economic conditions in our markets, natural disasters, volatility in currency exchange rates and illiquidity of certain local currencies in our markets, competition, consumer and small business spending patterns, political instability, increased costs associated with the integration of online commerce with our traditional business, whether the Company can successfully execute strategic initiatives, our reliance on third party service providers, including those who support transaction and payment processing, data security and other technology services, cybersecurity breaches that could cause disruptions in our systems or jeopardize the security of Member, employee or business information, cost increases from product and service providers, interruption of supply chains, novel coronavirus (COVID-19) related factors and challenges, exposure to product liability claims and product recalls, recoverability of moneys owed to PriceSmart from governments, and other important factors discussed in the Risk Factors section of the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other factors discussed from time to time in other filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date that they are made, and the Company does not undertake to update them, except as required by law. For further information, please contact Michael L. McCleary, EVP, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer (858) 404-8826 or send an email   PRICESMART, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED—AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended February 29,2024 February 28,2023 February 29,2024 February 28,2023 Revenues: Net merchandise sales $       1,260,916 $       1,115,999 $       2,395,930 $       2,141,462 Export sales 8,511 6,882 18,520 17,340 Membership income 18,538 16,176 36,287 32,071 Other revenue and income 3,985 3,132 7,688 6,122 Total revenues 1,291,950 1,142,189 2,458,425 2,196,995 Operating expenses: Cost of goods sold: Net merchandise sales 1,062,685 937,462 2,015,413 1,796,530 Export sales 8,178 6,563 17,728 16,552 Selling, general and administrative: Warehouse club and other operations 117,774 103,630 227,739 200,522 General and administrative 38,809 32,759 74,248 65,931 Separation costs associated with Chief ...