UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549



FORM 10-Q





For the quarterly period ended November 30, 2018

OR





For the transition period from                to 



COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 0-22793

PriceSmart, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



9740 Scranton Road, San Diego, CA 92121

(Address of principal executive offices)



(858) 404-8800

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)



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.







Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted 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 such files).







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. (Check one):







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).







The registrant had 30,492,624 shares of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, outstanding at December 31, 2018.

 



 

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PRICESMART, INC.



INDEX TO FORM 10-Q



 



 

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PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION



ITEM 1.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS



PriceSmart, Inc.’s (“PriceSmart,” “we” or the “Company”) unaudited consolidated balance sheet as of November 30, 2018 and the consolidated balance sheet as of August 31, 2018, the unaudited consolidated statements of income for the three months ended November 30, 2018 and 2017, the unaudited consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the three months ended November 30, 2018 and 2017, the unaudited consolidated statements of equity for the three months ended November 30, 2018 and 2017, and the unaudited consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended November 30, 2018 and 2017, are included herein.  Also included herein are the notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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PRICESMART, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE DATA)







 

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See accompanying notes. 

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PRICESMART, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

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









See accompanying notes. 

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PRICESMART, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(UNAUDITED—AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS)









See accompanying notes. 

 

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PRICESMART, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY

(UNAUDITED—AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS)



















See accompanying notes. 



 

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PRICESMART, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(UNAUDITED—AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS)









The following table provides a breakdown of cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the statement of cash flows:





See accompanying notes. 



 

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NOTE 1 – COMPANY OVERVIEW AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION



PriceSmart, Inc.’s (“PriceSmart,” the “Company,” or "we") business consists primarily of international membership shopping warehouse clubs similar to, but smaller in size than, warehouse clubs in the United States.  As of  November 30, 2018, the Company had 41 consolidated warehouse clubs in operation in 12 countries and one U.S. territory (seven each in Colombia and Costa Rica;  five in Panama; four each in Trinidad and Dominican Republic;  three each in Guatemala and Honduras,  two each in El Salvador and Nicaragua; and one each in Aruba, Barbados,  Jamaica, and the United States Virgin Islands), of which the Company owns 100% of the corresponding legal entities (see Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies). In May 2018, the Company acquired land in Panama and the Dominican Republic upon which the Company is constructing two new warehouse clubs. In Panama, the site is in the city of Santiago and, upon completion, it will be the sixth warehouse club in Panama. In the Dominican Republic, the site is in the city of Santo Domingo and, upon completion, it will be the fifth warehouse club in the Dominican Republic.  Both warehouse clubs are currently expected to open in the spring of 2019. Both of these warehouse clubs will be designed using our new small warehouse club format with sales floor square footage between 30,000 to 40,000 square feet, compared to 50,000 to 60,000 sales floor square footage within our most recent standard format warehouse club openings. In September 2018 (fiscal year 2019), the Company acquired land in San Cristobal, Guatemala, upon which the Company plans to construct a standard format warehouse club. San Cristobal is expected to open in the fall of 2019 (fiscal year 2020). In November 2018 (fiscal year 2019), PriceSmart signed a lease for an approximately 187,000 square foot site within the Metropark development on the south eastern side of Panama City, Panama. The Metropark club will be the Company’s seventh warehouse club in Panama and will utilize the Company’s standard warehouse club format. This club is expected to open in the fall of 2019 (fiscal year 2020). Once these new warehouse clubs are open, the Company will operate 45 warehouse clubs. The Company continues to explore other potential sites for future warehouse clubs in Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia.



PriceSmart also operates a cross-border logistics and e-commerce business through Aeropost, Inc. (“Aeropost”), which was purchased in March 2018.  PriceSmart is utilizing the technology and talent it acquired through Aeropost to invest in and further develop omni-channel capabilities to allow its members alternative ways to shop. Aeropost operates directly or via agency relationships in 38 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, many of which overlap with markets where PriceSmart operates its warehouse clubs, and has distribution and administration facilities in Miami, Florida. 



Basis of Presentation –  The interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q for interim financial reporting pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2018 (the “2018 Form 10-K”).  The interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PriceSmart, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries.  Inter-company transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES



Principles of Consolidation – The interim consolidated financial statements of the Company included herein include the assets, liabilities and results of operations of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries, subsidiaries in which it has a controlling interest, and the Company’s joint ventures for which the Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary.  The Company reports noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities as a component of equity separate from the Company’s equity. The Company’s net income excludes income attributable to its noncontrolling interests.  Additionally, the consolidated financial statements also include the Company's investment in, and the Company's share of the income (loss) of, joint ventures recorded under the equity method.  All significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.  The interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC and reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) that are, in the opinion of management, necessary to fairly present the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented.  The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the year.



The Company determines whether any of the joint ventures in which it has made investments is a Variable Interest Entity (“VIE”) at the start of each new venture and if a reconsideration event has occurred.  At this time, the Company also considers whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement in a VIE.  A reporting entity must consolidate a VIE if that reporting entity has a variable interest (or combination of variable interests) that will absorb a majority of the VIE's expected losses, receive a majority of the VIE's expected residual returns, or both.  A reporting entity must consider the rights and obligations conveyed by its variable interests and the relationship of its variable interests with variable interests held by other parties to determine whether its variable interests will absorb a majority of a VIE's expected losses, receive a majority of the

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VIE's expected residual returns, or both.  The reporting entity that consolidates a VIE is called the primary beneficiary of that VIE.  If the Company determines that it is not the primary beneficiary of the VIE, then the Company records its investment in, and the Company's share of the income (loss) of, joint ventures recorded under the equity method. Due to the nature of the joint ventures that the Company participates in and the continued commitments for additional financing, the Company determined these joint ventures are VIEs.



The Company has determined for its ownership interest in store-front joint ventures within its Aeropost subsidiary that the Company has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance. Therefore, the Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary of the VIEs and has consolidated these entities within its consolidated financial statements.  The Company's ownership interest in these store-front joint ventures within its Aeropost subsidiary for which the Company has consolidated their financial statements as of November 30, 2018 are listed below: 







For the Company's ownership interest in real estate development joint ventures, since all rights, obligations and the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance is shared equally by both parties within each joint venture, the Company has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of the VIEs and, therefore, has accounted for these entities under the equity method.  Under the equity method, the Company's investments in unconsolidated affiliates are initially recorded as an investment in the stock of an investee at cost and are adjusted for the carrying amount of the investment to recognize the investor's share of the earnings or losses of the investee after the date of the initial investment.  The Company's ownership interest in real estate development joint ventures for which the Company has recorded under the equity method as of November 30, 2018 are listed below:









Use of Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.



Cash and Cash Equivalents – The Company considers as cash and cash equivalents all cash on deposit, highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase, and proceeds due from credit and debit card transactions in the process of settlement.



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Restricted Cash – The changes in restricted cash are disclosed within the consolidated statement of cash flows based on the nature of the restriction. The following table summarizes the restricted cash reported by the Company (in thousands):









Short-Term Investments –The Company considers as short-term investments certificates of deposit and similar time-based deposits with financial institutions with maturities over three months and up to one year.



Goodwill and Other Intangibles – Goodwill and other intangibles totaled $60.6 million as of November 30, 2018 and $61.3 million as of August 31, 2018.  The Company reviews reported goodwill and other intangibles at the cash-generating unit level for impairment. The Company tests for impairment at least annually or when events or changes in circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired.



Tax Receivables – The Company pays Value Added Tax (“VAT”) or similar taxes (“input VAT”), income taxes, and other taxes within the normal course of the Company’s business in most of the countries in which the Company operates related to the procurement of merchandise and/or services it acquires and/or on sales and taxable income.  The Company also collects VAT or similar taxes on behalf of the government (“output VAT”) for merchandise and/or services it sells.  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 the Company operates, 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.  The Company either requests a refund of these tax receivables or applies 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 VAT refund process is defined and structured with regular refunds or offsets.  However, the Company, together with its tax and legal advisers, is currently seeking clarification in court in one 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 $4.1 million and $3.1 million as of November 30, 2018 and August 31, 2018, 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 the Company to pay taxes based on a percentage of sales rather than income.  As a result, the Company is making income tax payments substantially in excess of those it would expect to pay based on taxable income. The rules (which the Company has challenged in court) effective for fiscal years 2015 to 2018 do not clearly allow us to obtain a refund or offset this excess income tax against other taxes.  As of November 30, 2018, the Company had deferred tax assets of approximately $2.1 million in this country.  Also, the Company had an income tax receivable balance of $7.0 million as of November 30, 2018 related to excess payments from fiscal years 2015 to 2018. The Company has not placed any type of allowance on the recoverability of these tax receivables or deferred tax assets because the Company believes that it is more likely than not that it will ultimately succeed in its refund requests, related appeals and/or court challenge on this matter. In the third quarter of fiscal year 2018, a revised minimum tax law was passed in this country, which beginning in fiscal year 2020 will reduce the minimum tax rate. Additionally, this law clarifies rules on a go-forward basis for reimbursement of excess minimum tax paid beginning in fiscal year 2019.



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The Company’s policy for classification and presentation of VAT receivables, income tax receivables and other tax receivables is as follows:







The following table summarizes the VAT receivables reported by the Company (in thousands):







The following table summarizes the Income tax receivables reported by the Company (in thousands):







Lease Accounting – Certain of the Company's operating leases where the Company is the lessee provide for minimum annual payments that increase over the life of the lease. The aggregate minimum annual payments are expensed on the straight-line basis beginning when the Company takes possession of the property and extending over the term of the related lease including renewal options when the exercise of the option is reasonably assured as an economic penalty may be incurred if the option is not exercised. The amount by which straight-line rent exceeds actual lease payment requirements in the early years of the leases is accrued as deferred rent and reduced in later years when the actual cash payment requirements exceed the straight-line expense. The Company also accounts in its straight-line computation for the effect of any “rental holidays” and lessor-paid tenant improvements. In addition to the minimum annual payments, in certain locations, the Company pays additional contingent rent based on a contractually stipulated percentage of sales.



Operating leases where the Company is the lessor with lease payments that have fixed and determinable rent increases are recognized as revenue on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company also accounts in its straight-line computation for the effect of any "rental holidays."



Merchandise Inventories – Merchandise inventories, which include merchandise for resale, are valued at the lower of cost (average cost) or net realizable value.  The Company provides for estimated inventory losses and obsolescence between physical inventory counts on the basis of a percentage of sales.  The provision is adjusted periodically to reflect the trend of actual physical inventory count results, with physical inventories occurring primarily in the second and fourth fiscal quarters.  In addition, the Company may be required to take markdowns below the carrying cost of certain inventory to expedite the sale of such merchandise.



Stock Based Compensation – The Company utilizes three types of equity awards: restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance based restricted stock units (“PSUs”).  Compensation related to RSAs, RSUs and PSUs is based on the fair market value at the time of grant.  The Company recognizes the compensation cost related to RSAs and RSUs over the requisite service period as determined by the grant, amortized ratably or on a straight-line basis over the life of the grant.  The Company also recognizes compensation cost for PSUs over the performance period. The Company reassess the

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probability of vesting at each reporting period for awards with performance conditions and adjusts compensation cost based on the probability that performance metrics will be achieved. If the Company determines that an award is unlikely to vest, any previously recorded expense is then reversed.



The Company accounts for actual forfeitures as they occur.  The Company records the tax savings resulting from tax deductions in excess of expense for stock-based compensation and the tax deficiency resulting from stock-based compensation in excess of the related tax deduction as income tax expense or benefit. In addition, the Company reflects the tax savings (deficiency) resulting from the taxation of stock-based compensation as an operating cash flow in its consolidated statement of cash flows.



RSAs are outstanding shares of common stock and have the same cash dividend and voting rights as other shares of common stock. Shares of common stock subject to RSUs are not issued nor outstanding until vested, and RSUs do not have the same dividend and voting rights as common stock.  However, all outstanding RSUs have accompanying dividend equivalents, requiring payment to the employees and directors with unvested RSUs of amounts equal to the dividend they would have received had the shares of common stock underlying the RSUs been actually issued and outstanding.  Payments of dividend equivalents to employees are recorded as compensation expense.



PSUs, similar to RSUs, are awarded with dividend equivalents, provided that such amounts become payable only if the performance metric is achieved. At the time the Compensation Committee confirms the performance metric has been achieved, the accrued dividend equivalents are paid on the PSUs.



In October 2018, Jose Luis Laparte, the Company’s then Chief Executive Officer, resigned by mutual agreement with the Board of Directors. In connection with his departure, the Company recognized a one-time separation charge of approximately $3.8 million ($3.6 million net of tax) in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. This amount was comprised of approximately $2.9 million of non-cash charges related to the acceleration of certain equity awards and approximately $892,000 for other separation costs. Given that Mr. Laparte has substantially rendered the required services per his separation agreement, the Company recorded these charges in the current quarter.  This charge was recorded in the General and administrative caption within the Consolidated Statements of Operations and is recorded in the Company’s United States segment. The Company has not paid any amounts related to these charges in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019, but will substantially fulfill all payment obligations by the end of the second quarter of fiscal year 2020.



Fair Value Measurements – The Company measures the fair value for all financial and nonfinancial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the consolidated financial statements on a recurring or nonrecurring basis.  The fair value of an asset is the price at which the asset could be sold in an orderly transaction between unrelated, knowledgeable and willing parties able to engage in the transaction.  A liability’s fair value is defined as the amount that would be paid to transfer the liability to a new obligor in a transaction between such parties, not the amount that would be paid to settle the liability with the creditor.



The Company has established a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring and revaluing fair value.  These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.  The Company was not required to revalue any assets or liabilities utilizing Level 1 or Level 3 inputs at the balance sheet dates.  The Company's Level 2 assets and liabilities revalued at the balance sheet dates, on a recurring basis, consisted of cash flow hedges (interest rate swaps and cross-currency interest rate swaps) and forward foreign exchange contracts.  In addition, the Company utilizes Level 2 inputs in determining the fair value of long-term debt.  The Company did not make any significant transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 fair value tiers during the periods reported on herein.



Non-financial assets and liabilities are revalued and recognized at fair value subsequent to initial recognition when there is evidence of impairment.  For the periods reported, no impairment of such non-financial assets was recorded.



The Company’s current and long-term financial assets and liabilities have fair values that approximate their carrying values. The Company’s long-term financial liabilities consist of long-term debt, which is recorded on the balance sheet at issuance price and adjusted for any applicable unamortized discounts or premiums and debt issuance costs.  There have been no significant changes in fair market value of the Company’s current and long-term financial assets, and there have been no material changes to the valuation techniques utilized in the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities as disclosed in the Company’s 2018 Form 10-K.



Derivatives Instruments and Hedging Activities – The Company uses derivative financial instruments for hedging and non-trading purposes to manage its exposure to changes in interest and currency exchange rates.  In using derivative financial

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instruments for the purpose of hedging the Company’s exposure to interest and currency exchange rate risks, the contractual terms of a hedged instrument closely mirror those of the hedged item, providing a high degree of risk reduction and correlation.  Contracts that are effective at meeting the risk reduction and correlation criteria (effective hedge) are recorded using hedge accounting.  If a derivative financial instrument is an effective hedge, changes in the fair value of the instrument will be reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged item completes its contractual term. Instruments that do not meet the criteria for hedge accounting, or contracts for which the Company has not elected hedge accounting, are valued at fair value with unrealized gains or losses reported in earnings during the period of the change.  The Company did not change valuation techniques utilized in the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities presented on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets from previous practice during the reporting period. The Company seeks to manage counterparty risk associated with these contracts by limiting transactions to counterparties with which the Company has an established banking relationship.  There can be no assurance, however, that this practice effectively mitigates counterparty risk.



Cash Flow Instruments.  The Company is a party to receive floating interest rate, pay fixed-rate interest rate swaps to hedge the interest rate risk of certain U.S. dollar denominated debt within its international subsidiaries.  The swaps are designated as cash flow hedges of interest expense risk.  These instruments are considered effective hedges and are recorded using hedge accounting.  The Company is also a party to receive variable interest rate, pay fixed interest rate cross-currency interest rate swaps to hedge the interest rate and currency exposure associated with the expected payments of principal and interest of U.S. denominated debt within its international subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar.  The swaps are designated as cash flow hedges of the currency risk and interest-rate risk related to payments on the U.S. denominated debt.  These instruments are also considered to be effective hedges and are recorded using hedge accounting.  Under cash flow hedging, the entire gain or loss of the derivative, calculated as the net present value of the future cash flows, is reported on the consolidated balance sheets in accumulated other comprehensive loss.  Amounts recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss are released to earnings in the same period that the hedged transaction impacts consolidated earnings.  See Note 8 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities for information on the fair value of interest rate swaps and cross-currency interest rate swaps as of November 30, 2018 and August 31, 2018.



Fair Value Instruments.  The Company is exposed to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations in the normal course of business.  This includes exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations on U.S. dollar denominated liabilities within the Company’s international subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar.  The Company manages these fluctuations, in part, through the use of non-deliverable forward foreign-exchange contracts that are intended to offset changes in cash flows attributable to currency exchange movements.  The contracts are intended primarily to economically address exposure to U.S. dollar merchandise inventory expenditures made by the Company’s international subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar.  Currently, these contracts are treated for accounting purposes as fair value instruments and do not qualify for derivative hedge accounting, and as such the Company does not apply derivative hedge accounting to record these transactions.  As a result, these contracts are valued at fair value with unrealized gains or losses reported in earnings during the period of the change.  The Company seeks to mitigate foreign currency exchange-rate risk with the use of these contracts and does not intend to engage in speculative transactions.  These contracts do not contain any credit-risk-related contingent features and are limited to less than one year in duration.  See Note 8 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities for information on the fair value of open, unsettled forward foreign-exchange contracts as of November 30, 2018 and August 31, 2018.



Self-Insurance – As of October 1, 2017, PriceSmart, Inc. became self-insured for its U.S. employee medical health benefits and in doing so the Company has assumed the financial risk for providing health care benefits to its employees.  The Company contracted with Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (“CHLIC”), a third party administrator, to process claims on its behalf under an Administrative Services Only (ASO) agreement.  The Company has elected to purchase “Stop Loss Insurance” to cover the risk in excess of certain dollar limits. The Company establishes an estimated accrual for its insurance program based on available comparable claims data, trends and projected ultimate costs of claims. This accrual is based on estimates prepared with the assistance of outside actuaries, and the ultimate cost of these claims may vary from initial estimates and established accrual. The actuaries periodically update their estimates, and the Company records such adjustments in the period in which such determination is made. The accrued obligation for this self-insurance program is included in “Accrued salaries and benefits” in the consolidated balance sheets and is $593,000 as of November 30, 2018 and $801,000 as of August 31, 2018. 



Cost of Goods Sold – The Company includes the cost of merchandise, food service and bakery raw materials in cost of goods sold, net merchandise sales. The Company also includes in cost of goods sold: net merchandise sales the external and internal distribution and handling costs for supplying merchandise, raw materials and supplies to the warehouse clubs. External costs include inbound freight, duties, drayage, fees, insurance, and non-recoverable value-added tax related to inventory shrink, spoilage and damage. Internal costs include payroll and related costs, utilities, consumable supplies, repair and maintenance, rent expense and building and equipment depreciation at the Company's distribution facilities and payroll and other direct costs for in-store demonstrations. 



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For export sales, the Company includes the cost of merchandise and external and internal distribution and handling costs for supplying merchandise in cost of goods sold, exports.



For the Aeropost operations, the Company includes the costs of external and internal shipping, handling and other direct costs incurred to provide delivery, insurance and customs processing services in cost of goods sold, non-merchandise.



Vendor consideration consists primarily of volume rebates, time-limited product promotions, slotting fees, demonstration reimbursements and prompt payment discounts. Volume rebates that are not threshold based are incorporated into the unit cost of merchandise reducing the inventory cost and cost of goods sold. Volume rebates that are threshold based are recorded as a reduction to cost of goods sold when the Company achieves established purchase levels that are confirmed by the vendor in writing or upon receipt of funds. On a quarterly basis, the Company calculates the amount of rebates recorded in cost of goods sold that relates to inventory on hand and this amount is reclassified as a reduction to inventory, if significant. Product promotions are generally linked to coupons that provide for reimbursement to the Company from vendor rebates for the product being promoted.  Slotting fees are related to consideration received by the Company from vendors for preferential "end cap" placement of the vendor's products within the warehouse club. Demonstration reimbursements are related to consideration received by the Company from vendors for the in store promotion of the vendors' products. The Company records the reduction in cost of goods sold on a transactional basis for these programs. Prompt payment discounts are taken in substantially all cases, and therefore, are applied directly to reduce the acquisition cost of the related inventory, with the resulting effect recorded to cost of goods sold when the inventory is sold.



Selling, General and Administrative – Selling, general and administrative costs are comprised primarily of expenses associated with operating warehouse clubs and freight forwarding operations. These operations include the operating costs of the Company’s warehouse clubs and freight forwarding activities, including payroll and related costs, utilities, consumable supplies, repair and maintenance, rent expense, building and equipment depreciation, bank, credit card processing fees, and amortization of intangibles. Also included in selling, general and administrative expenses are the payroll and related costs for the Company’s U.S. and regional management and purchasing centers.



Pre-Opening Costs – The Company expenses pre-opening costs (the costs of start-up activities, including organization costs and rent) for new warehouse clubs as incurred.



Contingencies and Litigation – The Company records and reserves for loss contingencies if (a) information available prior to issuance of the consolidated financial statements indicates that it is probable that an asset had been impaired or a liability had been incurred at the date of the consolidated financial statements and (b) the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated.  If one or both criteria for accrual are not met, but there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss will occur, the Company does not record and reserve for a loss contingency but describes the contingency within a note and provides detail, when possible, of the estimated potential loss or range of loss. If an estimate cannot be made, a statement to that effect is made.



Foreign Currency Translation – The assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations are translated to U.S. dollars when the functional currency in the Company’s international subsidiaries is the local currency and not U.S. dollars.  Assets and liabilities of these foreign 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 affect net income upon the sale or liquidation of the underlying investment. 



The following table discloses the net effect of translation into the reporting currency on other comprehensive income (loss) for these local currency denominated accounts for the three-month period ended November 30, 2018 and 2017:







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 gains (losses), including transactions recorded involving these monetary assets and liabilities, are recorded as Other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of income.



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The following table summarizes the amounts recorded for the three months ended November 30, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands):







Recent Accounting Pronouncements – Not Yet Adopted



FASB ASC 815 ASU 2018-16 – Derivatives and Hedging — Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes



In October 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board “FASB” issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2018-16, Derivatives and Hedging—Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes, which expands the list of United States benchmark interest rates permitted in the application of hedge accounting. The amendments in this ASU allow use of the Overnight Index Swap (OIS) rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes under Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company will evaluate the impact adoption of this guidance may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.



FASB ASC 810 ASU 2018-15 – Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract



In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s accounting for implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. ASU No. 2018-15 aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software (and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license). As such, the amendment in this ASU requires an entity (customer) in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract to follow the guidance in subtopic 350-40 in order to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as an asset and which costs to expense.



Additionally, the amendments in this ASU require the entity to expense the capitalized implementation costs of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract over the term of the hosting arrangement. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will evaluate the impact adoption of this guidance may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.



FASB ASC 718 ASU 2018-07 - Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718) — Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting 



In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which expands the scope to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from non-employees. The amendments in this ASU apply to all share-based payment transactions in which a grantor acquires goods or services to be used or consumed in the grantor’s own operations by issuing share-based payment awards. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will evaluate the impact adoption of this guidance may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.



FASB ASC 350 ASU 2017-04- Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment



In January 2017, the FASB issued Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This ASU simplifies the manner in which an entity is required to test goodwill for impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Under the amendments in this ASU, an entity should (1) perform its annual or interim goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, and (2) recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value, with the understanding that the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.



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Additionally, ASU 2017-04 requires any reporting unit with a zero or negative carrying amount to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company will evaluate the impact adoption of this guidance may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.



FASB ASC 842 ASU 2016-02 -Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification



In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance codified in ASC 842, Leases, which supersedes the guidance in ASC 840, Leases.  ASC 842 will be effective for the Company on September 1, 2019, and the Company expects to apply the transition practical expedients allowed by the standard.  Note 6 – “Commitments and Contingencies” provides details on the Company’s current lease arrangements.  While the Company continues to evaluate the provisions of ASC 842 to determine how it will be affected, the primary effect will be the recording of right-of-use assets and corresponding lease obligations for current operating leases.  In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements,” which provided an additional transition option that allows companies to continue applying the guidance under the current lease standard in the comparative periods presented in the consolidated financial statements. Companies that elect this option would record a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings on the date of adoption. The Company is in the process of determining which transition method to apply. The Company expects the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated balance sheets due to the creation of “rights of use” assets and the corresponding liabilities, which will include recognizing lease liabilities and related right-of-use assets for operating leases on the opening balance sheet in the period of adoption. However, the Company does not expect a material change to its net income attributable to the company on its consolidated statement of income or on the net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents as reported on its consolidated statement of cash flows. 



Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted



FASB ASC 715 ASU 2017-09 - Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718)—Scope of Modification Accounting



In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting, which seeks to provide clarity, reduce diversity in practice, and reduce cost and complexity when applying the guidance in Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, regarding a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award.  This ASU provides guidance concerning which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. Specifically, an entity is to account for the effects of a modification unless all of the following are satisfied: (1) the fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value, if such an alternative measurement method is used) of the modified award is the same as the fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value, if such an alternative measurement method is used) of the original award immediately before the original award is modified; (2) the vesting conditions of the modified award are the same as the vesting conditions of the original award immediately before the original award is modified; and (3) the classification of the modified award as an equity instrument or as a liability instrument is the same as the classification of the original award immediately before the original award is modified. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this guidance, prospectively, as of September 1, 2018.

 

FASB ASC 715 ASU 2017-07- Compensation—Retirement Benefits (Topic 715) — Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost



In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, Compensation—Retirement Benefits (Topic 715) — Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. This ASU is designed to improve guidance related to the presentation of defined benefit costs in the income statement. In particular, ASU 2017-07 requires that an employer report the service cost component in the same line item(s) as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this ASU retrospectively, beginning September 1, 2018, and elected to use the practical expedient as the estimation basis for applying the retrospective presentation requirements. The service cost component of the Company’s pension and postretirement expenses is reported in the Warehouse club and other operations financial statement line item. The other components of pension and post-retirement expenses are classified in Other income (expense), net.   Adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.



FASB ASC 606 ASU 2014-09 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers



In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance on the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. The guidance converges the requirements for reporting revenue and requires disclosures sufficient to describe the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows. The new standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years

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beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted this guidance at the beginning of its first quarter of fiscal year 2019, using the modified retrospective approach through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. The Company adopted this guidance as of September 1, 2018 and has disclosed the impact adoption that this guidance had for the Company’s consolidated financial statements with Note 3 – Revenue Recognition.  

 

NOTE 3 – REVENUE RECOGNITION



Revenue Recognition – In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). This ASU is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model that requires a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The Company adopted the ASU on September 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach. Updated accounting policies and other disclosures are below including the disclosure for disaggregated revenue. The impact of adopting the ASU was not material to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.



The Company uses the five-step model to recognize revenue:



Performance Obligations



Merchandise Sales.  The Company recognizes merchandise sales revenue, net of sales taxes, on transactions where the Company has determined that it is the principal in the sale of merchandise. These transactions may include shipping commitments and/or shipping revenue if the transaction involves delivery to the customer.



Non-merchandise Sales. The Company recognizes non-merchandise revenue, net of sales taxes, on transactions where the Company has determined that it is the agent in the transaction.  These transactions primarily consist of contracts the Company enters into with its customers to provide delivery, insurance and customs processing services for products its customers purchase online in the United States either directly from other vendors utilizing the vendor’s website or through the Company’s Marketplace site. Revenue is recognized when the Company’s performance obligations have been completed (that is when delivery of the items have been made to the destination point) and is recorded in “non-merchandise revenue” on the Consolidated Statements of Income.  Prepayment of orders for which the Company has not fulfilled its performance obligation are recorded as unearned revenue. Additionally, the Company records revenue at the net amounts retained, this is the amount paid by the customer less amounts remitted to the respective merchandise vendors, as the Company is acting as an agent and is not the principal in the sale of those goods being purchased from the vendors by the Company’s customers.



Membership Fee Revenue. Membership income represents annual membership fees paid by the Company’s warehouse club members, which are recognized ratably over the 12-month term of the membership.  Membership refunds are prorated over the remaining term of the membership; accordingly, no refund reserve is required to be established for the periods presented. Membership fee revenue is included in membership income in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income. The deferred membership fee is included in deferred income in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.



Platinum Points Reward Programs. The Company began offering Platinum memberships in Costa Rica during fiscal year 2013 and expanded this offering into Panama, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and the United States Virgin Islands during fiscal year 2018 and 2019.  The Company plans to offer this program to additional markets during fiscal year 2019. The annual fee for a Platinum membership in most markets is approximately $75. The Platinum membership provides members with a 2% rebate on most items, up to an annual maximum of $500.  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, platinum rewards.  The rebate is issued annually to Platinum members on March 1 and expires August 31.  The Company periodically reviews expired unused rebates outstanding, and the expired unused rebates are recognized as “Other revenue and income” on the consolidated statements of income. The Company has determined that breakage revenue is 5% of the awards issued; therefore, it records 95% of the Platinum membership liability at the time of sale.



Co-branded credit card Points Reward Programs.  Most of the Company’s subsidiaries have points reward programs related to Co-branded Credit Cards. These points reward programs provide incremental points that can be used at a future time to acquire merchandise within the Company’s warehouse club.  This results in two performance obligations, the first performance

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obligation being the initial sale of the merchandise or services purchased with the co-branded credit card, and the second performance obligation being the future use of the points rewards to purchase merchandise or services.  As a result, upon the initial sale, the Company allocates the transaction price to each performance obligation with the amount allocated to the future use points rewards recorded as a contract liability within other accrued expenses on the consolidated balance sheet. The portion of the selling price allocated to the reward points is recognized as other revenue and income when the points are used or when the points expire. The Company reviews on an annual basis expired points rewards outstanding, and the expired rewards are recognized as “Other revenue and income” on the consolidated statements of income within markets where the co-branded credit card agreement allows for such treatment.   



Gift Cards. Members’ purchases of gift cards, to be utilized at the Company's warehouse clubs are not recognized as sales until the card is redeemed and the customer purchases merchandise using the gift card. The outstanding gift cards are reflected as other accrued expenses, gift cards in the consolidated balance sheets. These gift certificates generally have a one-year stated expiration date from the date of issuance and are generally redeemed within the 12-months.  However, the absence of a large volume of transactions for gift cards impairs the Company's ability to make a reasonable estimate of the redemption levels for gift certificates; therefore, the Company assumes a 100% redemption rate prior to expiration of the gift certificate. The Company periodically reviews unredeemed outstanding gift certificates, and the gift certificates that have expired are recognized as “Other revenue and income” on the consolidated statements of income.



Co-branded Credit Card Revenue Sharing Agreements. As part of the co-branded credit card agreements that the Company has entered into with financial institutions within its markets, the Company often enters into revenue sharing agreements. As part of these agreements, in some countries, the Company receives a portion of the interest income generated from the average outstanding balances on the co-branded credit cards from these financial institutions (“interest generating portfolio,” “IGP”).   The Company recognizes its portion of interest received as revenue.  As a result of the adoption of ASC 606, the Company has determined that this revenue should be recognized as “Other revenue and income” on the consolidated statements of income. In prior periods, this income was recognized as a reduction of credit card transaction fees in “Warehouse club and other operations” financial statement line item under Selling, general, and administrative expenses. Since the Company determined to adopt this guidance under the modified retrospective approach, this reclassification slightly reduces the comparability year over year of “Other revenue and income” and “Warehouse club and other operations”. Please see “Item 2: Management and Discussion Analysis – Other Revenue” for the Company’s explanation of the changes.



Determining the Transaction Price



The transaction price is the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive under the arrangement. The Company is required to estimate variable consideration (if any) and to factor that estimate into the determination of the transaction price. The Company may offer sales incentives to customers, including discounts. For retail transactions, the Company has significant experience with returns and refund patterns and relied on this experience in its determination that expected returns are not material; therefore, returns are not factored when determining the transaction price.



Discounts given to customers are usually in the form of coupons and instant markdowns and are recognized as redeemed and recorded in contra revenue accounts, as they are part of the transaction price of the merchandise sale. Manufacturer coupons that are available for redemption at all retailers are not recorded as a reduction to the sale price of merchandise.  Manufacturer coupons or discounts that are specific to the Company are recorded as a reduction to the cost of sales.



Agent Relationships



The Company evaluates the criteria outlined in ASC 606-10-55, Principal versus Agent Considerations, in determining whether it is appropriate in these arrangements to record the gross amount of merchandise sales and related costs, or the net amount earned as commissions. When the Company is considered the principal in a transaction, revenue is recorded gross; otherwise, revenue is recorded on a net basis. The Company's Non-merchandise Sales revenues are recorded on a net basis.



Significant Judgments



For arrangements that contain multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the transaction price to each performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis.



Incremental costs to obtain contracts are not material to the Company.



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Policy Elections



In addition to those previously disclosed, the Company has made the following accounting policy elections and practical expedients:





Contract Performance Liabilities



Contract performance liabilities as a result of transactions with customers primarily consist of deferred membership income, other deferred income, deferred gift card revenue, Platinum points programs, and liabilities related to co-branded credit card points rewards programs which are included in deferred income and other accrued expenses in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The following table provides these contract balances from transactions with customers as of the dates listed (in thousands):





Disaggregated Revenues



In the following table, net merchandise sales are disaggregated by merchandise category (in thousands):



























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NOTE 4 – EARNINGS PER SHARE



The Company presents basic net income per share using the two-class method.  The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that treats a participating security as having rights to earnings that otherwise would have been available to common stockholders and that determines basic net income per share for each class of common stock and participating security according to dividends declared (or accumulated) and participation rights in undistributed earnings that would have been available to common stockholders.  A participating security is defined as a security that may participate in undistributed earnings with common stock.  The Company’s capital structure includes securities that participate with common stock on a one-for-one basis for distribution of dividends.  These are the restricted stock awards and restricted stock units issued pursuant to the 2013 Equity Incentive Award Plan.  The Company determines the diluted net income per share by using the more dilutive of the two class-method or the treasury stock method and by including the basic weighted average of outstanding performance stock units in the calculation of diluted net income per share under the two-class method and including all potential common shares assumed issued in the calculation of diluted net income per share under the treasury stock method.



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The following table sets forth the computation of net income per share for the three months ended November 30, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands, except per share amounts):





 

NOTE 5 – STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY



Dividends



No dividends were declared by the Company’s Board of Directors during the first three months of fiscal year 2019. The following table summarizes the dividends declared and paid during fiscal year 2018.







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.



Comprehensive Income and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss



The following tables disclose the effects of each component of other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax (in thousands):







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Retained Earnings Not Available for Distribution



The following table summarizes retained earnings designated as legal reserves of various subsidiaries which cannot be distributed as dividends to PriceSmart, Inc. according to applicable statutory regulations (in thousands):





 

NOTE 6 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES



Legal Proceedings



From time to time, the Company and its subsidiaries are subject to legal proceedings, claims and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business related to the Company’s operations and property ownership.  The Company evaluates such matters on a case by case basis, and vigorously contests any such legal proceedings or claims which the Company believes are without merit.  The Company establishes an accrual for legal proceedings if and when those matters reach a stage where they present loss contingencies that are both probable and reasonably estimable.  In such cases, there may be a possible exposure to loss in excess of any amounts accrued.  The Company monitors those matters for developments that would affect the likelihood of a loss and the accrued amount, if any, thereof, and adjusts the amount as appropriate.  If the loss contingency at issue is not both probable and reasonably estimable, the Company does not establish an accrual, but will continue to monitor the matter for developments that will make the loss contingency both probable and reasonably estimable.  If it is at least a reasonable possibility that a material loss will occur, the Company will provide disclosure regarding the contingency.  The Company believes that the final disposition of the pending legal proceedings, claims and litigation will not have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or liquidity.  It is possible, however, that the Company's results of operations for a particular quarter or fiscal year could be impacted by changes in circumstances relating to such matters.



Taxes



Income Taxes – The Company accounts 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 attributed to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and

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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.



The Company is required to 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 the Company to interpret the applicable tax laws and regulations in effect in such jurisdictions, which could affect the amount of tax paid by the Company. The Company, in consultation with its tax advisors, bases its tax returns on interpretations that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.  The tax returns, however, are subject to routine reviews by the various taxing authorities in the jurisdictions in which the Company files its returns.  As part of these reviews, a taxing authority may disagree with respect to the interpretations the Company used to calculate its tax liability and therefore require the Company to pay additional taxes.



The Company accrues an amount for its 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.  As of November 30, 2018, the Company has $3.6 million recorded for uncertain income tax positions related to its Aeropost subsidiary. There were no other significant changes in the Company's uncertain income tax positions as of November 30, 2018 and August 31, 2018.



In evaluating the exposure associated with various non-income tax filing positions, the Company accrues for probable and estimable exposures for non-income tax related tax contingencies.  As of November 30, 2018 and August 31, 2018, the Company has recorded within other accrued expenses a total of $3.0 million, respectively, for various non-income tax related tax contingencies.



While the Company believes the recorded liabilities are adequate, there are inherent limitations in projecting the outcome of litigation, in estimating probable additional income tax liability taking into account uncertain tax positions and in evaluating the probable additional tax associated with various non-income tax filing positions.  As such, the Company is unable to make a reasonable estimate of the sensitivity to change of estimates affecting its recorded liabilities.  As additional information becomes available, the Company assesses the potential liability and revises its estimates as appropriate.



The Company has various appeals pending before tax courts in its subsidiaries' jurisdictions.  Any possible settlement could increase or decrease earnings but is not expected to be significant. Audit outcomes and the timing of audit settlements are subject to significant uncertainty. 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 a review of the Company's tax advisers' 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. However, the Company had to submit these amounts as advance payments to the government while it appeals. 



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 the Company to pay taxes based on a percentage of sales rather than income.  As a result, the Company is making income tax payments substantially in excess of those it would expect to pay based on taxable income.  The current rules (which the Company has challenged in court) do not clearly allow the Company to obtain a refund or to offset this excess income tax against other taxes.  As of November 30, 2018 and August 31, 2018, the Company had deferred tax assets of approximately $2.1 million in this country, respectively.  Also, the Company had an income tax receivable balance of $7.0 million and $7.1 million as of November 30, 2018 and August 31, 2018, respectively, related to excess payments from fiscal years 2015 to 2018.  The Company has not placed any type of allowance on the recoverability of these tax receivables or deferred tax assets, because the Company believes that it is more likely than not that it will succeed in its refund request and/or court challenge on this matter. In the third quarter of fiscal year 2018, a revised minimum tax law was passed in this country, which beginning in fiscal 2020 will reduce the minimum tax rate. Additionally, this law clarifies rules on a going-forward basis for reimbursement of excess minimum tax paid beginning in fiscal year 2019.



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Other Commitments



The Company is committed under non-cancelable operating leases for the rental of facilities and land.  Future minimum lease commitments for facilities under these leases with an initial term in excess of one year are as follows (in thousands):









In January 2017, the Company purchased a distribution center in Medley, Miami-Dade County, Florida.  The Company transferred its Miami dry distribution center activities that were previously in the leased facility to the new facility during the third quarter of fiscal year 2017.  As of November 30, 2018, all of the vacated space has been subleased (and/or returned to the landlord).  As part of the subleases the Company provided the landlord of the leased facility a letter of credit (“LOC”) for the initial amount of $500,000 which entitled the landlord to draw on the LOC based on a decreasing scale over four years, if certain conditions occur related to nonpayment by the new tenant.  The balance of this LOC decreases at an annual rate of $125,000 starting in August 2018.  As of November 30, 2018 the remaining balance of the LOC was $375,000.  Although this agreement is considered a guarantee, in measuring the fair value, the Company considers the risk and probability of default by the third party tena