PriceSmart (NASDAQ:PSMT) Sets New 1-Year High – Should You Buy?

Shares of PriceSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ:PSMT) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $183.93 and last traded at $183.7350, with a volume of 5615 shares. The stock had previously closed at $182.02.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Weiss Ratings downgraded PriceSmart from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Buy”.

PriceSmart Stock Up 1.5%

The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $166.32 and its 200-day moving average price is $150.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a current ratio of 1.29 and a quick ratio of 0.52. The company has a market cap of $5.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.62 and a beta of 0.78.

PriceSmart (NASDAQ:PSMT) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 8th. The company reported $1.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.57 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $1.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.48 billion. PriceSmart had a net margin of 2.82% and a return on equity of 12.23%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.45 earnings per share.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Edgar Zurcher sold 2,259 shares of PriceSmart stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.17, for a total transaction of $350,529.03. Following the sale, the director directly owned 8,151 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,264,790.67. The trade was a 21.70% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Francisco Velasco sold 338 shares of PriceSmart stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.56, for a total value of $53,593.28. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 75,659 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,996,491.04. The trade was a 0.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 3,232 shares of company stock valued at $504,198 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 17.00% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. UMB Bank n.a. increased its holdings in PriceSmart by 76.0% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 227 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co purchased a new position in shares of PriceSmart during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in shares of PriceSmart by 560.0% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 297 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 252 shares in the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its position in shares of PriceSmart by 45,600.0% during the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 457 shares of the company’s stock worth $56,000 after buying an additional 456 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its stake in shares of PriceSmart by 57.2% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 492 shares of the company’s stock worth $52,000 after buying an additional 179 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.