PriceSmart, Inc. (PSMT) To Go Ex-Dividend on February 17th

PriceSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ:PSMT) declared a dividend on Thursday, February 5th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be paid a dividend of 0.70 per share on Friday, February 27th. This represents a dividend yield of 89.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 17th.

PriceSmart has raised its dividend by an average of 0.1%annually over the last three years and has increased its dividend annually for the last 4 consecutive years. PriceSmart has a dividend payout ratio of 21.2% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings.

PriceSmart Price Performance

Shares of PriceSmart stock opened at $156.83 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.01 and a beta of 0.75. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $133.07 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $121.60. The company has a current ratio of 1.33, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. PriceSmart has a 1-year low of $81.25 and a 1-year high of $157.86.

PriceSmart (NASDAQ:PSMT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 7th. The company reported $1.29 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $1.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.36 billion. PriceSmart had a return on equity of 12.20% and a net margin of 2.79%.PriceSmart’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.21 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that PriceSmart will post 5.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Beatriz V. Infante sold 1,995 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, January 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $136.87, for a total value of $273,055.65. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 10,879 shares in the company, valued at $1,489,008.73. This represents a 15.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Leon C. Janks sold 3,000 shares of PriceSmart stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $137.29, for a total value of $411,870.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 30,734 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,219,470.86. This represents a 8.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 17,976 shares of company stock worth $2,432,539 over the last quarter. 17.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On PriceSmart

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in shares of PriceSmart by 560.0% in the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 297 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 252 shares during the period. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. bought a new position in PriceSmart in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. First Horizon Corp acquired a new position in shares of PriceSmart in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. CENTRAL TRUST Co bought a new stake in shares of PriceSmart during the fourth quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its holdings in shares of PriceSmart by 52.5% during the second quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 363 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.46% of the company’s stock.

About PriceSmart

PriceSmart, Inc (NASDAQ: PSMT) is a U.S.-based retailer specializing in membership warehouse clubs. Founded in 1993, the company operates under a business model that offers bulk quantities of goods at discounted prices to individuals and businesses that purchase annual memberships. PriceSmart’s value proposition centers on low-cost operations, high-volume purchasing, and a no-frills shopping environment designed to pass savings directly to its members.

The company’s product assortment covers a broad range of merchandise categories, including groceries and fresh produce, household essentials, electronics, appliances, office supplies, furniture, and health and beauty items.