PriceSmart (NASDAQ:PSMT) Hits New 12-Month High Following Earnings Beat

PriceSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ:PSMT)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock traded as high as $135.53 and last traded at $131.9550, with a volume of 58312 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $127.62.

The company reported $1.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.28 by $0.01. PriceSmart had a net margin of 2.81% and a return on equity of 12.34%. The business had revenue of $1.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.36 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.21 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.9% on a year-over-year basis.

Key Headlines Impacting PriceSmart

Here are the key news stories impacting PriceSmart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 revenue and EPS broadly in line with management’s release: PriceSmart reported revenue of ~$1.38B (up ~9.9% YoY) and $1.29 EPS per the company press release, showing continued top-line growth and comp strength. This supports the investor case for steady execution in underpenetrated markets. PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: Growth & expansion: Management announced plans for a new (tenth) club in Costa Rica and continued club-level growth, signaling reinvestment and footprint expansion in high-opportunity markets. MSN
• Positive Sentiment: Cash flow & balance-sheet strength: Reported operating cash rose materially and cash & equivalents nearly doubled YoY, giving the company flexibility for capex and returns to shareholders — a constructive datapoint for investors. Quiver Quant
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation context: Analysts and commentators note PSMT trades at roughly ~23x forward earnings — cheaper than peers like COST — which can attract relative-value buyers given PriceSmart’s growth runway. Seeking Alpha
• Neutral Sentiment: Strong one‑year share performance: Coverage notes a ~38–40% one‑year share gain — this helps sentiment but raises questions about further upside vs. expectations. Yahoo Finance
• Negative Sentiment: Conflicting/mixed headlines on results: Some outlets reported a mixed quarter — Quiver and others flagged revenue slightly below estimates and a lower GAAP diluted EPS figure and declines in operating profit and net income, which created near-term selling pressure for some traders. Quiver Quant
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Recent disclosures show several executive share sales over the past six months, which some investors interpret as a modest negative signal on near-term insider conviction. Quiver Quant (insider table)

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on PSMT shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded PriceSmart from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, January 3rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (a-)” rating on shares of PriceSmart in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, PriceSmart presently has an average rating of “Strong Buy”.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Gordon H. Hanson sold 851 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.44, for a total value of $99,941.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 7,653 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $898,768.32. This represents a 10.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Paul Kovaleski sold 1,305 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.55, for a total value of $149,487.75. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 43,109 shares in the company, valued at $4,938,135.95. This represents a 2.94% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 12,156 shares of company stock valued at $1,400,429 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 17.00% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On PriceSmart

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PSMT. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in PriceSmart by 13.0% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,084 shares of the company’s stock valued at $133,000 after buying an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Mirabella Financial Services LLP acquired a new position in shares of PriceSmart during the 3rd quarter valued at about $3,464,000. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. acquired a new position in shares of PriceSmart during the 3rd quarter valued at about $332,000. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new stake in shares of PriceSmart in the third quarter valued at about $127,000. Finally, CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co increased its position in PriceSmart by 1.6% during the third quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 28,617 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,509,000 after purchasing an additional 452 shares during the last quarter. 80.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

PriceSmart Stock Up 3.7%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 1.34 and a quick ratio of 0.57. The company has a market capitalization of $4.08 billion, a PE ratio of 27.34 and a beta of 0.74. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $122.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $116.12.

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.