COMPANY OVERVIEW AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION	6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2019
COMPANY OVERVIEW AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION [Abstract]
COMPANY OVERVIEW AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION	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 February 28, 2019, 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. These warehouse clubs are currently expected to open in the spring and summer of 2019, respectively. 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 is constructing 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 leased land within the Metropark development on the south eastern side of Panama City, Panama, upon which the Company is constructing a standard format warehouse club. The Metropark club will be the Company’s seventh warehouse club in Panama and 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 and negotiate for other potential sites for future warehouse clubs in Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia. PriceSmart is developing an expansion of its omni-channel capabilities, including through its e-commerce platform, by investing in and integrating the technology, talent and cross-border logistics infrastructure obtained as part of the acquisition of a company in March 2018, which also has a marketplace and casillero business. PriceSmart expects these investments and this integration to enhance the membership shopping experience, drive efficiencies and fuel sales growth. The marketplace and casillero business operates, directly or via agency relationships, through the Aeropost brand in 38 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, many of which overlap with markets where PriceSmart operates its warehouse clubs. 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 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 February 28, 2019, 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. These warehouse clubs are currently expected to open in the spring and summer of 2019, respectively. 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 is constructing 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 leased land within the Metropark development on the south eastern side of Panama City, Panama, upon which the Company is constructing a standard format warehouse club. The Metropark club will be the Company’s seventh warehouse club in Panama and 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 and negotiate for other potential sites for future warehouse clubs in Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia.

PriceSmart is developing an expansion of its omni-channel capabilities, including through its e-commerce platform, by investing in and integrating the technology, talent and cross-border logistics infrastructure obtained as part of the acquisition of a company in March 2018, which also has a marketplace and casillero business. PriceSmart expects these investments and this integration to enhance the membership shopping experience, drive efficiencies and fuel sales growth. The marketplace and casillero business operates, directly or via agency relationships, through the Aeropost brand in 38 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, many of which overlap with markets where PriceSmart operates its warehouse clubs.

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.