PriceSmart Announces 8.6% Increase to Annual Dividend and; Voting Results from the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Rhea-AI Summary

PriceSmart (NASDAQ: PSMT) has announced an 8.6% increase in its annual dividend to $1.26 per share, up from $1.16 last year. The dividend will be paid in two equal installments of $0.63 per share: the first on February 28, 2025, to stockholders of record as of February 18, 2025, and the second on August 29, 2025, to stockholders of record as of August 15, 2025.

During the 2025 annual meeting, stockholders elected eleven directors to the Board and approved executive compensation for fiscal year 2024. They also approved an amendment to increase available shares by 750,000 in the company's Equity Incentive Award Plan and ratified Ernst & Young LLP as their independent auditor.

PriceSmart currently operates 54 warehouse clubs across 12 countries and one U.S. territory, with plans to open two new locations in Cartago, Costa Rica and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala in spring and summer 2025, respectively.

Positive

• 8.6% increase in annual dividend to $1.26 per share
• Strong cash generating activities noted by Board
• Expansion plans with two new warehouse clubs opening in 2025
• Successful approval of 750,000 additional shares for equity incentive plan

Negative

• Uncertain macroeconomic conditions affecting operations and cash flows

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PriceSmart, Inc. ("PriceSmart" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: PSMT), operator of 54 warehouse clubs in 12 countries and one U.S. territory, today announced an 8.6% increase to its annual dividend and the results of the Company's 2025 annual meeting of stockholders that was held on February 6, 2025.

Declaration of Cash Dividend

On February 6, 2025, the Company's Board of Directors declared an annual cash dividend in the total amount of $1.26 per share, with $0.63 per share payable on February 28, 2025 to stockholders of record as of February 18, 2025 and $0.63 per share payable on August 29, 2025 to stockholders of record as of August 15, 2025. This represents an 8.6% increase over last year's $1.16 per share dividend, which was paid in two $0.58 per share installments. The decision to increase the annual dividend by 8.6% by the Board of Directors reflects the Board's confidence in PriceSmart and the strength of its cash generating activities.

PriceSmart anticipates the ongoing payment of annual dividends in subsequent periods, although the actual declaration of future dividends, 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, taking into account the uncertain macroeconomic conditions on the Company's results of operations and cash flows.

Annual Meeting Results

At the annual meeting of stockholders, eleven nominees were elected to the PriceSmart, Inc. Board of Directors. Each director elected will continue to hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders of PriceSmart, or until the director resigns or a successor is elected or appointed. The following directors were elected: Sherry S. Bahrambeygui, Jeffrey R. Fisher, Gordon H. Hanson, Beatriz V. Infante, Leon C. Janks, Patricia Márquez, David N. Price, Robert E. Price, David R. Snyder, John D. Thelan and Edgar Zurcher.

Stockholders also approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the Company's named executive officers for fiscal year 2024, approved an amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated 2013 Equity Incentive Award Plan to increase the number of shares of Common Stock available for the grant of awards by 750,000 shares and ratified the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. A final report on voting results will be filed with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission within four business days following the date of the annual meeting of stockholders.

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 the spring of 2025 and one warehouse club in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala in the summer of 2025. Once these two new clubs are open, the Company will operate 56 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. In addition, 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 considers to be immaterial.

For further information, please contact Michael L. McCleary, EVP, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer (858) 404-8826 or send an email to ir@pricesmart.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pricesmart-announces-8-6-increase-to-annual-dividend-and-voting-results-from-the-2025-annual-meeting-of-stockholders-302371485.html

SOURCE PriceSmart, Inc.

FAQ

What is PriceSmart's new dividend amount for 2025?

PriceSmart's new annual dividend is $1.26 per share, paid in two installments of $0.63 each, representing an 8.6% increase from the previous year's $1.16 per share.

When are PSMT's dividend payment dates for 2025?

The first payment of $0.63 will be made on February 28, 2025 (record date February 18, 2025), and the second payment of $0.63 will be made on August 29, 2025 (record date August 15, 2025).

How many warehouse clubs does PSMT currently operate?

PriceSmart currently operates 54 warehouse clubs across 12 countries and one U.S. territory.

Where will PSMT open new warehouse clubs in 2025?

PriceSmart plans to open new warehouse clubs in Cartago, Costa Rica (spring 2025) and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala (summer 2025).

What changes were approved at PSMT's 2025 annual meeting?

Stockholders approved the election of eleven directors, executive compensation for fiscal year 2024, an increase of 750,000 shares in the Equity Incentive Award Plan, and ratified Ernst & Young LLP as the independent auditor.