PriceSmart (NASDAQ:PSMT) EVP Francisco Velasco Sells 338 Shares of Stock

PriceSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ:PSMT) EVP Francisco Velasco sold 338 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $177.87, for a total transaction of $60,120.06. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 75,321 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $13,397,346.27. The trade was a 0.45% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.

PriceSmart Trading Down 0.6%

NASDAQ:PSMT opened at $175.61 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.28. The company has a market capitalization of $5.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.71 and a beta of 0.76. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $186.67 and its 200 day moving average price is $166.96. PriceSmart, Inc. has a 52 week low of $105.46 and a 52 week high of $199.84.

PriceSmart (NASDAQ:PSMT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 8th. The company reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.32 by ($0.04). PriceSmart had a return on equity of 12.16% and a net margin of 2.82%.The company had revenue of $1.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.43 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.14 EPS. PriceSmart’s quarterly revenue was up 12.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On PriceSmart

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of PSMT. California State Teachers Retirement System grew its position in PriceSmart by 22.7% in the first quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 30,720 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,623,000 after purchasing an additional 5,680 shares in the last quarter. Calamos Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in PriceSmart in the 1st quarter valued at $4,165,000. Comerica Bank lifted its position in PriceSmart by 77.2% during the 4th quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 33,224 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,076,000 after buying an additional 14,475 shares in the last quarter. E. Ohman J or Asset Management AB lifted its position in PriceSmart by 18.9% during the 2nd quarter. E. Ohman J or Asset Management AB now owns 156,929 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,655,000 after buying an additional 24,939 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aubrey Capital Management Ltd acquired a new position in shares of PriceSmart during the 1st quarter worth about $2,002,000. 80.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on PSMT shares. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $198.00 target price on shares of PriceSmart in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of PriceSmart from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, PriceSmart currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $198.00.

PriceSmart Company Profile

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.