-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, O+FQfYKwngIAZVyywKUu0nZdk1rXtztuOTIanVtAvDzjX47BrJvGuS4l82J+azLD HheoYvlKDyyaCXvSnl6gHQ== 0001193125-04-206627.txt : 20041202 0001193125-04-206627.hdr.sgml : 20041202 20041202172429 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-04-206627 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-3 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 12 FILED AS OF DATE: 20041202 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20041202 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: PRICESMART INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001041803 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-VARIETY STORES [5331] IRS NUMBER: 330628530 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0831 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-120953 FILM NUMBER: 041181457 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 9740 SCRANTON ROAD CITY: SAN DIEGO STATE: CA ZIP: 92121 BUSINESS PHONE: 8584048800 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 9740 SCRANTON ROAD CITY: SAN DIEGO STATE: CA ZIP: 92121 S-3 1 ds3.htm FORM S-3 Form S-3
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 2, 2004

Registration No. 333-                


UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


PriceSmart, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   33-0628530

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

9740 Scranton Road

San Diego, California 92121-1745

(858) 404-8800

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Copies to:

 

Robert M. Gans, Esq.

Executive Vice President, General

Counsel and Secretary

PriceSmart, Inc.

9740 Scranton Road

San Diego, California 92121-1745

(858) 404-8800

 

Robert E. Burwell, Esq.

Latham & Watkins LLP

12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 300

San Diego, California 92130

(858) 523-5400

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of agent for service)

   

 

Approximate Date of Commencement of Proposed Sale to the Public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.    ¨

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.    x

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    ¨

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.    ¨

 

If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box.    ¨


CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE CHART

 


Title of each class of

securities to be registered

   Amount to be
registered(1)
    Proposed maximum
aggregate
offering price(2)
   Amount of
registration fee

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share

   16,052,668 (3)   $ 128,421,344    $ 16,271

Rights to purchase shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share

   17,924,840       (4)      (4)

Total

         $ 128,421,344    $ 16,271

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a), this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of the PriceSmart’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), that become issuable by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without receipt of consideration that increases the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o).
(3) The number of shares of Common Stock being registered is not the product of 1.5 multiplied by the number of rights being registered as a result of certain stockholders having agreed to waive their rights to exercise rights granted to them with respect to an aggregate of 7,223,061 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such stockholders on the record date for the rights offering.
(4) Pursuant to Rule 457(g), no separate registration fee is payable with respect to the rights being offered hereby since the rights are being registered in the same registration statement as the securities to be offered pursuant thereto.

 

PriceSmart hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until PriceSmart shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 



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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

PROSPECTUS (SUBJECT TO COMPLETION) DATED DECEMBER 2, 2004

 

LOGO

 

PRICESMART, INC.

 

Up to 16,052,668 Shares of Common Stock

 

We are distributing to our stockholders one transferable subscription right for each share of our common stock held by them at the close of business on Wednesday, November 24, 2004, which is the record date for the distribution. If on             ,                              , 2005, all rights are exercised at a subscription price of $8, we will receive approximately $128.4 million from the rights offering, before paying estimated expenses of approximately $0.6 million.

 

Each right entitles the holder thereof to purchase: (i) for a period of one month, 1.5 shares of our common stock for each share of common stock they own as of the November 24, 2004, at a price of $7 per share; and (ii) for a period of eleven months beginning after the one month period referred to in part (i) above expires, 1.5 shares of common stock for each share of common stock they own as of November 24, 2004, at a price of $8 per share. If a rights holder exercises a right at a subscription price of $7, such rights holder may not also exercise that right at a subscription price of $8. Therefore, in total, stockholders will only receive sufficient rights to enable them to purchase 1.5 shares of common stock for each share they own as of November 24, 2004, regardless of when they exercise their rights. Rights holders will not have the right to subscribe for shares not purchased by rights holders who hold rights at the expiration of the $8 subscription period and elect not to exercise their rights.

 

To exercise a right at the subscription price of $7, you must do so by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             ,                              , 2005. If you wish to exercise a right at a subscription price of $8, you must do so after the expiration time for the $7 subscription period and by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             ,                              , 2005, unless we extend the rights offering. NO EXERCISES OF RIGHTS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF THE $8 SUBSCRIPTION PERIOD. We may terminate the rights offering for any reason before the expiration of the $7 or $8 subscription period. Unless we terminate the rights offering, we will issue the shares purchased by you in the rights offering as soon as practicable following receipt of a properly completed and signed rights certificate together with payment of the subscription price for each share of common stock subscribed for. Mellon Investor Securities LLC is the subscription agent for the rights offering.

 

Our common stock is listed under the symbol “PSMT” on the Nasdaq National Market. On December 1, 2004, the last sales price of our common stock was $7.98. We have applied for the rights to be listed for trading on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “PSMTR.”

 

This investment involves risks. See “ Risk Factors” beginning on page 8.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is                     , 2004


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

   1

SUMMARY

   2

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

   2

RISK FACTORS

   8

USE OF PROCEEDS

   17

THE RIGHTS OFFERING

   18

MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

   29

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

   33

LEGAL MATTERS

   33

EXPERTS

   33

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

   33

 

Whenever we refer to “PriceSmart,” “we,” “our,” or “us” in this prospectus, we mean PriceSmart, Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless the context suggests otherwise.

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on Form S-3 covering the rights distributed to our stockholders and the shares of common stock offered by us upon exercise of the rights. This prospectus does not contain all the information contained in the registration statement, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the SEC’s rules and regulations. Statements made in this prospectus as to the contents of any other document (including exhibits to the registration statement) are not necessarily complete. You should review the document itself for a thorough understanding of its contents. The registration statement and amendments thereto can be read and reviewed at the SEC’s web site located at www.sec.gov, or at the SEC’s offices mentioned under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

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SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights selected information from this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that may be important to you. To fully understand our company and this rights offering, you should read carefully this entire document and the other documents to which you have been referred. In particular, please read “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

PriceSmart

 

Our business consists primarily of international membership shopping warehouse clubs similar to, but smaller in size than, warehouse clubs in the United States. As of August 31, 2004, we had 26 consolidated warehouse clubs in operation in 12 countries and one U.S. territory (four each in Panama and the Philippines, three in Costa Rica, two each in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Trinidad and one each in Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, Nicaragua and the United States Virgin Islands), of which we own at least a majority interest. We also had three warehouse clubs in operation in Mexico as part of a 50/50 joint venture with Grupo Gigante, S.A. de C.V.

 

Our headquarters are located at 9740 Scranton Road, San Diego, California 92121-1745. Our telephone number is (858) 404-8800. Our website address is www.pricesmart.com. Information contained on our website is not incorporated into, and does not constitute any part of, this prospectus.

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

Any statements in this prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference herein, about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words or phrases such as “believe,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” and “would.” Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. Some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in the forward-looking statements include but are not limited to those set forth under the heading “Risk Factors.”

 

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, events, levels of activity, performance or achievement. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by law. Before deciding to purchase our common stock, you should carefully consider the information in this prospectus, including the information incorporated herein by reference.

 

Questions and Answers

 

What is a rights offering?

 

A rights offering is a distribution of subscription rights on a pro rata basis to all stockholders of a company. We are distributing to holders of our common stock one subscription right for each share of common stock held by them at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Wednesday, November 24, 2004, the record date for this rights offering.

 

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What is a right?

 

Each right entitles its holder to purchase: (i) for a period of one month, 1.5 shares of our common stock at a price of $7 per share; and (ii) for a period of eleven months beginning after the one month period referred to in part (i) above expires, 1.5 shares of common stock at a price of $8 per share. If a rights holder exercises a right at $7, such rights holder may not also exercise that right at $8. Therefore, in total, stockholders will only receive sufficient rights to enable them to purchase 1.5 shares of common stock for each share they own as of November 24, 2004, regardless of when they exercise their rights. If a right is subscribed at $7, the subscription price would reflect an approximately 20% discount to the $8.80 per share last sales price of our common stock on the Nasdaq National Market on September 3, 2004, the last trading day before the announcement of the subscription prices.

 

Is there an oversubscription privilege?

 

No. An oversubscription privilege is a feature of some rights offerings that allows rights holders, if the rights holder fully exercises his, her or its rights, to subscribe for shares not purchased by other rights holders who hold rights at the expiration time of the rights offering and elect not to exercise any or all of their rights. There is no oversubscription privilege in connection with this rights offering.

 

When will the rights offering expire?

 

To exercise a right at a subscription price of $7, you must do so by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             ,                         , 2005. To exercise a right at a subscription price of $8, you must do so after the expiration time for the $7 subscription period and by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             ,                          , 2005 unless we extend the rights offering. Accordingly, if a rights holder desires to exercise its subscription rights, the subscription agent must actually receive all required documents and payments for that rights holder before the applicable date and time. We may extend the expiration time for any reason.

 

Have any stockholders indicated they will exercise their rights?

 

On October 29, 2004, we issued an aggregate of 7,161,926 shares of common stock to The Price Group, LLC, a California limited liability company, the Sol and Helen Price Trust and the Robert and Allison Price Trust 1/10/75, and on November 23, 2004, we issued 61,135 shares of common stock to the Sol and Helen Price Trust as described in “The Rights Offering—Reasons for the Rights Offering” below. As a condition to these issuances of common stock, such entities agreed that they would not exercise or convey any rights received on shares pursuant to these issuances. Robert E. Price, who is our Chairman of the Board of Directors and Interim Chief Executive Officer, and Sol Price, one of our significant stockholders and father of Robert E. Price, and their affiliates, who we refer to as the Prices, have indicated that they intend to exercise all of their rights (other than those they previously agreed not to exercise or transfer), but they have not made any formal commitment to do so.

 

Who is the subscription agent?

 

Mellon Investor Services LLC is the subscription agent for the rights offering.

 

What is the record date?

 

The record date was Wednesday, November 24, 2004 at 5:00 p.m., New York City time. Only our stockholders as of the record date will receive subscription rights.

 

Are there any conditions to the consummation of the rights offering?

 

No. There are no conditions to the consummation of the rights offering. However, we reserve the right to reject your exercise of rights if your exercise is not in accordance with the terms of the rights offering or in proper form. Neither we nor the subscription agent will have any duty to notify you of a defect or irregularity in

 

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your exercise of rights. We will not be liable for failing to give you that notice. We will also not accept your exercise of rights if our issuance of shares of common stock pursuant to your exercise could be deemed unlawful or materially burdensome.

 

Can you terminate the rights offering?

 

Yes. We may terminate the rights offering for any reason before the expiration of the $7 or $8 subscription period.

 

If you terminate the rights offering, will my subscription payment be refunded to me?

 

Yes. If we terminate the rights offering, all subscription payments will be returned as soon as practicable following such termination, provided that shares of common stock have not already been issued pursuant to such subscription payment. We will not pay interest on, or deduct any amounts from, subscription payments if we terminate the rights offering. If we terminate the rights offering, we will not be obligated to issue shares to rights holders who have exercised their rights prior to such termination.

 

How will you use the proceeds received from the rights offering?

 

If all of the rights are exercised at a subscription price of $7, we will receive approximately $112.4 million, before deducting any offering expenses. If none of the rights are exercised at a subscription price of $7 and all of the rights are exercised at a subscription price of $8, we will receive approximately $128.4 million, before deducting any offering expenses. As described more fully below the heading “The Rights Offering—Reasons for the Rights Offering,” if we do not receive at least $25.0 million in proceeds during the first month of the rights offering, The Price Group will purchase, in a private placement, enough shares of our common stock to ensure that we receive $25.0 million of new equity financing through the rights offering and such purchase. The expenses associated with the rights offering are estimated to be $0.6 million. We plan to use $7.0 million of proceeds from the rights offering for site work and construction of a fourth warehouse club in Costa Rica and $7.2 million to retire short-term debt associated with six separate facilities with various maturity dates extending through March 2005 and interest rates ranging from 6.25% to 10.0%. Further, we plan to use $3.0 million of proceeds received from the rights offering to repay a $3.0 million loan extended to us by The Price Group, the proceeds of which were used for the acquisition of land for the new Costa Rica location. The $3.0 million loan from The Price Group was entered into on November 3, 2004 and bears interest at 5% per annum with a term of 90 days. The remaining proceeds received from the rights offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. If the rights offering generates significantly more than $25.0 million in proceeds, we may elect to retire portions of our long-term debt.

 

How many shares of our common stock are currently outstanding?

 

As of November 24, 2004, we had outstanding a total of 17,524,840 shares of common stock, not including treasury shares. These numbers exclude shares issuable pursuant to outstanding stock options and equity participation plans. If the rights offering is fully subscribed, based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of November 24, 2004 and given that the Prices have agreed not to exercise any rights they may receive on 7,223,061 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by them as of the record date, the number of outstanding shares of our common stock will increase by 16,052,668 shares following the issuance of all shares purchased in the rights offering.

 

How do I exercise my rights?

 

Each rights holder who wishes to exercise the subscription privilege under its rights should properly complete and sign its rights certificate. The holder should deliver the rights certificate, together with payment of the subscription price for each share of common stock subscribed for, to the subscription agent before the expiration of the $7 subscription period if such rights holder desires to exercise a right at $7, or the expiration of

 

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the $8 subscription period if such rights holder desires to exercise a right at $8. We recommend that any holder of rights who uses the United States mail to effect delivery use insured, registered mail with return receipt requested.

 

Any rights holder who cannot deliver its rights certificate to the subscription agent before the expiration time of the $7 subscription price period or the $8 subscription price period, as the case may be, may use the procedures for guaranteed delivery described under the heading “The Rights Offering—Guaranteed Delivery Procedures.” We will not pay interest on subscription payments. We have provided more detailed instructions on how to exercise the rights under the heading “The Rights Offering” beginning with the section entitled “—Exercising Your Rights” as well as in the rights certificates themselves and in the document entitled “Instructions for Use of PriceSmart, Inc. Common Stock Rights Certificates.”

 

What should I do if I want to participate in the rights offering but my shares of common stock are held in the name of my broker or a custodian bank?

 

We will ask brokers, dealers and nominees holding shares of our common stock on behalf of other persons to notify these persons of the rights offering. Any beneficial owner wishing to sell or exercise its rights will need to have its broker, dealer or nominee act on its behalf. Each beneficial owner of common stock should complete and return to its broker, dealer or nominee the document entitled “Beneficial Owner Election Form.” This form will be available with the other subscription materials from brokers, dealers and nominees holding shares of our common stock on behalf of other persons.

 

Is exercising my subscription rights risky?

 

Yes. The exercise of your subscription rights involves substantial risks, and you should carefully consider the risks described under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus.

 

May stockholders in all states participate?

 

Although we intend to distribute the rights to all stockholders, we reserve the right in some states to require stockholders, if they wish to participate, to state and agree that upon exercise of their respective rights that they are acquiring the shares for investment purposes only, and that they have no present intention to resell or transfer any securities acquired.

 

How may I pay my subscription price?

 

Your cash payment of the subscription price for the rights must be made by either certified check, bank draft or money order payable to Mellon Investor Services LLC.

 

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To whom should I send forms and payments?

 

You should send your rights certificate and payment for the common stock subscribed for and any other required documentation to the subscription agent for the rights offering, Mellon Investor Services LLC, as follows:

 

By Mail:   By Hand:

PriceSmart, Inc.

c/o Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

P.O. Box 3301

South Hackensack, NJ 07606

 

PriceSmart, Inc.

c/o Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

120 Broadway, 13th Floor

New York, NY 10271

 

By Overnight Courier:

 

PriceSmart, Inc.

c/o Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

85 Challenger Road, 2nd Floor

Overpeck Centre

Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660

 

Will I receive subscription materials by mail if my address is outside the United States?

 

No. We will not mail rights certificates to stockholders with addresses outside the United States because their exercise of rights may be prohibited by the laws of the country in which they live. Instead, the subscription agent will hold rights certificates for the account of all foreign holders. To exercise or transfer those rights, each such holder must notify the subscription agent on or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on                     ,                          , 2005, if he she or it desires to exercise a right at $7, or after such date and time and on or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on                     ,                     ,     , 2005, if he she or it desires to exercise a right at $8, and establish to our satisfaction that they are permitted to exercise or transfer their rights under applicable law. The subscription agent will attempt to sell, if feasible, the rights held on behalf of any foreign holder that fails to establish to our satisfaction that such exercise or transfer is permitted under applicable law, and that fails to notify the subscription agent and provide acceptable instructions to it by such time (and assuming no contrary instructions are received by such time). The estimated proceeds, if any, of any such sale will be payable to the applicable foreign holder.

 

Will I be charged any fees if I exercise my rights?

 

We will not charge a fee to holders for exercising their rights. However, any holder exercising its rights through a broker, dealer or nominee will be responsible for any fees charged by its broker, dealer or nominee.

 

May I transfer my rights if I do not want to purchase any shares?

 

Yes. The rights being distributed are transferable. We have applied for the rights to be listed for trading on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “PSMTR.” If listed on the Nasdaq National Market, the rights may be traded until 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             ,                          , 2005, the expiration time for the $8 subscription period. If you wish to trade all or a portion of your rights, you should allow a sufficient amount of time prior to the expiration time for the $8 subscription period to permit your transferee to exercise or transfer such rights and to permit you to exercise or transfer any rights you retain. We cannot assure you that a trading market for the rights will exist or will develop.

 

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How may I sell my rights?

 

Any holder who wishes to sell its rights should contact its broker or dealer. Alternatively, any rights holder who wishes to sell its rights may also seek to sell the rights through the subscription agent. Each holder of rights will be responsible for all fees associated with the sale of its rights, whether the rights are sold through its own broker or dealer or the subscription agent. There are limitations on your ability to sell rights to foreign persons. We cannot assure you that any person, including the subscription agent, will be able to sell any rights on your behalf. Please see “The Rights Offering—Method of Transferring and Selling Rights” for more information.

 

Am I required to subscribe in the rights offering?

 

No. However, any stockholder who chooses not to exercise its rights will experience dilution to its equity interest in our company.

 

If I exercise rights in the rights offering, may I cancel or change my decision?

 

No. All exercises of rights are irrevocable even if we extend the subscription period. We may extend the expiration time of the $7 or $8 subscription period for any reason.

 

If I exercise my rights, when will I receive the shares for which I have subscribed?

 

We will issue the shares of common stock for which subscriptions have been properly received prior to the applicable expiration time as soon as practicable following receipt of a properly completed and signed rights certificate together with payment of the subscription price for each share of common stock subscribed for. Shares of common stock that you purchase in the rights offering will be listed on the Nasdaq National Market.

 

Have you or your board of directors made a recommendation as to whether I should sell or exercise my rights?

 

No. Neither we nor our board of directors has made any recommendation as to whether you should exercise or transfer your rights. You should decide whether to transfer your rights, subscribe for shares of our common stock, or simply take no action with respect to your rights, based upon your own assessment of your best interests.

 

What are the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the rights offering to me?

 

U.S. holders who receive rights will generally not recognize taxable income in connection with the distribution or exercise of the rights. Any U.S. holder who sells its rights or the shares of common stock that it acquires by exercising its rights may recognize a gain or loss. We urge you to consult your own tax advisor regarding the specific U.S. federal income tax or other tax consequences associated with the rights offering, including the applicability and effect of any state, local, foreign or other tax laws. For a summary of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that are expected to be material to typical U.S. holders of our common stock that receive rights distributed pursuant to the rights offering, please see the section entitled “Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

 

What should I do if I have other questions?

 

If you have questions or need assistance regarding your rights, please contact Mellon Investor Services LLC, the information agent for the rights offering, at:

 

Mellon Investor Services LLC

85 Challenger Road, 2nd Floor

Overpeck Centre

Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660

TOLL FREE: (888) 684-7182

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

Investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk, including the risks described below. You should carefully consider the following risks factors, together with all of the other information presented in this prospectus and the documents we have incorporated by reference in deciding whether to invest in our securities. Each of the risks described in this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition, as well as adversely affect the value of an investment in our securities.

 

Factors That May Affect Future Performance

 

We had substantial net losses in fiscal 2003 and 2004 and may continue to incur losses in future periods.

 

We incurred net losses attributable to common stockholders of approximately $32.1 million in fiscal 2003, including asset impairment and closing cost charges of approximately $11.7 million, and approximately $33.3 million in fiscal 2004, including $9.8 million of asset impairment and closing charges. We are seeking ways to improve sales, margins, expense controls and inventory management in an effort to return to profitability. We are also seeking to reduce our carrying costs by seeking alternative uses for, disposing of or leasing buildings and fixtures from our closed warehouse clubs. However, if these efforts fail to reduce costs adequately, or our sales are less than we project, we may continue to incur losses in future periods.

 

We are required to comply with financial covenants governing our outstanding indebtedness.

 

Under the terms of debt agreements to which we and/or one or more of our wholly owned or majority owned subsidiaries are parties, we must comply with specified financial maintenance covenants, which include among others, current ratio, debt service, interest coverage and leverage ratios. As of August 31, 2004, we were in compliance with all of these covenants, except for the following: (i) current ratio and cash flow to debt service and projected debt service ratio for a $5.0 million note (with a remaining balance of $4.1 million); however, we repaid the remaining balance of this note on September 15, 2004; (ii) debt service ratio for a $11.3 million note (with a remaining balance of $2.6 million), for which we have requested but not yet received a written waiver of our noncompliance; (iii) interest cost/EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) ratio for a $6.0 million note (with a remaining balance of $4.0 million), for which we have requested but not yet received a written waiver of our noncompliance; and (iv) debt to equity ratio for a $7.0 million note (with a remaining balance of $4.3 million), for which we have requested, but not yet received, a written waiver. We also had $27.9 million of indebtedness outstanding as of August 31, 2004 that, upon a default by us under other indebtedness, would allow the lender to accelerate the indebtedness. Such indebtedness also prohibits us from incurring additional indebtedness.

 

If we fail to comply with the covenants governing our indebtedness, the lenders may elect to accelerate our indebtedness and foreclose on the collateral pledged to secure the indebtedness. In addition, if we fail to comply with the covenants governing our indebtedness, we may need additional financing in order to service or extinguish the indebtedness. Some of our vendors also extend trade credit to us and allow payment for products upon delivery. If these vendors extend less credit to us or require pre-payment for products, our cash requirements and financing needs may further increase. We may not be able to obtain financing or refinancing on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all.

 

Our financial performance is dependent on international operations, which exposes us to various risks.

 

Our international operations account for nearly all of our total sales. Our financial performance is subject to risks inherent in operating and expanding our international membership business, which include the following:

 

  changes in and interpretation of tariff and tax laws and regulations, as well as inconsistent enforcement of laws and regulations;

 

  the imposition of foreign and domestic governmental controls;

 

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  trade restrictions;

 

  greater difficulty and costs associated with international sales and the administration of an international merchandising business;

 

  thefts and other crimes;

 

  limitations on U.S. company ownership in foreign countries;

 

  product registration, permitting and regulatory compliance;

 

  volatility in foreign currency exchange rates;

 

  the financial and other capabilities of our joint venturers and licensees; and

 

  general political as well as economic and business conditions.

 

Any failure by us to manage our widely dispersed operations could adversely affect our business.

 

We began an aggressive growth strategy in April 1999, opening 20 new warehouse clubs over a two and a half year period. As of August 31, 2004, we had in operation 26 consolidated warehouse clubs in 12 countries and one U.S. territory (four each in Panama and the Philippines; three in Costa Rica; two each in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Trinidad; and one each in Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, Nicaragua and the United States Virgin Islands). We opened one new warehouse club in Aseana City, Metropolitan Manila, Philippines in early June 2004.

 

The success of our business will depend to a significant degree on our ability to (i) efficiently operate warehouse clubs on a profitable basis and (ii) maintain positive comparable warehouse club sales growth in the applicable markets. In addition, we will need to continually evaluate the adequacy of our existing personnel, systems and procedures, including warehouse management and financial and inventory control. Moreover, we will be required to continually analyze the sufficiency of our inventory distribution channels and systems and may require additional facilities in order to support our operations. We may not adequately anticipate all the changing demands that will be imposed on these systems. An inability or failure to retain effective warehouse personnel or to update our internal systems or procedures as required could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Although we have taken and continue to take steps to improve significantly our internal controls, there may be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies that we have not yet identified.

 

Subsequent to the completion of our audit of, and the issuance of an unqualified report on our financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2003, Ernst & Young LLP issued to us a management letter identifying deficiencies that existed in the design or operation of our internal controls that it considered to be material weaknesses in the effectiveness of our internal controls pursuant to standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The deficiencies reported by Ernst & Young LLP indicated that our internal controls relating to revenue recognition did not function properly to prevent the recordation of net warehouse sales that failed to satisfy the requirements of SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101, “Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements,” and our internal controls failed to identify that the Philippines and Guam subsidiaries failed to perform internal control functions to reconcile their accounting records to supporting detail on a timely basis. These material control weaknesses were identified during fiscal 2003 by us and brought to the attention of Ernst & Young LLP and the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors.

 

We have taken steps to strengthen control processes in order to identify and rectify past accounting errors and to prevent the situations that resulted in the need to restate prior period financial statements from recurring. These measures may not completely eliminate the material weaknesses in our internal controls identified by us and by Ernst & Young LLP, and we may have additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our

 

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internal controls that neither Ernst & Young LLP nor our management has yet identified. If any such material weakness were to exist, we may not be able to prevent or detect a material misstatement of our annual or interim consolidated financial statements. Further, despite our efforts to improve our internal control structure, we may not be entirely successful in remedying internal control deficiencies that were previously identified. Any failure to timely remediate control gaps discovered in the implementation of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or otherwise could harm our operating results and cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a material adverse effect on our stock price.

 

We are currently defending litigation relating to our financial restatement.

 

Following the announcement of the restatement of our financial results for fiscal year 2002 and the first three quarters of fiscal 2003 in November 2003, we received notice of six class action lawsuits filed against us and certain of our former directors and officers purportedly brought on behalf of certain of the current and former holders of our common stock, and a seventh class action lawsuit filed against us and certain of our former directors and officers purportedly on behalf of certain holders of our Series A preferred stock and a class of common stock purchasers. These suits generally allege that we issued false and misleading statements during fiscal years 2002 and 2003 in violation of federal securities laws. All of the federal securities actions were consolidated by an order dated September 9, 2004, which also appointed a lead plaintiff on behalf of the proposed class of common stock purchasers. The lead plaintiff filed a consolidated complaint on November 29, 2004, and we will have until early February 2005 to move to dismiss or otherwise respond to the consolidated complaint.

 

On September 3, 2004, we entered into a Stipulation of Settlement with respect to the action brought on behalf of a purported sub-class of plaintiffs comprised of unaffiliated purchasers of our Series A preferred stock. On November 8, 2004 the settlement was approved. Terms of the settlement include: (i) dismissal of the Series A preferred lawsuit; (ii) the entry of an order releasing claims that were or could have been brought by the Series A subclass arising out of or relating to the purchase or ownership of the Series A preferred stock; (iii) the Series A preferred subclass would be offered the opportunity to exchange their Series A preferred stock for shares of our common stock valued for such purpose at a price of $10.00 per share; and (iv) the payment by us of attorneys’ fees and costs in the amount of $325,000 (to be funded by our director and officer liability insurance policy).

 

If we choose to settle the remaining consolidated class action lawsuit without going to trial, we may be required to pay the plaintiffs a substantial sum in the form of damages. Alternatively, if these remaining cases go to trial and we are ultimately adjudged to have violated federal securities laws, we may incur substantial losses as a result of an award of damages to the plaintiffs.

 

On September 3, 2004, we also entered into a Stipulation of Settlement for a stockholder derivative suit purportedly brought on our own behalf against our current and former directors and officers, alleging among other things, breaches of fiduciary duty. The same complaint also alleged that various officers and directors violated California insider trading laws when they sold shares of our stock in 2002 because of their alleged knowledge of the accounting issues that caused the restatement. In the Stipulation of Settlement, the parties agreed that the prosecution and pendency of the litigation was a factor in our agreement to seek to implement the Financial Program announced by us on September 3, 2004. On November 12, 2004, the settlement was approved. Terms of the settlement include: (i) dismissal with prejudice of the derivative lawsuit; (ii) the entry of a judgment containing a release for the benefit of defendants; and (iii) payment by us of attorneys’ fees and costs in the amount of $325,000 (to be funded by our director and officer liability insurance policy). For more information about the Financial Program, see “The Rights Offering—Reasons for the Rights Offering” at page 18.

 

The SEC has informed us that it is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the restatement.

 

The indemnification provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and indemnification agreements between us and our current and former directors and officers require us to indemnify our current and former directors and officers who are named as defendants against the allegations contained in

 

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these suits unless we determine that indemnification is unavailable because the applicable current or former director or officer failed to meet the applicable standard of conduct set forth in those documents. While we have directors and officers liability insurance (subject to a $1.0 million retention and a 20% co-pay provision), we have been informed that our insurance carriers are reserving all of their rights and defenses under the policy (including the right to deny coverage) and it is otherwise uncertain whether the insurance will be sufficient to cover all damages that we may be required to pay. Further, regardless of coverage and the ultimate outcome of these suits, litigation of this type is expensive and will require that we devote substantial resources and management attention to defend these proceedings. Moreover, the mere presence of these lawsuits may materially harm our business and reputation. We have and will continue to incur substantial legal and other professional service costs in connection with the stockholder lawsuits and responding to the inquiries of the SEC. The amount of any future costs in this respect cannot be determined at this time.

 

We face significant competition.

 

Our international merchandising businesses compete with exporters, wholesalers, other membership merchandisers, local retailers and trading companies in various international markets. Some of our competitors may have greater resources, buying power and name recognition. There can be no assurance that additional competitors will not decide to enter the markets in which we operate or that our existing competitors will not compete more effectively against us. We may be required to implement price reductions in order to remain competitive should any of our competitors reduce prices in any of our markets. Moreover, our ability to operate profitably in new markets, particularly small markets, may be adversely affected by the existence or entry of competing warehouse clubs or discount retailers.

 

We face difficulties in the shipment of and inherent risks in the importation of merchandise to our warehouse clubs.

 

Our warehouse clubs import approximately 45% of the merchandise that they sell, which originates from varying countries and are transported over great distances, typically over water, which results in:

 

  substantial lead times needed between the procurement and delivery of product, thus complicating merchandising and inventory control methods, as well as expense controls;

 

  the possible loss of product due to theft or potential damage to, or destruction of, ships or containers delivering goods;

 

  product markdowns as a result of it being cost prohibitive to return merchandise upon importation;

 

  product registration, tariffs, customs and shipping regulation issues in the locations we ship to and from; and

 

  substantial ocean freight and duty costs.

 

Moreover, each country in which we operate has different governmental rules and regulations regarding the importation of foreign products. Changes to the rules and regulations governing the importation of merchandise may result in additional delays or barriers in our deliveries of products to our warehouse clubs or product we select to import. For example, several of the countries in which our warehouse clubs are located have imposed restrictions on the importation of some U.S. beef products because of concerns about Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly referred to as “mad cow disease.” As a result of these restrictions, sales of U.S. beef products may be impaired for the duration of these restrictions and may continue following the lifting of these restrictions because of perceptions about the safety of U.S. beef among people living in these countries. In addition, only a limited number of transportation companies service our regions. The inability or failure of one or more key transportation companies to provide transportation services to us, any collusion among the transportation companies regarding shipping prices or terms, changes in the regulations that govern shipping tariffs or the importation of products, or any other disruption in our ability to transport our merchandise could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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The success of our business requires effective assistance from local business people. As a result, existing disputes with minority interest shareholders or other disputes with local business people upon whom we depend could adversely affect our business.

 

Several of the risks associated with our international merchandising business may be within the control (in whole or in part) of local business people with whom we have established formal and informal strategic relationships or may be affected by the acts or omissions of these local business people. In some cases, these local business people previously held minority interests in joint venture arrangements and now hold shares of our common stock. No assurances can be provided that these local business people will effectively help us in their respective markets. The failure of these local business people to assist us in their local markets could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

In July 2003, our 34% minority interest shareholder in our Guatemalan operations (PriceSmart (Guatemala) S.A.) contended, among other things, that both we and the minority interest shareholder are currently entitled to receive a 15% return upon our respective capital investments in the Guatemalan operations. We have reviewed the claim and other pertinent information in relationship to the Guatemalan joint venture agreement, as amended, and do not concur with the minority shareholder’s conclusion. The Guatemalan minority shareholder continues to assert a right to receive a 15% annual return on its capital investment. In addition, the minority shareholder has advised us that it believes that PriceSmart (Guatemala), S.A. has been inappropriately charged by us with regard to various fees, expenses and certain related matters. We have responded that we disagree with virtually all of these additional assertions, and the minority shareholder has advised us that it may commission an audit with regard to such matters. We expect that we and the Guatemalan minority shareholder will continue to review these matters and discuss our differences, but there can be no assurance of a mutually acceptable resolution via negotiation of these matters or that any resolution will not have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

In addition, our two minority shareholders in the Philippines (which together comprise a 48% ownership interest in our Philippine operations (PSMT Philippines, Inc.)) have taken the position that an “impasse” of the Board of Directors of PSMT Philippines, Inc. has been reached. These minority shareholders have therefore sought to invoke the “buy-sell” provisions of the parties’ Shareholders’ Agreement (pursuant to which one shareholder may offer to purchase the interest of the other shareholders (at an appraised value) at which point the offeree shareholder may make a counter offer and the process continues until an offer is accepted). We contend, among other things, that pursuant to the terms of the Shareholders’ Agreement no “impasse” can be reached (and hence the buy-sell provisions do not become applicable) until after the respective shareholders’ principal representatives have met to discuss pending issues. It is currently anticipated that we and the Philippine minority shareholders will continue to review these matters and discuss differences, but there can be no assurance of a mutually acceptable resolution via negotiation of these matters or that any resolution will not have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

Also, we have agreements with Banco Promerica and its affiliates, which we refer to as Promerica, by which we and Promerica have issued co-branded credit cards, used primarily in our Latin American segment, that reduce the costs to us of credit card processing fees associated with the use of these cards in our warehouse clubs. Edgar Zurcher, who is one of our directors, is also Chairman of the Board of Banca Promerica (Costa Rica) and is also a director of Banco Promerica (El Salvador). If, for any reason, we were unable to continue to offer the co-branded credit card and if we were unable to promptly enter into a similar program with another credit card service provider, the result would be an increase in our costs and potentially a negative effect on sales.

 

We are exposed to weather and other risks associated with international operations.

 

Our operations are subject to the volatile weather conditions and natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons and hurricanes, which are encountered in the regions in which our warehouse clubs are located and which could result in significant damage to, or destruction of, or temporary closure of our warehouse clubs. For

 

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example, during September 2004, while no damage was sustained from the multiple hurricanes in the Caribbean, a total of eight days of sales were lost due to selected warehouse club closures resulting from heavy rains, local flooding and government advisories to stay off the roads. Losses from business interruption may not be adequately compensated by insurance and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Declines in the economies of the countries in which we operate our warehouse clubs would harm our business.

 

The success of our operations depends to a significant extent on a number of factors that affect discretionary consumer spending, including employment rates, business conditions, consumer spending patterns and customer preferences and other economic factors in each of our foreign markets. Adverse changes in these factors, and the resulting adverse impact on discretionary consumer spending, would affect our growth, sales and profitability. In addition, a significant decline in these economies may lead to increased governmental ownership or regulation of the economy, higher interest rates, increased barriers to entry such as higher tariffs and taxes, and reduced demand for goods manufactured in the United States. Any general instability in the national or regional economies of the foreign countries, in which we currently operate, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

A few of our stockholders have control over our voting stock, which will make it difficult to complete some corporate transactions without their support and may prevent a change in control.

 

As of October 29, 2004, the Prices comprise a group that may be deemed to beneficially own 62% of our common stock. Because the group may be deemed to beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than 50% of our common stock, we are a “controlled company” within the meaning of Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 4350(c)(5). As a result of their beneficial ownership, these stockholders have the ability to control the outcome of all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election of directors. In addition, this ownership could discourage the acquisition of our common stock by potential investors and could have an anti-takeover effect, possibly depressing the trading price of our common stock. Depending on the extent to which our stockholders participate in the rights offering contemplated hereby, the Prices may continue to beneficially own more than 50% of our common stock.

 

The loss of key personnel could harm our business.

 

We depend to a large extent on the performance of our senior management team and other key employees, such as U.S. ex-patriots in certain locations where we operate, for strategic business direction. The loss of the services of any members of our senior management or other key employees could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

We are subject to volatility in foreign currency exchange.

 

We, primarily through majority or wholly owned subsidiaries, conduct operations primarily in Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia, and as such is subject to both economic and political instabilities that cause volatility in foreign currency exchange rates or weak economic conditions. As of August 31, 2004, we had a total of 26 consolidated warehouse clubs operating in 12 foreign countries and one U.S. territory, 19 of which operate under currencies other than the U.S. dollar. For fiscal 2004, approximately 78% of our net warehouse sales were in foreign currencies. Also, as of August 31, 2004, we had three warehouse clubs in Mexico, operated under a 50/50 joint venture accounted for under the equity method of accounting, which operate under the Mexican Peso. We may enter into additional foreign countries in the future or open additional locations in existing countries, which may increase the percentage of net warehouse sales denominated in foreign currencies.

 

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Foreign currencies in most of the countries where we operate have historically devalued against the U.S. dollar and are expected to continue to devalue. For example, the Dominican Republic experienced a net currency devaluation of 81% between the end of fiscal 2002 and the end of fiscal 2003 and 13% (significantly higher at certain points of the year) between the end of fiscal 2003 and the end of fiscal 2004. Foreign exchange transaction losses, including repatriation of funds, which are included as a part of the costs of goods sold in the consolidated statement of operations, for fiscal 2004, 2003 and 2002 were approximately $579,000, $605,000 and $1.2 million, respectively.

 

We face the risk of exposure to product liability claims, a product recall and adverse publicity.

 

We market and distribute products, including meat, dairy and other food products, from third-party suppliers, which exposes us to the risk of product liability claims, a product recall and adverse publicity. For example, we may inadvertently redistribute food products that are contaminated, which may result in illness, injury or death if the contaminants are not eliminated by processing at the foodservice or consumer level. We generally seek contractual indemnification and insurance coverage from our suppliers. However, if we do not have adequate insurance or contractual indemnification available, product liability claims relating to products that are contaminated or otherwise harmful could have a material adverse effect on our ability to successfully market our products and on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, even if a product liability claim is not successful or is not fully pursued, the negative publicity surrounding a product recall or any assertion that our products caused illness or injury could have a material adverse effect on our reputation with existing and potential customers and on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

The adoption of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” could adversely affect our future results of operations and financial position.

 

In June 2001, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets,” which we adopted, effective September 1, 2001. Under the new rules, goodwill and intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives will no longer be amortized but will be subject to annual impairment tests in accordance with the Statement. As of August 31, 2002, we had goodwill of approximately $23.1 million. We performed our impairment test on goodwill as of August 31, 2004 and August 31, 2003, and no impairment losses were recorded. In the future, we will test for impairment at least annually. Such tests may result in a determination that these assets have been impaired. If at any time we determine that an impairment has occurred, we will be required to reflect the impaired value as a part of operating income, resulting in a reduction in earnings in the period such impairment is identified and a corresponding reduction in our net asset value. A material reduction in earnings resulting from such a charge could cause us to fail to be profitable or increase the amount of our net loss in the period in which the charge is taken or otherwise to fail to meet the expectations of investors and securities analysts, which could cause the price of our stock to decline.

 

We face increased costs and compliance risks associated with compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

Like many smaller public companies, we face a significant impact from required compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Section 404 requires management of public companies to evaluate, and the independent auditors to attest to the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting and the evaluation performed by management. The SEC has adopted rules implementing Section 404 for public companies as well as disclosure requirements. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has adopted documentation and attestation standards that the independent auditors must follow in conducting our attestation under Section 404. We are currently preparing for, and incurring significant expenses related to, compliance with Section 404, which for fiscal year 2005 has been estimated at approximately $1.7 million. However, it cannot be assured that we and our advisors have adequately projected the cost or duration of implementation or planned sufficient personnel for the project, and more costs and time could be incurred than currently anticipated.

 

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Moreover, there can be no assurance that we will be able to effectively meet all of the requirements of Section 404 as currently known to us in the currently mandated timeframe. Any failure to effectively implement new or improved internal controls, or to resolve difficulties encountered in their implementation, could harm our operating results, cause us to fail to meet reporting obligations, result in management’s being required to give a qualified assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting or our independent auditors’ providing an adverse opinion regarding management’s assessment. Any such result could cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a material adverse effect on our stock price.

 

Risks Related to the Rights Offering

 

We may terminate the rights offering before the expiration of the $7 or $8 subscription period. If we terminate the rights offering, neither we nor the subscription agent will have any obligation to you except to return your subscription payments without interest.

 

We may in our sole discretion decide not to continue with the rights offering or to terminate the rights offering prior to the expiration of the $7 or $8 subscription period. This decision would be based upon various factors, including market conditions. We currently have no intention to terminate the rights offering, but we are reserving the right to do so. If we terminate the rights offering, neither we nor the subscription agent will have any obligation to you with respect to the rights, except to return your subscription payments, without interest or deduction, to the extent you have not received shares of common stock pursuant to such subscription payments. In addition, if you purchase rights on the public market and we later terminate the rights offering, you will lose the purchase price you paid for your rights.

 

You should not consider the subscription prices of our common stock as an indication of the value of our company or our common stock.

 

The subscription prices of our common stock may not reflect the value of our company. After discussions with our management about our financial condition and long-term operating goals and after a consideration of what would be fair to us and our unaffiliated stockholders, representatives of The Price Group proposed the subscription prices for purposes of the rights offering. These subscription prices do not necessarily bear any relationship to the book value of our assets, historic or future cash flows, financial condition, recent or historic stock prices or any other established criteria for valuation, and you should not consider the subscription prices as any indication of the value of our company. We cannot assure you that our common stock will trade at prices in excess of the subscription price at any time after the date of this prospectus.

 

Stockholders who do not fully exercise their rights will have their interests diluted by stockholders who do exercise their rights.

 

Based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of November 24, 2004 and the fact that the Prices have agreed not to exercise rights they may receive on 7,223,061 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by them as of the record date, the rights offering will result in our issuance of up to an additional 16,052,668 shares of our common stock. If you choose not to fully exercise your rights, or if you are a non-U.S. stockholder that is not permitted to participate in the rights offering, your relative ownership interests in our company will be diluted. Rights holders who, prior to the expiration of the rights offering, do not exercise their rights, or who sell their rights or have their rights sold on their behalf also will have their relative ownership interests in us diluted.

 

Once you exercise your rights, you may not revoke your commitment.

 

Once you exercise your rights, you may not revoke your commitment. Therefore, even if circumstances arise after you have subscribed in the offering that cause you to change your mind about investing in our common stock, you will nonetheless be legally bound to proceed.

 

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If we issue a large number of shares in this offering, their sale after the offering could depress the market price of our stock.

 

As of November 24, 2004, there were 17,524,840 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding. If all subscription rights in this offering that are eligible to be exercised are exercised, we would issue 16,052,668 shares of common stock, and we would have a total, of 33,577,508 shares outstanding, assuming no other issuances or repurchases of common stock. We do not know the extent to which rights holders will exercise their subscription rights in this offering. However, if a substantial number rights are exercised, the sale of numerous shares of common stock in the months soon after the completion of the rights offering could depress the market price of our common stock.

 

Our market price is subject to sudden and significant swings, which may cause the resale price of your shares to be less than the subscription price.

 

There can be no assurance that, after we issue the shares of common stock upon exercise of rights, a subscribing holder will be able to sell shares of common stock purchased in this offering at a price equal to or greater than the subscription price.

 

We do not have a history of paying cash dividends on our common stock.

 

We have never declared a cash dividend on our common stock and do not anticipate doing so in the foreseeable future.

 

You must act promptly and follow instructions carefully if you want to exercise your rights.

 

Eligible participants and, if applicable, brokers acting on their behalf, who desire to purchase common stock in the rights offering must act promptly to ensure that all required certificates and payments are actually received by the subscription agent, Mellon Investor Services LLC, with respect to the rights before the expiration of the $7 subscription period at 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on             ,                      , 2005 or, with respect to the $8 subscription period at 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on             ,                      , 2005. The time period to exercise rights is limited. If you or your broker fail to complete and sign the required rights certificate, send an incorrect payment amount, or otherwise fail to follow the procedures that apply to the exercise of your rights, we may, depending on the circumstances, reject your exercise of rights or accept it to the extent of the payment received, in which event, your current investment in our company would be diluted. Neither we nor the subscription agent undertake to contact you concerning, or attempt to correct, an incomplete or incorrect rights certificate or payment or contact you concerning whether a broker holds rights on your behalf. We have the sole discretion to determine whether an exercise properly follows the applicable procedures.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

If all of the rights are exercised at a subscription price of $7, we will receive approximately $112.4 million, before deducting any offering expenses. If none of the rights are exercised at a subscription price of $7 and all of the rights are exercised at a subscription price of $8, we will receive approximately $128.4 million, before deducting any offering expenses. As described more fully in “The Rights Offering—Reasons for the Rights Offering,” if we do not receive at least $25.0 million in proceeds during the first month of the rights offering, The Price Group will purchase, in a private placement, enough shares of our common stock to ensure that we receive $25.0 million of new equity financing through the rights offering and such purchase. The expenses associated with the rights offering are estimated to be $0.6 million. We plan to use $7.0 million of proceeds from the rights offering for site work and construction of a fourth warehouse club in Costa Rica and $7.2 million to retire short-term debt associated with six separate facilities with various maturity dates extending through March 2005 and interest rates ranging from 6.25% to 10.0%. Further, we plan to use $3.0 million of proceeds received from the rights offering to repay a $3.0 million loan extended to us by The Price Group, the proceeds of which were used for the acquisition of land for the new Costa Rica location. The $3.0 million loan from The Price Group was entered into on November 3, 2004 and bears interest at 5% per annum with a term of 90 days. The remaining proceeds received from the rights offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purpose. If the rights offering generates significantly more than $25.0 million in proceeds, we may elect to use a portion of the proceeds to retire portions of our long-term debt.

 

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THE RIGHTS OFFERING

 

General

 

As soon as practicable, we will distribute to each holder of our common stock, at no charge, one transferable subscription right for each share of our common stock owned by such holder as of the close of business on the record date. The rights will be evidenced by rights certificates.

 

Each right entitles its holder to purchase: (i) for a period of one month, 1.5 shares of our common stock for each share of common stock they own as of the November 24, 2004, at a price of $7 per share; and (ii) for a period of eleven months beginning after the one month period referred to in part (i) above expires, 1.5 shares of common stock for each share of common stock they own as of November 24, 2004, at a price of $8 per share. If a rights holder exercises a right at a subscription price of $7, such rights holder may not also exercise that right at a subscription price of $8. Therefore, in total, stockholders will only receive sufficient rights to enable them to purchase 1.5 shares of common stock for each share they own as of November 24, 2004, regardless of when they exercise their rights. If a right is subscribed at $7, the subscription price would reflect an approximately 20% discount to the $8.80 per share last sales price of our common stock on the Nasdaq National Market on September 3, 2004, the last trading day before the announcement of the subscription prices. Rights holders will not have the right to subscribe for shares not purchased by rights holders who hold rights at the expiration of the $8 subscription period and elect not to exercise their rights.

 

The following describes the rights offering in general and assumes (unless specifically provided otherwise) that you are a record holder of our common stock. If you hold your shares of our common stock in a brokerage account or through a dealer or other nominee, please see the information included below under the heading “—Beneficial Owners.” As used in this prospectus and in the related instructions for completing rights certificates, the term “business day” means any day on which securities may be traded on the Nasdaq National Market.

 

Reasons for the Rights Offering

 

As previously disclosed in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 4, 2004, we have begun implementing a transaction designed to improve our profitability by reducing our interest payments and eliminating our preferred stock dividend obligations. As of the date of this prospectus, substantially all of the common stock issuable to our affiliates pursuant to such transaction has been issued. The purposes of this rights offering are to provide holders of our common stock not affiliated with us or the Prices, an opportunity to further invest in us and maintain a portion, if not all, of their proportionate interest in our common stock at a lower price per share than was offered to the Prices in connection with our exchange of common stock for obligations owed by us to the Prices and for shares of preferred stock held by the Prices, as described below, and to allow us to obtain long-term financing through an equity offering to our common stockholders. On October 29, 2004, we held a special meeting of stockholders to approve elements of the transaction as required by Nasdaq Marketplace Rules and the Delaware General Corporation Law. The transaction includes the following elements, each of which was approved by our common stockholders at the special meeting:

 

  a private placement of 3,164,726 shares of our common stock, at a price of $8 per share, to The Price Group to be funded through the conversion of a $25.0 million bridge loan, together with accrued and unpaid interest, extended to us by The Price Group on August 31, 2004;

 

  an issuance of an aggregate of 2,200,000 shares of our common stock to the Sol and Helen Price Trust, the Price Family Charitable Fund, the Robert and Allison Price Charitable Remainder Trust, the Robert and Allison Price Trust 1/10/75 and The Price Group in exchange for all of the outstanding shares of our 8% Series B Cumulative Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $.0001 per share;

 

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  an issuance of 2,597,200 shares of our common stock, valued for such purpose at a price of $8 per share, to The Price Group in exchange for up to $20.0 million of current obligations, plus accrued and unpaid interest, we owed to The Price Group;

 

  an issuance of up to 16,052,668 shares of our common stock in connection with the rights offering described herein;

 

  an issuance of up to 3,125,000 shares of our common stock, at a price of $8 per share, to The Price Group to ensure that this rights offering generates at least $25.0 million in proceeds;

 

  an issuance of up to 2,223,104 shares of our common stock associated with an offer to exchange common stock, valued for such purpose at a price of $10 per share, to the holders of all of the shares of our 8% Series A Cumulative Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $.0001 per share, in exchange for all of the outstanding shares of our Series A Preferred Stock at its initial stated value of $20.0 million plus all accrued and unpaid dividends; and

 

  an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to increase our number of authorized shares of common stock from 20,000,000 to 45,000,000 shares.

 

As previously disclosed in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 8, 2004, on October 4, 2004 we entered into a Common Stock Purchase Agreement with The Price Group, the Sol and Helen Price Trust, the Price Family Charitable Fund, the Robert and Allison Price Charitable Remainder Trust and the Robert and Allison Price Trust 1/10/75 to effectuate the private placement and the exchange of shares of our common stock for all of our outstanding Series B Preferred Stock and the current obligations, as described above. On October 25, 2004, the Price Family Charitable Fund donated its shares of Series B Preferred Stock to a public charity on the condition that such charity agree to be subject to the terms and conditions of the Common Stock Purchase Agreement. On October 29, 2004, following approval by our common stockholders of the above described transaction at a special meeting of stockholders called for such purpose, we issued an aggregate of 7,161,926 shares of common stock to The Price Group, the Sol and Helen Price Trust and the Robert and Allison Price Trust 1/10/75 to consummate the private placement and the exchange of common stock for all of our outstanding Series B Preferred Stock and the current obligations on the condition that such entities agree not to exercise or convey any rights they may receive pursuant to this rights offering on such shares. In connection therewith, we also issued 300,000 shares of common stock to the Robert and Allison Price Charitable Remainder Trust. We have agreed to register with the SEC for resale all 7,461,926 of these shares together with 500,000 shares of common stock issued to the public charity pursuant to the exchange of our common stock for all of our Series B Preferred Stock. On November 23, 2004, we issued 61,135 shares of our common stock to the Sol and Helen Price Trust pursuant to the offer to the holders of our Series A Preferred Stock to exchange shares of our common stock for all of our outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock. The Sol and Helen Price Trust has agreed not to exercise or convey any rights it may receive on the 61,135 shares of common stock it received pursuant to such exchange.

 

As mentioned above, if upon expiration of the $7 subscription period we have not received at least $25.0 million in proceeds from the rights offering, The Price Group has agreed to purchase from us the number of shares of our common stock equal to the shortfall, if any, divided by $8, at a price of $8 per share. Concurrent with this purchase of common stock by The Price Group, we will grant The Price Group a non-transferable put option giving The Price Group the right, at its election, to require us to purchase at any time during the thirty (30) days following the end of the rights offering subscription period a number of shares equal to the lesser of (i) the dollar amount raised by us from the exercise of rights upon the conclusion of the $8 subscription period divided by $8, and (ii) the number of shares purchased by The Price Group upon the conclusion of the $7 subscription period, in each case at a price of $8 per share. We have agreed to register with the SEC for resale the shares of our common stock issuable in connection with the purchase by The Price Group upon the conclusion of the $7 subscription period, if any. If the rights offering is 0% subscribed upon expiration of the $7 subscription period, this purchase by The Price Group will require the issuance of 3,125,000 shares of common stock.

 

As previously stated, the Prices comprise a group that may be deemed to beneficially own greater than 50% of our common stock. The following table reflects the dilution of the Prices’ ownership in our common stock

 

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through the rights offering assuming different levels of stockholder participation in the rights offering. The table assumes each stockholder will subscribe in the rights offering proportionately to the overall level of subscription, meaning that if the rights offering is 50% subscribed, each individual stockholder will exercise 50% of his, her or its rights. This table also assumes that the Prices do not exercise any rights granted to them pursuant to the rights offering. However, the Prices may exercise rights granted to them pursuant to the rights offering on an aggregate of 3,566,512 shares of common stock.

 

     Stockholder Subscription of the Rights Offering

 
     50% Subscribed

    25% Subscribed

    0% Subscribed

 

The Prices’ Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock

   40 %   47 %   61 %

 

As described above, the Prices are the beneficial owners of greater than 50% of our common stock, and depending on the extent to which the rights offering is subscribed by our common stockholders, may continue to be the beneficial owners of greater than 50% of our common stock following the rights offering.

 

Determination of Subscription Price

 

After discussions with management about our financial condition and long-term operating goals and after a consideration of what would be fair to us and our unaffiliated stockholders, representatives of The Price Group proposed the value to be ascribed to our common stock for purposes of the $25.0 million private placement, the exchange of common stock for all of our outstanding Series B Preferred Stock and the exchange of our common stock for the up to $20.0 million in current obligations owed to The Price Group. Concurrently therewith, such representatives also proposed the prices per share for this rights offering, the potential purchase by The Price Group of up to 3,125,000 shares of our common stock at $8 per share upon the conclusion of the $7 subscription period and the exercise price of the put option that would be granted in connection with such purchase by The Price Group, if any. Except for the $7 per share price applicable during the first month of the rights offering, the deemed values for the common stock were greater than the market price of the common stock at the time the initial proposals were made to us. The deemed exchange value for the common stock used in the offer to exchange our common stock for all of our outstanding Series A Preferred Stock was separately negotiated by our outside counsel and counsel to plaintiffs in the federal class action lawsuit entitled Performance Capital, L.P. v. PriceSmart, Inc. et al. These exchange values were estimates only, and there can be no assurance that our common stock will attain, or maintain for any period of time, a market price approaching such estimate in the future.

 

Expiration Time

 

You may exercise your subscription privilege at any time before the expiration time, which is 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             ,                  , 2005, in order to exercise a right at a subscription price of $7, or from the expiration of the $7 subscription period until 5:00 p.m., New York City Time on             ,                  , 2005 to exercise a right at a subscription price of $8, unless the rights offering is terminated or extended. If you do not exercise your rights before the expiration of the $8 subscription period, your rights will expire and become null and void. If you desire to exercise your rights during the $7 subscription period, we will not be obligated to honor your exercise of rights if the subscription agent receives any of the required documents relating to your exercise of such subscription privilege after the expiration time for the $7 subscription period, regardless of when you transmitted the documents, unless you have timely transmitted the documents pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures described below. If the subscription agent receives documents related to an exercise of rights at a subscription price of $7 after the expiration of the $7 subscription period, your subscription price will be returned to you. We will not be obligated to honor your exercise of rights if the subscription agent receives any of the required documents relating to your exercise of subscription privileges after the expiration of the $8 subscription period, regardless of when you transmitted the documents, unless you have timely transmitted the documents pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures described below.

 

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We may extend the expiration time for the $7 subscription period or the $8 subscription period for any reason, and you will not be able to revoke your exercise of subscriptions.

 

If we elect to extend the expiration time for the $7 subscription period or the $8 subscription period, we will issue a press release announcing the extension before 9:00 a.m. Pacific time on the first business day after the most recently announced expiration time.

 

Subscription Privilege

 

Each right entitles the holder to purchase 1.5 shares of our common stock, upon delivery of the required documents and payment of the proper subscription price per share, prior to the expiration time. You are not required to exercise your subscription privilege.

 

Exercising Your Rights

 

You may exercise your rights by delivering the following to the subscription agent before the expiration time for the $7 subscription period or the $8 subscription period:

 

  your properly completed and executed rights certificate evidencing the exercised rights with any required signature medallion guarantees or other supplemental documentation; and

 

  your payment in full of the subscription price for each share of common stock subscribed for pursuant to the subscription privilege.

 

Alternatively, if you deliver a notice of guaranteed delivery together with your subscription price payment prior to the expiration time for the $7 subscription period or the $8 subscription period, as the case may be, you must deliver the rights certificate within three business days following the expiration time for the $7 subscription period or the $8 subscription period, as the case may be, using the guaranteed delivery procedures described below under the heading “—Guaranteed Delivery Procedures.”

 

Payment of Subscription Price

 

Your cash payment of the subscription price for the rights must be made by either certified check, bank draft or money order payable to Mellon Investor Services LLC. Your cash payment of the subscription price for the rights will be deemed to have been received by the subscription agent only when the subscription agent receives your certified check, bank draft or money order.

 

We will retain any interest earned on any cash funds held by the subscription agent in connection with the rights offering prior to the consummation of the rights offering or the return of such funds, if required, pursuant to this prospectus.

 

The subscription agent will hold your payment of the subscription price for the rights in a segregated account with other payments received from holders of rights until we issue to you your shares of common stock or return your overpayment, if any.

 

Exercising a Portion of Your Rights

 

If you subscribe for fewer than all of the shares of common stock that you are eligible to purchase pursuant to the subscription privilege represented by your rights certificate, you may, under certain circumstances, request from the subscription agent, a new rights certificate representing the unused rights and then attempt to sell your unused rights. See “—Method of Transferring and Selling Rights” below.

 

Alternatively, you may transfer a portion of your rights and request from the subscription agent, a new rights certificate representing the rights you did not transfer.

 

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Calculation of Rights Exercised

 

If you do not indicate the number of shares being purchased for the rights you receive, or do not forward full payment of the aggregate subscription price for the number of shares that you indicate are being purchased, then you will be deemed to have exercised the subscription privilege with respect to the maximum number of shares that may be purchased for the aggregate subscription price payment received by the subscription agent. If your full subscription price payment is not applied to your purchase of shares of common stock, the subscription agent will return to you by mail or similarly prompt means, or as otherwise instructed by us, the excess amount without interest or deduction as soon as practicable.

 

Instructions for Completing the Rights Certificates

 

You should read and follow the instructions accompanying the rights certificates carefully. If you want to exercise your rights, you must send your completed rights certificates, any necessary accompanying documents and payment of the subscription price to the subscription agent. You should not send the rights certificates, any related documentation or payment of the subscription price to us. Any rights certificates and other items received by us relating to the subscriptions will be returned to the sender.

 

You bear all risk for the method of delivery of rights certificates, any necessary accompanying documents and payment of the subscription price to the subscription agent. If you send the rights certificates and other items by mail, we recommend that you send them by registered mail, properly insured, with return receipt requested. You should allow a sufficient number of days to ensure delivery and clearance of cash payment prior to the expiration time.

 

Signature Medallion Guarantee May Be Required

 

Your signature on each rights certificate must be medallion guaranteed by an eligible institution such as a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States, subject to standards and procedures adopted by the subscription agent, unless:

 

  your rights certificate is registered in your name; or

 

  you are an eligible institution.

 

Delivery of Subscription Materials and Payment

 

You should deliver your rights certificate and payment for the common stock subscribed for, as well as any nominee holder certifications, notices of guaranteed delivery and any other required documentation to the subscription agent, Mellon Investor Services LLC as follows:

 

By Mail:   By Hand:

PriceSmart, Inc.

c/o Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

P.O. Box 3301

South Hackensack, NJ 07606

 

PriceSmart, Inc.

c/o Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

120 Broadway, 13th Floor

New York, NY 10271

 

By Overnight Courier:

 

PriceSmart, Inc.

c/o Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

85 Challenger Road, 2nd Floor

Overpeck Centre

Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660

 

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Guaranteed Delivery Procedures

 

If you wish to exercise your rights, but you do not have sufficient time to deliver the rights certificate evidencing your rights to the subscription agent before the expiration of the $7 or $8 subscription period, as the case may be, you may exercise your rights by the following guaranteed delivery procedures:

 

  provide your payment in full of the subscription price for each share of common stock being subscribed for pursuant to the subscription privilege to the subscription agent before the applicable expiration time;

 

  deliver a notice of guaranteed delivery to the subscription agent at or before the expiration time; and

 

  deliver the properly completed rights certificate evidencing the rights being exercised (and, if applicable for a nominee holder, the related nominee holder certification), with any required signatures medallion guaranteed, to the subscription agent, within three business days following the expiration time for the $7 subscription period or the $8 subscription period, as the case may be.

 

Your notice of guaranteed delivery must be substantially in the form provided with the “Instructions for Use of PriceSmart, Inc. Common Stock Rights Certificates” distributed to you with your rights certificate. Your notice of guaranteed delivery must come from an eligible institution which is a member of, or a participant in, a signature guarantee medallion program acceptable to the subscription agent. In your notice of guaranteed delivery you must state:

 

  your name;

 

  the number of rights represented by your rights certificate, the number of shares of common stock you are subscribing for pursuant to the subscription privilege; and

 

  your guarantee that you will deliver to the subscription agent any rights certificates evidencing the rights you are exercising within three business days following the expiration time for the $7 subscription period or the $8 subscription period, as the case may be.

 

You may deliver the notice of guaranteed delivery to the subscription agent in the same manner as the rights certificate at the addresses set forth under “—Delivery of Subscription Materials and Payment” above.

 

Eligible institutions may also transmit the notice of guaranteed delivery to the subscription agent by facsimile transmission to (201) 296-4293. To confirm facsimile deliveries, you may call (201) 296-4860.

 

The information agent will send you additional copies of the form of notice of guaranteed delivery if you need them. Please call the information agent at (888) 684-7182.

 

Notice to Nominees

 

If you are a broker, a dealer, a trustee or a depositary for securities who holds shares of our common stock for the account of others as a nominee holder, you should notify the respective beneficial owners of those shares of the issuance of the rights as soon as possible to find out the beneficial owners’ intentions. You should obtain instructions from the beneficial owner with respect to the rights, as set forth in the instructions we have provided to you for your distribution to beneficial owners. If the beneficial owner so instructs, you should complete the appropriate rights certificates and submit them to the subscription agent with the proper payment. A nominee holder that holds shares of common stock for the account(s) of more than one beneficial owner may exercise the number of rights to which all such beneficial owners in the aggregate otherwise would have been entitled if they had been direct record holders of common stock on the record date, so long as the nominee submits the appropriate rights certificates and certifications and proper payment to the subscription agent.

 

If you hold shares of common stock as a nominee holder for beneficial owners whose address is outside the United States, see “—Foreign Stockholders.”

 

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Beneficial Owners

 

If you are a beneficial owner of shares of our common stock or rights that you hold through a nominee holder, we will ask your broker, dealer or other nominee to notify you of this rights offering. If you wish to exercise your rights, you will need to have your broker, dealer or other nominee act for you. To indicate your decision with respect to your rights, you should complete and return to your broker, dealer or other nominee the form entitled “Beneficial Owners Election Form.” You should receive this form from your broker, dealer or other nominee with the other subscription materials. If you are outside the United States, see “—Foreign Stockholders.”

 

Procedures for DTC Participants

 

We expect that the rights will be eligible for transfer, and that your exercise of your subscription privilege with respect to rights may be made, through the facilities of DTC.

 

Determinations Regarding the Exercise of Rights

 

We will decide all questions concerning the timeliness, validity, form and eligibility of your exercise of rights. Our decisions will be final and binding. We, in our sole discretion, may waive any defect or irregularity, or permit a defect or irregularity to be corrected within whatever time we determine. We may reject the exercise of any of your rights because of any defect or irregularity. Your subscription will not be deemed to have been received or accepted until all irregularities have been waived by us or cured by you within the time we decide, in our sole discretion.

 

We reserve the right to reject your exercise of rights if your exercise is not in accordance with the terms of the rights offering or in proper form. Neither we nor the subscription agent will have any duty to notify you of a defect or irregularity in your exercise of the rights. We will not be liable for failing to give you that notice. We will also not accept your exercise of rights if our issuance of shares of common stock pursuant to your exercise could be deemed unlawful or materially burdensome. See “—Regulatory Limitation” and “—Compliance with Regulations Pertaining to the Rights Offering” below.

 

No Revocation of Exercised Rights

 

Once you have exercised your subscription privilege and you may not revoke your exercise. Even if we extend the expiration time for the $7 subscription period or the $8 subscription period, you may not revoke your exercise.

 

Subscription Agent

 

We have appointed Mellon Investor Services LLC as subscription agent for the rights offering. We will pay its fees and expenses related to the rights offering and have agreed to indemnify it from liabilities it may incur in connection with the rights offering.

 

Information Agent

 

We have appointed Mellon Investor Services LLC as information agent for the rights offering. We will pay its fees and expenses related to the rights offering and have agreed to indemnify it from liabilities it may incur in connection with the rights offering. You may direct any questions or requests for assistance concerning the method of exercising your rights, additional copies of this prospectus, the instructions for the rights, the nominee

 

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holder certification, the notice of guaranteed delivery or other subscription materials referred to herein, to the information agent for the rights offering, at the following telephone number and address:

 

Mellon Investor Services LLC

85 Challenger Road, 2nd Floor

Overpeck Centre

Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660

TOLL FREE: (888) 684-7182

 

Method of Transferring and Selling Rights

 

We have applied for the rights to be listed for trading on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “PSMTR”. We expect that the rights may be purchased or sold through usual investment channels until 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on                     ,                          , 2005, the expiration time for the $8 subscription period. You may not sell, transfer or send your rights or rights certificate to anyone outside the United States unless the foreign person provides evidence satisfactory to us that such sale or transfer is lawful. There has been no prior public market for the rights, and we cannot assure you that a trading market for the rights, will exist or develop or, if a market develops, that the market will remain available throughout the subscription period. We also cannot assure you of the price at which the rights will trade, if at all. If you do not exercise or sell your rights you will lose any value inherent in the rights. See “—General Considerations Regarding the Partial Exercise, Transfer or Sale of Rights” below.

 

Transfer of Rights

 

You may transfer rights in whole by endorsing the rights certificate for transfer and by following the instructions for transfer included in the information sent to you with your rights certificate. If you wish to transfer only a part of the rights, you should deliver your properly endorsed rights certificate to the subscription agent. With your rights certificate, you should include instructions to register in the name of the transferee such portion of the rights evidenced thereby that you wish to transfer and to issue a new rights certificate to the transferee evidencing that portion of the rights that you wish to transfer. You may only transfer whole rights and not fractions of a right. If there is sufficient time before the expiration of the $8 subscription period, the subscription agent will send you a new rights certificate evidencing the balance of the rights issued to you but not transferred to the transferee. You may also instruct the subscription agent to send the rights certificate to one or more additional transferees. If you wish to sell your remaining rights, you may request that the subscription agent transfer your certificates representing your remaining rights to your broker or dealer so that you may sell them through your broker or dealer. You may also request that the subscription agent, sell your rights for you, as described below.

 

We and the subscription agent reserve the right without liability to treat as invalid any exercise or purported exercise of rights evidenced by a completed rights certificate or any transfer or purported transfer of a rights certificate that appears to us or the subscription agent to have been executed, effected or dispatched into, in or from a jurisdiction other than the United States or if the transferee of any purported transfer of a rights certificate appears to be resident outside the United States unless it is otherwise lawful for them to do so. At the time of transfer or exercise, these foreign persons must provide evidence satisfactory to us, such as a legal opinion from local counsel, that it is lawful for them to do so.

 

If you wish to transfer all or a portion of your rights, you should allow a sufficient amount of time prior to the expiration of the $8 subscription period for the subscription agent to:

 

  receive and process your transfer instructions; and

 

  issue and transmit a new rights certificate to your transferee or transferees with respect to transferred rights, and to you with respect to any rights you retained.

 

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Neither we nor the subscription agent will have any liability to you if you or your transferee does not receive any new rights in time to exercise or transfer such rights.

 

If you wish to transfer your rights, your rights certificate must be medallion guaranteed by an eligible institution.

 

Sales of Rights through the Subscription Agent

 

If you choose not to sell your rights through your broker or dealer, you may seek to sell your rights only through the subscription agent. If you wish to have the subscription agent seek to sell your rights, you must deliver your properly executed rights certificate, with appropriate instructions, to the subscription agent. If you want the subscription agent to seek to sell only part of your rights, you must send the subscription agent instructions setting forth what you would like done with the rights, along with your rights certificate. You may only seek to sell whole rights and not fractions of a right through the subscription agent.

 

If the subscription agent sells rights for you, the subscription agent will send you by mail a check for the net proceeds from the sale of any of your rights as soon as practicable after such sale. If your rights can be sold, the sale will be placed, to the extent possible, with a broker on the next trading day on the Nasdaq National Market following receipt of the sale request. You will be deemed to have sold your rights at the actual sale price received for such sale. The fees charged by the subscription agent for selling rights will be deducted from the sale price for such rights sold. We cannot assure you, however, that a market will develop for the rights or that the subscription agent will be able to sell your rights.

 

You must have your order to sell your rights to the subscription agent before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on                     ,                          , 2005, the fifth business day before the expiration of the $8 subscription period. If less than all sales orders received by the subscription agent are filled, the sales proceeds will be prorated among you and the other rights holders based upon the number of rights that each holder has instructed be sold during that period, irrespective of when during the period the instructions are received. The subscription agent is required to sell your rights only if the subscription agent is able to find buyers. If the subscription agent cannot sell your rights by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on                     ,                          , 2005, the third business day before the expiration of the $8 subscription period, the subscription agent will return your rights certificate to you by overnight delivery.

 

IF YOU SELL YOUR RIGHTS THROUGH YOUR BROKER OR DEALER, YOU MAY RECEIVE A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF PROCEEDS THAN IF YOU SELL THE SAME AMOUNT OF RIGHTS THROUGH THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT. IF YOU SELL YOUR RIGHTS THROUGH YOUR BROKER OR DEALER INSTEAD OF THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT, YOUR SALES PROCEEDS WILL BE THE ACTUAL SALES PRICE OF YOUR RIGHTS LESS ANY FEES, COMMISSIONS AND EXPENSES.

 

General Considerations Regarding the Partial Exercise, Transfer or Sale of Rights

 

The amount of time needed by your transferee to exercise or sell its rights depends upon the method by which the transferor delivers the rights certificates, the method of payment made by the transferee and the number of transactions which the holder instructs the subscription agent to effect. You should allow a sufficient amount of time for your transferee to exercise or sell the rights transferred to it. Neither we nor the subscription agent will be liable to a transferee or transferor of rights if rights certificates or any other required documents are not received in time for exercise or sale prior to the expiration of the $7 subscription or the $8 subscription period.

 

You will receive a new rights certificate upon a partial exercise, transfer or sale of rights only if the subscription agent receives your properly endorsed rights certificate no later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Friday,                     ,                          , 2005, five business days before the expiration of the $8 subscription period. Neither the subscription agent nor we will issue a new rights certificate if your rights certificate is

 

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received after that time and date. If your instructions and rights certificate are received by the subscription agent after that time and date, you will not receive a new rights certificate and therefore will not be able to sell or exercise your remaining rights.

 

You are responsible for all commissions, fees and other expenses (including brokerage commissions and transfer taxes) incurred in connection with the purchase, sale or exercise of your rights, except that we will pay any fees of the subscription agent associated with the exercise of rights. Any amounts you owe will be deducted from your account.

 

A request to exercise rights will constitute a warranty by you that you and the beneficial owner of the rights are within the United States, except if you have otherwise provided evidence to our satisfaction, such as a legal opinion from local counsel, that it is lawful for you to receive rights and exercise rights and acquire shares. A transfer of rights will constitute a warranty that the transferor is within the United States or is otherwise entitled to transfer the rights and a warranty from the transferee that the transferee and any beneficial owner of the rights for whom the transferee acts are within the United States or that it is otherwise lawful for them to receive rights and exercise rights and acquire shares of common stock.

 

If you do not exercise your rights before the expiration of the $8 subscription period, your rights will expire and will no longer be exercisable.

 

Effect on Stock Options

 

All of our outstanding stock options were issued pursuant to plans previously adopted by our board of directors. Holders of options to purchase shares of our common stock will not receive rights. We plan to make an equitable adjustment to all of our outstanding stock options to preserve the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available pursuant to the options. Such future adjustment shall be made by the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors.

 

No Recommendations to Rights Holders

 

Neither we nor our board of directors has made any recommendation as to whether you should exercise your rights or transfer your rights. You should decide whether to transfer your rights, subscribe for shares of our common stock or simply take no action with respect to your rights, based upon your own assessment of your best interests.

 

Termination

 

There are no conditions to the consummation of the rights offering. However, we may terminate the rights offering for any reason at any time before the expiration of the $7 subscription period or the $8 subscription period. If we terminate the rights offering, we will promptly issue a press release announcing the termination, and we will promptly thereafter return all subscription payments, provided that shares of common stock have not been issued pursuant to such subscription payment. We will not be obligated to issue shares to rights holders that have exercised their rights prior to the termination of the rights offering. We will not pay interest on, or deduct any amounts from, subscription payments if we terminate the rights offering.

 

Foreign Stockholders

 

We will not mail rights certificates to stockholders on the record date or to subsequent transferees whose addresses are outside the United States because their exercise of rights may be prohibited by the laws of the country in which they live. Instead, we will have the subscription agent hold the rights certificates for those holders’ accounts. Foreign holders may exercise their subscription privilege at any time before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on                     ,                          , 2005, in order to exercise a right at a subscription price of $7,

 

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or from the expiration of the $7 subscription period until 11:00 a.m., New York City Time on                     ,                          , 2005 to exercise a right at a subscription price of $8, unless the rights offering is terminated or extended. To transfer their rights, foreign holders must notify the subscription agent before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on                     ,                          , 2005, five business days prior to the expiration of the $8 subscription period and must establish to our satisfaction that such exercise or transfer is permitted under applicable law. If a foreign holder does not establish to our satisfaction that such exercise or transfer is permitted under applicable law, and notify, and provide acceptable instructions to, the subscription agent by such time (and if no contrary instructions have been received by such time), the subscription agent will seek to sell the foreign holder’s rights, subject to the subscription agent’s ability to find a purchaser. Any such sales will be deemed to have been made at the actual sale price received in such sale by the subscription agent. If the subscription agent sells a foreign holder’s rights, the subscription agent will send the foreign holder by mail a check for the net proceeds from the sale of any rights of the foreign holder. See “—Method of Transferring and Selling Rights,” “—Transfer of Rights” and “—Sales of Rights Through the Subscription Agent” above. The proceeds, if any, resulting from sales of rights of holders whose addresses are not known by the subscription agent or to whom delivery cannot be made will be held in an interest bearing account. Any amount remaining unclaimed on the second anniversary of the expiration time will be turned over to us. If you live outside of the United States, you should consult with your legal advisor about the particular laws of the country in which you live.

 

If you hold shares of our common stock through a broker, a dealer, a trustee or a depository within the United States as a nominee holder and you are outside the United States, neither you nor your nominee may attempt to exercise any rights unless you have provided evidence satisfactory to us, such as a legal opinion from local counsel, that it is not unlawful for you to receive and exercise rights without any requirement being imposed on us to be registered or licensed.

 

Regulatory Limitation

 

We will not be required to issue to you shares of our common stock pursuant to the rights offering if, in our opinion, you would be required to obtain prior clearance or approval from any state or federal regulatory authorities to own or control such shares and if, at the time of the expiration of the $8 subscription period, you have not obtained such clearance or approval.

 

Issuance of Common Stock

 

Unless we earlier terminate the rights offering, the subscription agent will issue the shares of our common stock purchased in the rights offering as soon as practicable following receipt of a properly completed and signed rights certificate together with payment of the subscription price for each share of common stock subscribed for. Each subscribing holder’s new shares will be issued in the same form, certificated or book-entry, as the rights exercised by that holder.

 

Your payment of the aggregate subscription price for our common stock will be retained by the subscription agent and will not be delivered to us, unless and until your subscription is accepted and you are issued your shares of common stock. We will not pay you any interest on funds paid to the subscription agent, regardless of whether the funds are applied to the subscription price or returned to you. You will have no rights as a stockholder of our company with respect to the subscribed for shares of our common stock until the certificates representing such shares are issued to you or the shares are deposited in the book-entry account held on your behalf. Upon our issuance of the certificates or the deposit of the shares in the applicable book-entry account, you will be deemed the owner of the shares you purchased by exercise of your rights. Unless otherwise instructed in the rights certificates, the shares issued to you pursuant to your subscription will be registered in your name or the name of your nominee, if applicable. We will not issue any fractional shares of common stock.

 

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Shares of Common Stock Outstanding

 

As of November 24, 2004, we had outstanding 17,524,840 shares of our common stock, not including treasury shares. The number of outstanding shares of our common stock will increase by 16,052,668 shares, following the issuance of all shares purchased in the rights offering (assuming that the rights offering is fully subscribed and given that the Prices have agreed not to exercise any rights they may receive on 7,223,061 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by them as of the record date). This represents an approximate 92% increase in the number of outstanding shares of our common stock as of November 24, 2004.

 

Compliance with Regulations pertaining to the Rights Offering

 

We are not making the rights offering in any state or other jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to do so. We will not sell or accept an offer to purchase shares of our common stock from you if you are a resident of any state or other jurisdiction in which the sale or offer of the rights would be unlawful. We may delay the commencement of the rights offering in certain states or other jurisdictions in order to comply with the laws of those states or other jurisdictions. However, we may decide, in our sole discretion, not to modify the terms of the rights offering as may be requested by certain states or other jurisdictions. If that happens and you are a resident of the state or jurisdiction that requests the modification, you will not be eligible to participate in the rights offering. We do not expect that there will be any changes in the terms of the rights offering.

 

MATERIAL UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

Scope of Discussion

 

The following discussion is a summary of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that are expected to be material to a typical “U.S. holder” (defined below) that receives rights distributed pursuant to the rights offering and that either (i) exercises such rights, (ii) allows such rights to expire, or (iii) sells, exchanges, or otherwise disposes of such rights. With the exception of the tax consequences described below under the heading “—Termination of Rights Offering,” the following discussion assumes that we will not terminate the rights offering.

 

This discussion is based on current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, which we refer to as the “Code,” applicable current, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, which we refer to as the “Treasury Regulations,” the legislative history of the Code and publicly available administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, all as in effect as of the date of this prospectus and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect, or to different interpretations. In addition, the administrative interpretations and practices of the Internal Revenue Service include its practices and policies as expressed in private letter rulings which are not binding on the Internal Revenue Service, except with respect to the particular taxpayers who requested and received these rulings. This discussion is included for general information purposes only and does not purport to be a complete technical analysis or listing of all potential tax considerations that may be relevant to U.S. holders in light of their particular circumstances. This discussion does not address any state, local or foreign tax consequences or any non-income tax consequences (such as estate or gift tax consequences). This discussion applies only to U.S. holders that hold shares of our common stock as capital assets and that will hold the rights distributed pursuant to the rights offering as capital assets (and, in the event such rights are exercised, will hold newly acquired shares of our common stock as capital assets), in each case, within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code. This discussion also does not address the United States federal income tax consequences to a U.S. holder that is one of our affiliates or that is subject to special rules under the Code, including but not limited to:

 

  a financial institution, insurance company, or regulated investment company;

 

  persons who are subject to alternative minimum tax;

 

  a tax-exempt organization, retirement plan, or mutual fund;

 

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  a dealer, broker, or trader in securities;

 

  non-U.S. holders (as defined below);

 

  an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

  a stockholder that owns its shares of our common stock indirectly through an entity treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes, or a trust or estate;

 

  persons deemed to sell their shares of common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Code;

 

  a stockholder that holds its shares of our common stock as part of a hedge, appreciated financial position, straddle or conversion transaction; or

 

  a stockholder that acquired our common stock pursuant to the exercise of compensatory stock options or otherwise as compensation.

 

We will not seek a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or the “IRS,” with respect to the rights offering. The IRS could take positions concerning the tax consequences of the rights offering that are different from those described in this discussion, and, if litigated, a court could sustain any such positions taken by the IRS.

 

For purposes of this discussion, the term “U.S. holder” means a holder of shares of our common stock that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is:

 

  a citizen or resident of the U.S.;

 

  a corporation, a partnership or other entity treated as a corporation or a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes created or organized in the U.S. or under U.S. laws or the laws of any state or political subdivision thereof;

 

  an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

  a trust (i) if, in general, a court within the U.S. is able to exercise primary jurisdiction over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have authority to control all of its substantial decisions or (ii) that has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

A “non-U.S. holder” is a holder other than a U.S. holder.

 

If a holder of our common stock is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax consequences of the rights offering to such partnership and its partners will depend on a variety of factors, including the activities of such partnership and its partners. A holder of our common stock that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or that is a partner in an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is urged to consult its own tax advisor regarding the tax consequences associated with the rights offering.

 

Holders of our common stock are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the specific tax consequences associated with the rights offering, including the applicability and effect of any state, local, foreign, or other tax laws as well as changes in applicable tax laws.

 

Distribution of Rights

 

Pursuant to Section 305 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued thereunder, a U.S. holder that receives rights pursuant to the rights offering will not be required to recognize taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the receipt of such rights unless, among other things, the distribution of rights results in both the receipt of property by some stockholders and an increase in the proportionate interests of other stockholders in our assets or earnings and profits. In this discussion, we refer to a distribution that has both of

 

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these consequences as a “disqualified distribution.” For the purpose of determining whether a disqualified distribution has occurred, the term “stockholder” includes a holder of rights to acquire our stock.

 

As described under the heading “The Rights Offering—Effect on Stock Options,” we plan to adjust the terms of our outstanding stock options. The Treasury Regulations under Section 305 of the Code provide that the failure to properly adjust stock options following the distribution of stock rights may cause the stock rights to be a disqualified distribution. However, the Treasury Regulations do not adequately address whether the terms of compensatory stock options must be adjusted and, if an adjustment is required, how the adjustment should be made. We believe that the adjustments we plan to make to our stock options should satisfy the requirements in the Treasury Regulations if those regulations apply to our compensatory stock options. However, there is a risk that the IRS might not agree with our approach.

 

Based on our belief that the adjustment of our stock options does not cause the rights offering to be a disqualified distribution, we believe that a U.S. holder that receives rights pursuant to the rights offering should not be required to recognize taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes and we intend to report the rights offering accordingly. However, if our intended treatment of the rights offering were challenged by the IRS and if such challenge were ultimately upheld, the U.S. federal income tax consequences to a U.S. holder that receives rights pursuant to the rights offering may differ from the consequences described herein, and it is possible that a U.S. holder’s receipt of rights pursuant to the rights offering may be taxable as a dividend.

 

Basis and Holding Period of Rights

 

If, in accordance with Section 307 of the Code, the fair market value of the rights which we distribute to a U.S. holder is less than 15% of the fair market value of such U.S. holder’s shares of our common stock with respect to which such rights were distributed, such U.S. holder’s basis in the rights distributed generally will be zero. A U.S. holder may elect, however, to allocate its basis in our common stock between such common stock and the rights received in proportion to the fair market value of such common stock and such rights. This election may be made pursuant to Section 307 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder and will be irrevocable once made.

 

If the fair market value of the rights which we distribute to a U.S. holder is 15% or more of the fair market value of such U.S. holder’s shares of our common stock with respect to which such rights were distributed, such U.S. holder will be required to allocate its basis between such common stock and such rights in proportion to their relative fair market values.

 

In either case, a U.S. holder’s holding period for the rights that we distribute to such U.S. holder will include the holding period of such U.S. holder’s shares of our common stock with respect to which such rights were distributed.

 

Exercise of Rights; Basis and Holding Period of Acquired Shares; Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Acquired Shares

 

A U.S. holder will not recognize gain or loss upon the exercise of the rights. A U.S. holder’s basis in our common stock acquired through exercise of the rights generally will equal the sum of (i) the subscription price paid by such U.S. holder to acquire such common stock and (ii) such U.S. holder’s basis in the rights exercised. A U.S. holder’s holding period in shares of our common stock acquired through the exercise of rights will begin on the day such U.S. holder exercises the rights.

 

Upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of our common stock acquired upon the exercise of rights, a U.S. holder generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and such U.S. holder’s basis in such common stock. Such gain or loss will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term

 

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capital gain or loss if a U.S. holder’s holding period exceeds one year at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition. Long-term capital gains of certain non-corporate taxpayers generally are taxed at lower rates than items of ordinary income. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

 

Expiration of Rights

 

If a U.S. holder receives rights pursuant to the rights offering and allows the rights to expire unexercised, then such U.S. holder will not be permitted to recognize a taxable loss. In addition, such U.S. holder’s basis in its shares of our common stock will not be affected by this rights offering and such U.S. holder’s decision to allow its rights to expire and will remain the same as before the rights offering.

 

Sale, Exchange or Other Disposition of Rights

 

Upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of rights, a U.S. holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and such U.S. holder’s basis in the rights. Such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if a U.S. holder’s holding period in the rights is more than one year on the date of the sale, exchange or other disposition. Long-term capital gains generally are taxed at lower rates than items of ordinary income. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.

 

Termination of Rights Offering

 

If a U.S. holder receives rights pursuant to the rights offering and retains such rights, then, if we subsequently terminate the rights offering: (i) such U.S. holder will not recognize income, gain or loss as a result of the distribution, ownership or termination of the rights; and (ii) such U.S. holder’s basis in its shares of our common stock with respect to which the rights were distributed will not be affected by the rights offering.

 

If a U.S. holder receives rights pursuant to the rights offering and such U.S. holder sells, exchanges or otherwise disposes of such rights, then, while the matter is not entirely free from doubt, if we subsequently terminate the rights offering: (i) such U.S. holder should not recognize income or gain as a result of the prior distribution of the rights; (ii) such U.S. holder’s basis in the shares of our common stock with respect to which the rights were distributed and such U.S. holder’s basis in the rights should be determined as described above under the heading “—Basis and Holding Period of Rights”; and (iii) such U.S. holder should recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized upon the sale of the rights and such U.S. holder’s basis, if any, in the rights. Such gain or loss will be long-term gain or loss if such U.S. holder’s holding period for the rights exceeds one year at the time of sale, exchange or other disposition.

 

Backup Withholding

 

A U.S. holder that sells, exchanges or otherwise disposes of shares of our common stock acquired upon the exercise of rights or that sells, exchanges or otherwise disposes of rights may be subject to backup withholding on the proceeds received, unless such U.S. holder:

 

  is a corporation or other exempt recipient and, when required, establishes this exemption; or

 

  provides a correct taxpayer identification number, certifies that it is not currently subject to backup withholding, and otherwise complies with the applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.

 

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules will generally be creditable against the United States federal income tax liability of a U.S. holder if appropriate information is provided to the IRS. If a U.S. holder does not provide the appropriate party with the correct taxpayer identification number or any other proper document or certification required by the IRS (generally a Form W-9 in the case of a U.S. holder), such U.S. holder may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS.

 

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THE FOREGOING DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF THE POTENTIAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO THE RIGHTS OFFERING AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. THEREFORE, HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS AS TO THE SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE RIGHTS OFFERING, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY OF FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX LAWS.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We are making this rights offering directly to you, the holders of our common stock, on a pro rata basis for each share of our common stock held at the close of business on Wednesday, November 24, 2004, the record date for this rights offering.

 

We will pay Mellon Investor Services LLC, the subscription and information agent, a fee of approximately $21,250 for their services in connection with this rights offering (which includes the subscription agent’s fees associated with the exercise of rights). We have also agreed to reimburse Mellon Investor Services LLC, the subscription and information agent, their reasonable expenses and indemnify them from liabilities they may incur in connection with the rights offering.

 

We estimate that our total expenses in connection with the rights offering, including registration, legal and accounting fees, will be approximately $0.6 million.

 

We have not employed any brokers, dealers or underwriters in connection with the solicitation or exercise of rights. Except as described in this section, we are not paying any other commissions, fees or discounts in connection with the rights offering. Some of our employees may solicit responses from you as a holder of rights, but we will not pay our employees any commissions or compensation for such services other than their normal employment compensation.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

The discussion set forth under the heading “Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences” and the validity of the shares of our common stock and rights offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, San Diego, California.

 

EXPERTS

 

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements and schedule included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31 2004, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements and schedule are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any reports, proxy statements and other information we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. You may also access filed documents at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.

 

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We are incorporating by reference some information about us that we file with the SEC. We are disclosing important information to you by referencing those filed documents. Any information that we reference in this way is considered part of this prospectus. The information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we have filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus, while information that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus that is incorporated by reference will automatically update and supersede this information.

 

We incorporate by reference the following documents we have filed, or may file, with the SEC:

 

  our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2004;

 

  our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on September 3, 2004, September 20, 2004, October 8, 2004, October 25, 2004, October 28, 2004, November 4, 2004 and November 30, 2004;

 

  the description of our common stock contained in our Amended Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on August 13, 1997, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating the description; and

 

  all documents filed by us with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the date of this prospectus and before termination of this offering.

 

You may request a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

 

PriceSmart, Inc.

9740 Scranton Road

San Diego, California 92121-1745

(858) 404-8800

 

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PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

 

Our estimated expenses in connection with the distribution of the securities being registered are as set forth in the following table:

 

SEC Registration Fee

   $ 16,271  

Nasdaq listing fee

   $ 46,000 *

Printing Expenses

   $ 200,000 *

Legal Fees and Expenses

   $ 200,000 *

Accounting Fees and Expenses

   $ 25,000 *

Subscription Agent Fee

   $ 18,000 *

Information Agent Fee

   $ 3,250 *

Miscellaneous

   $ 41,479 *
    


Total

   $ 550,000 *

* Estimated

 

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Our officers and directors are covered by the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as amended, individual indemnification agreements with us and insurance policies which serve to limit, and, in some instances, to indemnify them against, certain liabilities which they may incur in such capacities. These various provisions are described below.

 

Elimination of Liability in Certain Circumstances. In June 1986, Delaware enacted legislation which authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breach of directors’ fiduciary duty of care. This duty of care requires that, when acting on behalf of the corporation, directors must exercise an informed business judgment based on all significant information reasonably available to them. Absent the limitations now authorized by such legislation, directors are accountable to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for conduct constituting negligence or gross negligence in the exercise of their duty of care. Although the statute does not change directors’ duty of care, it enables corporations to limit available relief to equitable remedies such as injunction or rescission. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation limits the liability of directors to us or our stockholders (in their capacity as directors but not in their capacity as officers) to the fullest extent permitted by such legislation. Specifically, our directors will not be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of a director’s fiduciary duty as director, except for liability:

 

  for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;

 

  for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

  for unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful share repurchases or redemptions as provided in Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law; or

 

  for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

 

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Indemnification and Insurance. As a Delaware corporation, we have the power, under specified circumstances generally requiring the directors or officers to have acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believe to be in or not opposed to our best interests, to indemnify our directors and officers in connection with actions, suits or proceedings brought against them by a third party or in our name, by reason of the fact that they were or are such directors or officers, against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement in connection with any such action, suit or proceeding. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation generally provides for mandatory indemnification of our directors and officers to the fullest extent provided by Delaware corporate law. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and officers which generally provide for indemnification of the officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law, including under circumstances for which indemnification would otherwise be discretionary under Delaware law.

 

We have purchased and intend to maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer, or is or was a director or officer serving at our request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not we would have the power or obligation to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of its certificate of incorporation or bylaws.

 

Item 16. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description


  4.1    Specimen of Common Stock certificate*
  4.2    Specimen transferable subscription rights certificate for holders of Common Stock*
  4.3    Instructions for Use of PriceSmart, Inc. Common Stock Right Certificates*
  5.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP**
  8.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP**
23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm*
23.2    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP**
23.3    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP**
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereto)
99.1    Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery*
99.2    Form of letter from PriceSmart to brokers, dealers and nominees*
99.3    Form of letter from brokers, dealers and nominees to clients*
99.4    Form of Beneficial Owner Election Form*
99.5    Form of Nominee Holder Certification*
99.6    Form of Subscription Form **
99.7    Instructions for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Form W-9*
99.8    Form of Subscription Agent and Information Agent Agreement by and between PriceSmart, Mellon Bank, N.A. and Mellon Investor Services LLC.**

* Filed herewith.

 

** To be filed by amendment.

 

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Item 17. Undertakings

 

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement;

 

provided, however, that subparagraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby further undertakes that, for the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to existing provisions or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, PriceSmart, Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on December 2, 2004.

 

PriceSmart, Inc.
By:   /s/    ROBERT E. PRICE        
    Robert E. Price
    Interim Chief Executive Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Robert E. Price and John M. Heffner, and each of them, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments, exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith) to this Registration Statement and any subsequent registration statement filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which relates to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Signature


  

Title


 

Date


/s/    ROBERT E. PRICE        


Robert E. Price

  

Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors (Principal Executive Officer)

  December 2, 2004

/s/    JOHN M. HEFFNER        


John M. Heffner

  

Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  December 2, 2004

/s/    JAMES F. CAHILL        


James F. Cahill

  

Director

  December 2, 2004

/s/    MURRAY L. GALINSON        


Murray L. Galinson

  

Director

  December 2, 2004

/s/    KATHERINE L. HENSLEY        


Katherine L. Hensley

  

Director

  December 2, 2004

 

II-4


Table of Contents

Signature


  

Title


 

Date


/s/    LEON C. JANKS        


Leon C. Janks

  

Director

  November 30, 2004

/s/    LAWRENCE B. KRAUSE        


Lawrence B. Krause

  

Director

  December 2, 2004

/s/    ANGEL LOSADA M.        


Angel Losada M.

  

Director

  December 2, 2004

/s/    JACK MCGRORY        


Jack McGrory

  

Director

  December 2, 2004

 


Edgar A. Zurcher

  

Director

  December     , 2004

 

II-5


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 or are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description


  4.1    Specimen of Common Stock certificate*
  4.2    Specimen transferable subscription rights certificate for holders of Common Stock*
  4.3    Instructions for Use of PriceSmart, Inc. Common Stock Right Certificates*
  5.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP**
  8.1    Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP**
23.1    Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm *
23.2    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP**
23.3    Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP**
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereto)
99.1    Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery*
99.2    Form of letter from PriceSmart to brokers, dealers and nominees*
99.3    Form of letter from brokers, dealers and nominees to clients*
99.4    Form of Beneficial Owner Election Form*
99.5    Form of Nominee Holder Certification*
99.6    Form of Subscription Form**
99.7    Instructions for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Form W-9*
99.8    Form of Subscription Agent and Information Agent Agreement by and between PriceSmart, Mellon Bank, N.A. and Mellon Investor Services LLC.**

* Filed herewith.

 

** To be filed by amendment.

 

EX-4.1 2 dex41.htm SPECIMEN OF COMMON STOCK CERTIFICATE Specimen of Common Stock certificate

EXHIBIT 4.1

 

NUMBER

PS

      

SHARES

 

    LOGO     

 

INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE

 

THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN

NEW YORK, N.Y. AND RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ

  SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS AND A STATEMENT AS TO THE RIGHTS, PREFERENCES, PRIVILEGES AND RESTRICTIONS, IF ANY

 

CUSIP 741511 10 9

 

THIS CERTIFIES THAT

 

IS THE RECORD HOLDER OF

 

FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, $0.0001 PAR VALUE PER SHARE, OF

PRICESMART, INC.

 

transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person or by duly authorized Attorney upon surrender of this certificate properly endorsed. This certificate is not valid until countersigned by the Transfer Agent and registered by the Registrar.

 

WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Corporation and the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers.

 

Dated        
/s/    ROBERT M. GANS               /s/    ROBERT E. PRICE        
SECRETARY   [CORPORATE SEAL]  

PRESIDENT AND

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

 

A statement of the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights as established, from time to time, by the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation and by any certificate of determination, the number of shares constituting each class and series, and the designations thereof, may be obtained by the holder hereof upon request and without charge at the principal office of the Corporation.

 

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM   -   as tenants in common
TEN ENT  

-

  as tenants by the entireties
JT TEN  

-

  as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common


UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-__________________________     CUSTODIAN_______________________________
                        (CUST)   (MINOR)

                under Uniform Gifts to Minors

                Act _______________________________________________________________

(State)

 

UNIF TRF MIN ACT-                     Custodian (until age         )

        (Cust)

                                                  under Uniform Transfer to Minors Act                         

      (Minor)                                                                             (State)

 

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list. FOR VALUE RECEIVED,                                          hereby sell, assign and transfer unto

 

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
  
 
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)
 
 
      Shares

of the common stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                                                                           Attorney to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Dated:                     

       
X        
        NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME(S) AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATSOEVER.

 

Signature(s) Guaranteed:

 

By    

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15.

EX-4.2 3 dex42.htm SPECIMEN TRANSFERABLE SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS CERTIFICATE Specimen transferable subscription rights certificate

Exhibit 4.2

 

                   

Rights Certificate Number

                CUSIP Number
                   

Maximum Shares Available

Subscription Privilege

       Rights        Record Date

 

PRICESMART, INC.

RIGHTS CERTIFICATE TO SUBSCRIBE FOR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK FOR HOLDERS OF RECORD OF COMMON STOCK ON NOVEMBER 24, 2004

 

LOGO

 

EXERCISABLE ON OR BEFORE 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON             ,                  , 2004, TO EXERCISE A RIGHT AT A SUBSCRIPTION PRICE OF $7 (THE “$7 EXPIRATION TIME”), AND EXERCISABLE AFTER SUCH DATE AND TIME AND ON OR BEFORE 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON             ,                  , 2004, TO EXERCISE A RIGHT AT A SUBSCRIPTION PRICE OF $8, UNLESS EXTENDED BY THE COMPANY (THE “$8 EXPIRATION TIME”).

 

PriceSmart, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), is conducting a rights offering (the “Rights Offering”), which entitles the holders of common stock, par value $.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company to receive one transferable subscription right for each share of Common Stock held by them at the close of business on November 24, 2004 (the “Record Date”).

 

As the registered owner of this Rights Certificate, you are entitled to the number of transferable subscription rights (“Rights”) shown above. Each whole Right entitles the holder thereof to subscribe for and purchase 1.5 shares of Common Stock (the “Subscription Privilege”) at a subscription price of $7 per share on or before the $7 Expiration Time, or at a subscription price of $8 per share after the $7 Expiration Time and on or before the $8 Expiration Time (in either case, the “Subscription Price”), pursuant to the Rights Offering.

 

Certificates representing shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to the Rights Offering will be issued by the Subscription Agent as soon as practicable following receipt of a properly completed and signed rights certificate together with payment of the Subscription Price for each share of Common Stock subscribed for. No fractional shares or cash in lieu thereof will be issued or paid. Instead, the number of shares each rights holder is entitled to acquire will be rounded upward to the nearest whole share. Set forth above are the number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate that you are entitled to exercise and the maximum number of shares of the Common Stock you are entitled to subscribe for and purchase pursuant to your Subscription Privilege.

 

FOR A MORE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RIGHTS OFFERING, PLEASE REFER TO THE PROSPECTUS, WHICH IS INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST FROM THE INFORMATION AGENT, MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC, AT (888) 684-7182.

 

THIS RIGHTS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE, AND MAY BE COMBINED OR DIVIDED (BUT ONLY INTO RIGHTS CERTIFICATES EVIDENCING FULL RIGHTS) AT THE OFFICE OF THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT. RIGHTS HOLDERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IF THEY CHOOSE TO EXERCISE, ASSIGN, TRANSFER OR SELL ONLY PART OF THEIR RIGHTS, THEY MAY NOT RECEIVE A NEW RIGHTS CERTIFICATE IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO EXERCISE, ASSIGN, TRANSFER OR SELL THE REMAINING RIGHTS EVIDENCED THEREBY.

 

SUBSCRIPTION FOR SHARES: To subscribe for shares of Common Stock pursuant to your Subscription Privilege, please complete lines “A” and “B” and Section 1.

 

(Complete appropriate lines and sections on reverse side of this Rights Certificate.)


If you want the Subscription Agent to attempt to sell your unexercised Rights, check box “C” below and complete Section 1. If you want a new Rights Certificate evidencing any unexercised Rights delivered to you or to someone else, check box “D” below, and indicate the address to which the shares of Common Stock should be delivered in Section 1. If you want some or all of your unexercised Rights transferred to a designated transferee, or to a bank or broker to sell for you, check box “E” below and complete Section 2.

 

PAYMENT FOR SHARES: Full payment for shares of Common Stock subscribed for pursuant to the Subscription Privilege payable by certified check, bank draft or money order to Mellon Investor Services LLC must accompany this Rights Certificate or a notice of guaranteed delivery. Please reference your Rights Certificate Number on your certified check, bank draft or money order.

 

If the aggregate Subscription Price paid by you is insufficient to purchase the number of shares of Common Stock that you subscribed for, or if you do not specify the number of shares of Common Stock to be purchased, then you will be deemed to have exercised your Subscription Privilege to the fullest extent of the payment rendered. If the aggregate Subscription Price paid by you exceeds the amount necessary to purchase the number of shares of Common Stock for which you subscribed, then you will be deemed to have exercised your Subscription Privilege to the extent of your election and the excess will be refunded to you as soon as practicable.

 

RETURN TO: PRICESMART, INC. C/O MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC

 

By Mail:   By Overnight Courier:   By Hand:

PriceSmart, Inc.

C/O Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

P.O. Box 3301

South Hackensack, NJ 07606

 

PriceSmart, Inc.

C/O Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

85 Challenger Road, 2nd Floor

Overpeck Centre

Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660

 

PriceSmart, Inc.

C/O Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

120 Broadway, 13th Floor

New York, New York 10271

 

PLEASE FILL IN ALL APPLICABLE INFORMATION

 

A.   Subscription Privilege       X      

=

 

 

$            

 

  B.

 

   Amount Enclosed:
$                            

 

        (No. of Shares) (1)       (Subscription Price)           

 

C.  

Sell any unexercised

Rights  ¨

   D.    Deliver a certificate representing                      unexercised Rights to the address in Section 1  ¨    E.    Transfer Rights to the Transferee designated in Section 2  ¨

 

(1) May not exceed maximum shares of Common Stock available pursuant to the Subscription Privilege.

 

SECTION 1: TO SUBSCRIBE: I hereby irrevocably subscribe for the number of shares of Common Stock indicated as the total of A above upon the terms and conditions specified in the Prospectus relating thereto and incorporated by reference herein, receipt of which is acknowledged. I hereby agree that if I fail to pay for the shares of Common Stock for which I have subscribed, the Company may exercise any remedies available to it under law.

 

TO SELL: If I have checked the box on line C, I authorize the sale of Rights by the Subscription Agent according to the procedures described in the Prospectus.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Signature of Subscriber(s)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Address for delivery of shares or certificates representing unexercised Rights

(if permanent change of address, check here ¨)


Please give your telephone number:  

___________________________________________________

Please give your email address:  

___________________________________________________

 

IMPORTANT: Signature medallion guarantee by (a) a commercial bank or trust company; (b) a member firm of a domestic stock exchange; or (c) a savings bank or credit union, is required if this Rights Certificate is not registered in your name or you are not an eligible institution:

 

Officer signing this Guarantee:                  
    (name)          
Name of Guarantor:              
    (name of bank or firm)          

 

SECTION 2: TO TRANSFER RIGHTS (pursuant to line E above): For value received,                  of the Rights represented by this Subscription Certificate are transferred to:

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

(Print full name of Transferee)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

(Print full Address)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

IMPORTANT: The signature of the assignee must be medallion guaranteed by: (a) a commercial bank or trust company; (b) a member firm of a domestic stock exchange; or (c) a savings bank or credit union.

 

Officer signing this Guarantee:    

           
    (name)        

Name of Guarantor:

           
    (name of bank or firm)        
EX-4.3 4 dex43.htm INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE OF PRICESMART Instructions for Use of PriceSmart

Exhibit 4.3

 

LOGO

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE OF PRICESMART, INC.

COMMON STOCK RIGHTS CERTIFICATES

 

CONSULT MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC OR YOUR BANK OR BROKER

AS TO ANY QUESTIONS

 

EXERCISABLE ON OR BEFORE 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON             ,                  , 2004, TO EXERCISE A RIGHT AT A SUBSCRIPTION PRICE OF $7 (THE “$7 EXPIRATION TIME”), AND EXERCISABLE AFTER SUCH DATE AND TIME AND ON OR BEFORE 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON             ,                  , 2004, TO EXERCISE A RIGHT AT A SUBSCRIPTION PRICE OF $8, UNLESS EXTENDED BY THE COMPANY (THE “$8 EXPIRATION TIME”).

 

The following instructions relate to a rights offering (the “Rights Offering”) by PriceSmart, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), to the holders of common stock, par value $.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company as described in the Company’s prospectus, dated                          , 2004 (the “Prospectus”). Stockholders of record at the close of business on November 24, 2004 (the “Record Date”), are receiving one transferable subscription right for each share of the Common Stock held by them at the Record Date. Holders of Common Stock are receiving transferable subscription rights (“Rights”) to acquire shares of Common Stock.

 

Each Right is exercisable, upon payment of $7 or $8 per share, as the case may be (in either case, the “Subscription Price”), to purchase 1.5 shares of Common Stock (the “Subscription Privilege”).

 

No fractional shares or cash in lieu thereof will be issued or paid. Instead, the number of shares of Common Stock each rights holder is entitled to acquire has been rounded upward to the nearest whole share.

 

The Subscription Price for Common Stock is payable by certified check, bank draft or money order, in each case payable to the Subscription Agent.

 

To exercise a Right at a Subscription Price of $7, you must do so on or before the $7 Expiration Time or to exercise a right at a Subscription Price of $8, you must do so after the $7 Expiration Time and on or before the $8 Expiration Time. It is anticipated that the Rights will be traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “PSMTR” until the close of business on the last trading day before the $8 Expiration Time. The Company cannot assure you that a trading market for the Rights will develop.

 

The number of Rights to which a holder of a “Rights Certificate” is entitled is printed on the face of that holder’s Rights Certificate. You should indicate your wishes with regard to the exercise, assignment, transfer or sale of your Rights by completing the Rights Certificate and returning it to the Subscription Agent in the envelope provided.

 

YOUR RIGHTS CERTIFICATE MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT, OR GUARANTEED DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR RIGHTS CERTIFICATE MUST BE COMPLIED WITH, AND PAYMENT OF THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE MUST BE RECEIVED, AS MORE SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBED IN THE PROSPECTUS, BY THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT ON OR BEFORE THE $7 EXPIRATION TIME OR THE $8 EXPIRATION TIME, AS THE CASE MAY BE. YOU MAY NOT REVOKE ANY EXERCISE OF A RIGHT.


1. Subscription Privilege.

 

To exercise Rights, deliver your properly completed and executed Rights Certificate, together with payment in full of the Subscription Price for each share of Common Stock subscribed for pursuant to the Subscription Privilege, to the Subscription Agent.

 

Payment of the applicable Subscription Price must be made for the full number of shares of Common Stock being subscribed for by certified check, bank draft or money order payable to Mellon Investor Services LLC, as Subscription Agent. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT ONLY UPON THE RECEIPT BY THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT OF ANY CERTIFIED CHECK OR BANK DRAFT DRAWN UPON A U.S. BANK OR OF ANY POSTAL, TELEGRAPHIC OR EXPRESS MONEY ORDER AS PROVIDED ABOVE.

 

As an alternative to delivering your properly completed and executed Rights Certificate, you may cause a written guarantee substantially in the form enclosed herewith (the “Notice of Guaranteed Delivery”) from a commercial bank, trust company, securities broker or dealer, credit union, savings association or other eligible guarantor institution which is a member of or a participant in a signature medallion guarantee program acceptable to the Subscription Agent (each of the foregoing being an “Eligible Institution”), to be delivered to the Subscription Agent at or prior to the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be, together with payment in full of the applicable Subscription Price. Such Notice of Guaranteed Delivery must state your name, the number of Rights represented by your Rights Certificate, the number of shares of Common Stock being subscribed for pursuant to the Subscription Privilege, and will guarantee the delivery to the Subscription Agent of your properly completed and executed Rights Certificate within three business days following the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be. If this procedure is followed, your Rights Certificate must be delivered to the Subscription Agent within three business days following the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be. If the Subscription Agent receives documents related to an exercise of Rights at a Subscription Price of $7 after the $7 Expiration Time, your subscription amount will be returned to you.

 

Additional copies of the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery may be obtained upon request from the Information Agent, at the address, or by calling the telephone number, indicated below.

 

Banks, brokers, trusts, depositaries or other nominee holders of the Rights who exercise the Rights on behalf of beneficial owners of Rights will be required to certify to the Subscription Agent and the Company on a Nominee Holder Certification Form the number of shares of Common Stock being subscribed for pursuant to the Subscription Privilege by each beneficial owner of Rights on whose behalf such nominee holder is acting and the applicable Subscription Price. The address and telecopier numbers of the Subscription Agent are as follows:

 

By Mail:    By Overnight Courier:    By Hand:

PriceSmart, Inc.

C/O Mellon Investor Services LLC Attention: Reorganization Dept.

P.O. Box 3301

South Hackensack, NJ 07606

  

PriceSmart, Inc.

C/O Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept. 85 Challenger Road, 2nd Floor Overpeck Centre

Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660

  

PriceSmart, Inc.

C/O Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept. 120 Broadway, 13th Floor

New York, New York 10271

 

Facsimile Transmission:

(Eligible Institutions Only)

(201) 296-4293

 

To confirm receipt

of facsimile only:

(201) 296-4860

 

The address and telephone numbers of the Information Agent, for inquiries, information or requests for additional documentation with respect to the Rights are as follows:

 

Mellon Investor Services LLC

85 Challenger Road, 2nd Floor

Overpeck Centre

Call Toll Free: (888) 684-7182


If you exercise less than all of the Rights evidenced by your Rights Certificate, you may either (a) check box “E” and complete Section 2 of your Rights Certificate to transfer your remaining unexercised Rights to a designated transferee or to assign them to a bank or broker to sell for you, (b) check box “C” and complete Section 1 of your Rights Certificate to direct the Subscription Agent to attempt to sell the unexercised Rights on your behalf, or (c) check box “D” and complete Section 1 of your Rights Certificate and the Subscription Agent will issue you a new Rights Certificate evidencing the unexercised Rights (see Section 4 of these “Instructions for Use of PriceSmart, Inc. Common Stock Rights Certificates”). When completing such instructions, consider that you may only transfer, request that the Subscription Agent sell, or divide your Rights Certificate into, whole Rights. In addition, if you only transfer, or request that the Subscription Agent sell, part of your Rights, you may only transfer, or request that the Subscription Agent sell, such number of whole Rights as will result in the transferee or purchaser, as applicable, receiving a whole number of shares of Common Stock if the transferee or purchaser exercises its Subscription Privilege in respect of the Rights transferred or sold. Also consider that the Subscription Agent will not divide your Rights Certificate so that (through rounding or otherwise) you, together with any purchaser or transferee of part of your Rights (if applicable), will receive Rights entitling the rights holders of the new Rights Certificates resulting from such division to receive a greater number of shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of their Subscription Privileges than you would receive pursuant to the exercise of your Subscription Privilege if you had not divided your Rights Certificate. Consider that if you choose to have any such new Rights Certificate delivered to a different address, so indicate in Section 1 of your Rights Certificate. If you choose to have a new Rights Certificate sent, you might not receive any such new Rights Certificate in sufficient time to permit the exercise, assignment, transfer or sale of the Rights evidenced thereby.

 

If you have not indicated the number of shares of Common Stock being purchased, or if you have not forwarded full payment of the Subscription Price for the number of shares of Common Stock that you have indicated are being purchased, you will be deemed to have exercised the Subscription Privilege with respect to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased for the Subscription Price transmitted or delivered by you, and to the extent that the Subscription Price transmitted or delivered by you exceeds the product of the Subscription Price multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock you are entitled to purchase as evidenced by the Rights Certificate(s) transmitted or delivered by you and no direction is given as to the excess, you will be deemed to have exercised your Subscription Privilege to the extent of your election and the excess will be refunded to you as soon as practicable.

 

2. Conditions to Completion of the Rights Offering.

 

There are no conditions to the completion of the Rights Offering. However, the Company has the right to terminate the Rights Offering for any reason before the Rights expire.

 

3. Delivery of Shares of Common Stock.

 

The following deliveries and payments will be made to the address shown on the face of your Rights Certificate unless you provide instructions to the contrary in your Rights Certificate.

 

(a) Subscription Privilege. As soon as practicable following receipt of a properly completed and signed Rights Certificate, the Subscription Agent will deliver to each validly exercising rights holder shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to such exercise. Such shares will be issued in the same form, certificated or book-entry, as the Rights exercised by that rights holder.

 

(b) Return of Excess Payments. As soon as practicable, the Subscription Agent will promptly deliver to each rights holder any excess funds, without interest or deduction, received in payment of the applicable Subscription Price.

 

4. Sell or Transfer Rights.

 

(a) Transfer of All or Less than All Unexercised Rights to One Designated Transferee. To transfer all of your unexercised Rights to a designated transferee or to a broker, dealer or nominee for sale on your behalf, you


must so indicate in box “E” and complete Section 2 of your Rights Certificate. A Rights Certificate that has been properly transferred in its entirety may be exercised by a new holder without having a new Rights Certificate issued. If you wish to transfer less than all of your unexercised Rights to one designated transferee or to a broker, dealer or nominee for sale on your behalf, so indicate in box “E” and complete Section 2 of your Rights Certificate and separately instruct the Subscription Agent as to the action to be taken with respect to the unexercised Rights not transferred. Such instructions must be medallion guaranteed by an Eligible Institution as discussed further at Section 6(c) below. If no such instructions are received, the Subscription Agent will issue you a new Rights Certificate evidencing the unexercised Rights. When completing such instructions, consider that you may only transfer whole Rights. In addition, if you only transfer part of your Rights, you may only transfer such number of whole Rights as will result in the transferee receiving a whole number of shares of Common Stock if the transferee exercises its Subscription Privilege in respect of the Rights transferred. If box “E” is checked but Section 2 is not completed, the Subscription Agent may thereafter treat the bearer of the Rights Certificate as the absolute owner of all of the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate for all purposes, and neither the Subscription Agent nor the Company shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

(b) Transfer of All or Less than All Unexercised Rights to More than One Designated Transferee. Because only the Subscription Agent can issue Rights Certificates, if you wish to transfer all or less than all of the unexercised Rights evidenced by your Rights Certificate to more than one designated transferee or to a broker, dealer or nominee for sale on your behalf, so indicate in box “E” and complete Section 2 and separately instruct the Subscription Agent as to the action to be taken with respect to the remaining unexercised Rights. Such instructions must be medallion guaranteed by an Eligible Institution as discussed further at Section 6(c) below. When completing such instructions, consider that you may only transfer whole Rights. In addition, if you only transfer part of your Rights, you may only transfer such number of whole Rights as will result in each transferee receiving a whole number of shares of Common Stock if each transferee exercises its Subscription Privilege in respect of the Rights transferred. Alternatively, you may first have your Rights Certificate divided into Rights Certificates of appropriate denominations by following the instructions in Section 5 below. Each Rights Certificate evidencing the number of Rights you intend to transfer can then be transferred by following the instructions in Section 4(a).

 

(c) Sale of All Unexercised Rights through the Subscription Agent. To sell all unexercised Rights evidenced by a Rights Certificate through the Subscription Agent, so indicate by checking box “C” and completing Section 1. IF THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT SELLS ANY OF YOUR RIGHTS, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN SOLD AT THE ACTUAL SALE PRICE RECEIVED IN SUCH SALE. As soon as practicable following such sale, the Subscription Agent will send the holder a check for the net proceeds from the sale of any Rights sold. The Subscription Agent’s obligation to execute sell orders is subject to its ability to find buyers for the Rights. NO ASSURANCE CAN BE GIVEN THAT A MARKET WILL DEVELOP OR BE MAINTAINED FOR THE RIGHTS OR THAT THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT WILL BE ABLE TO SELL ANY RIGHTS. You must have your order to sell your Rights to the Subscription Agent before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on             ,                  , 2004, the fifth business day before the $8 Expiration Time. If the Subscription Agent cannot sell your Rights by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             ,                  , 2004, the third business day before the $8 Expiration Time, the Subscription Agent will hold your Rights Certificate for pick up by you at the Subscription Agent’s hand delivery address provided above. We encourage you to review the discussion in the Prospectus under the heading “The Rights Offering—Method of Transferring and Selling Rights” and “The Rights Offering—Sales of Rights Through the Subscription Agent.”

 

(d) Sale of Less than All Unexercised Rights through the Subscription Agent. You may have your Rights Certificate divided into Rights Certificates of appropriate denominations by following the instructions in Section 5 below. The Rights Certificate evidencing the number of unexercised Rights you intend to sell can then be sold by following the instructions in Section 4(c). When completing such instructions, consider that you may only request that the Subscription Agent sell whole Rights. In addition, if you only request that the Subscription Agent sell part of your Rights, you may only request that the Subscription Agent sell such number of whole Rights as will result in the purchaser receiving a whole number of shares of Common Stock if the purchaser exercises its Subscription Privilege in respect of the Rights sold. IF THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT SELLS ANY OF YOUR RIGHTS, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN SOLD AT THE ACTUAL SALE PRICE


RECEIVED IN SUCH SALE. As promptly as practicable following such sale, the Subscription Agent will send the holder a check for the net proceeds from the sale of any Rights sold. The Subscription Agent’s obligation to execute sell orders is subject to its ability to find buyers for the Rights. NO ASSURANCE CAN BE GIVEN THAT A MARKET WILL DEVELOP OR BE MAINTAINED FOR THE RIGHTS OR THAT THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT WILL BE ABLE TO SELL ANY RIGHTS. You must have your order to sell your Rights to the Subscription Agent before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on             ,                  , 2004, the fifth business day before the $8 Expiration Time. If the Subscription Agent cannot sell your Rights by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             ,                  , 2004, the third business day before the $8 Expiration Time, the Subscription Agent will hold your Rights Certificate for pick up by you at the Subscription Agent’s hand delivery address provided above. We encourage you to review the discussion in the Prospectus under the heading “The Rights Offering—Method of Transferring and Selling Rights” and “The Rights Offering—Sales of Rights Through the Subscription Agent.”

 

5. To Have a Rights Certificate Divided into Smaller Denominations.

 

Send your Rights Certificate, together with complete separate instructions (including specification of the denominations into which you wish your Rights to be divided), signed by you, to the Subscription Agent, allowing a sufficient amount of time for new Rights Certificates to be issued and returned so that they can be used prior to the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be. Alternatively, you may assign your unexercised Rights to a bank or broker to effect such actions on your behalf. Your signature must be medallion guaranteed by an Eligible Institution if any of the new Rights Certificates are to be issued in a name other than that in which the old Rights Certificate was issued. A Rights Certificate may not be divided so that (through rounding or otherwise) you, together with any purchaser or transferee of part of your Rights (if applicable), will receive Rights entitling the rights holders of the new Rights Certificates resulting from such division to receive a greater number of shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of their Subscription Privileges than you would receive pursuant to the exercise of your Subscription Privilege if you had not divided your Rights Certificate. Any instruction to the contrary will be rejected. As a result of delays in the mail, the time of the transmittal, the necessary processing time and other factors, you or your transferee might not receive such new Rights Certificate(s) in time to enable the rights holder to exercise the Rights before the $7 Expiration Time or $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be, or sale or transfer the Rights by the $8 Expiration Time. Neither the Company nor the Subscription Agent will be liable to either a transferor or transferee for any such delays.

 

Nominee holders of Common Stock that hold, on the Record Date, shares for the account(s) of more than one beneficial owner may exercise the number of Rights to which all such beneficial owners in the aggregate would otherwise have been entitled if they had been direct record holders of Common Stock on the Record Date, provided that each such nominee holder certifies to the Subscription Agent and the Company on a Nominee Holder Certification Form the number of shares of Common Stock being subscribed for pursuant to the Subscription Privilege by each beneficial owner of Rights on whose behalf such nominee holder is acting and the applicable Subscription Price.

 

6. Execution.

 

(a) Execution by Registered Holder(s). The signature on the Rights Certificate must correspond with the name of the registered holder exactly as it appears on the face of the Rights Certificate without any alteration or change whatsoever. If the Rights Certificate is registered in the names of two or more joint owners, all of such owners must sign. Persons who sign the Rights Certificate in a representative or other fiduciary capacity must indicate their capacity when signing and, unless waived by the Company in its sole and absolute discretion, must present to the Subscription Agent satisfactory evidence of their authority to so act.

 

(b) Execution by Person Other than Registered Holder. If the Rights Certificate is executed by a person other than the holder named on the face of the Rights Certificate, proper evidence of authority of the person executing the Rights Certificate must accompany the same unless, for good cause, the Company dispenses with proof of authority, in its sole and absolute discretion.


(c) Signature Guarantees. Your signature must be medallion guaranteed by an Eligible Institution if you wish to transfer all or less than all of your unexercised Rights to a designated transferee or to a broker, dealer or nominee for sale on your behalf as specified in Section 4(a), 4(b) or both.

 

7. Method of Delivery.

 

The method of delivery of Rights Certificates and payment of the Subscription Price to the Subscription Agent will be at the election and risk of the rights holder, but, if sent by mail, it is recommended that they be sent by registered mail, properly insured, with return receipt requested, and that a sufficient number of days be allowed to ensure delivery to the Subscription Agent prior to the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be.

 

8. Special Provisions Relating to the Delivery of Rights through the Depository Trust Company.

 

In the case of holders of Rights that are held of record through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), exercises of the Subscription Privilege may be effected by instructing DTC to transfer Rights (such Rights being “DTC Exercised Rights”) from the DTC account of such holder to the DTC account of the Subscription Agent, together with payment of the Subscription Price for each share of Common Stock subscribed for pursuant to the Subscription Privilege.

 

9. Form W-9.

 

Each rights holder who elects to exercise, sell or transfer his, her or its Rights through the Subscription Agent must provide the Subscription Agent with a correct Taxpayer Identification Number (“TIN”) and, where applicable, certification of such rights holder’s exemption from backup withholding on a Form W-9. Each foreign rights holder who elects to exercise, sell or transfer his, her or its Rights through the Subscription Agent should provide the Subscription Agent with certification of foreign status on a Form W-8. Copies of Form W-8 and additional copies of Form W-9 may be obtained upon request from the Subscription Agent at the address, or by calling the telephone number, indicated above. Failure to provide the information on the form may subject such holder to federal income tax withholding with respect to any proceeds received by such rights holder (including funds to be remitted to rights holders in respect of Rights sold by the Subscription Agent (for those holders electing to have the Subscription Agent sell their Rights for them)).

EX-23.1 5 dex231.htm CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG, LLP, INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

    Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in the Registration Statement (S-3) and related Prospectus of PriceSmart, Inc. for the registration of 16,052,668 shares of its common stock and to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated October 29, 2004, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of PriceSmart, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended August 31, 2004, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

We also consent to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated October 29, 2004, with respect to the financial statement schedule of PriceSmart, Inc. for the years ended August 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 included in the Annual Report (Form 10-K) for 2004 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

 

San Diego, California

November 29, 2004

EX-99.1 6 dex991.htm FORM OF NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

 

NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY

FOR RIGHTS TO ACQUIRE COMMON STOCK

 

This form (this “Notice of Guaranteed Delivery”), must be used to exercise the transferable subscription rights (the “Rights”) to acquire common stock, par value $.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), of PriceSmart, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), pursuant to the rights offering (the “Rights Offering”) described in the prospectus dated                          , 2004 (the “Prospectus”) of the Company, if a holder of Rights cannot deliver the rights certificates evidencing the Rights (the “Rights Certificate(s)”) to the subscription agent listed below (the “Subscription Agent”) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on                ,                      , 2004, to exercise such holder’s Rights at a subscription price of $7 (the “$7 Expiration Time”), or after the $7 Expiration Time and at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on                ,                      , 2004, to exercise such holder’s Rights at a subscription price of $8, unless the rights offering is extended (the “$8 Expiration Time”). Such form must be delivered by hand or sent by facsimile transmission or mail to the Subscription Agent, and must be received by the Subscription Agent on or prior to the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be. See the discussion set forth under “The Rights Offering” in the Prospectus.

 

Payment of the subscription price (the “Subscription Price”) of $7 per share or $8 per share, as the case may be, for each share of Common Stock of the Company subscribed for upon exercise of the Rights must be received by the Subscription Agent in the manner specified in the Prospectus at or prior to the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be, even if the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights is being delivered pursuant to the procedure for guaranteed delivery thereof. See the discussion set forth under “The Rights Offering—Guaranteed Delivery Procedures” in the Prospectus.

 

The address and telecopier numbers of the Subscription Agent are:

 

By Mail:

  By Overnight Courier:   By Hand:

PriceSmart, Inc.

C/O Mellon Investor Services LLC Attention: Reorganization Dept. P.O. Box 3301

South Hackensack, NJ 07606

 

PriceSmart, Inc.

C/O Mellon Investor Services LLC

Attention: Reorganization Dept.

85 Challenger Road, 2nd Floor Overpeck Centre

Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660

 

PriceSmart, Inc.

C/O Mellon Investor Services LLC Attention: Reorganization Dept.

120 Broadway, 13th Floor New York, New York 10271

 

Facsimile Transmission:

(Eligible Institutions Only)

(201) 296-4293

  To confirm receipt
of facsimile only:
(201) 296-4860

 

The address and telephone numbers of the information agent (the “Information Agent”), for inquiries, information or requests for additional documentation with respect to the Rights are as follows:

 

Mellon Investor Services LLC

85 Challenger Road, 2nd Floor

Overpeck Centre

Call Toll Free: (888) 684 -7182

 

DELIVERY OF THIS INSTRUMENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH ABOVE OR TRANSMISSION VIA A FACSIMILE MACHINE OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH ABOVE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A VALID DELIVERY.


Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned hereby represents that he, she or it is the holder of Rights Certificate(s) representing Rights to purchase              shares of the Company’s Common Stock and that such Rights Certificate(s) cannot be delivered to the Subscription Agent at or before the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Prospectus, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby elects to exercise the subscription privilege (the “Subscription Privilege”) relating to such Rights to subscribe for                      shares of Common Stock represented by such Rights Certificate(s). The undersigned understands that payment of the Subscription Price of $7 per share or $8 per share, as the case may be, for each share of Common Stock subscribed for pursuant to the Subscription Privilege must be received by the Subscription Agent at or before the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be, and represents that such payment, in the aggregate amount of $                    , either (check appropriate box):

 

¨ is being delivered to the Subscription Agent herewith; or

 

¨ has been delivered separately to the Subscription Agent, and is or was delivered in the manner set forth below (check appropriate box and complete information relating thereto);

 

¨ certified check

 

¨ bank draft (cashier’s check)

 

¨ money order

 

Name of maker:     

 

Date of check or draft or money order number:     

 

Bank on which check is drawn or issuer of money order:     

 

All authority conferred or agreed to be conferred by this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery shall not be affected by, and shall survive, the death or incapacity of the undersigned, and every obligation of the undersigned under this Notice of Guaranteed Delivery shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators, trustees in bankruptcy, personal and legal representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.

 

PLEASE SIGN AND COMPLETE

 

Signature(s):

                       
              Address         Telephone Number

Name(s)

                       
    Print or Type         City, State and Zip Code        

Rights Certificate No(s)

(If Available)

Signature(s):

                       
              Address         Telephone Number

Name(s):

                       
    Print or Type         City, State and Zip Code        

Rights Certificate No(s)

(If Available)

 


GUARANTEE OF DELIVERY

(NOT TO BE USED FOR RIGHTS CERTIFICATE SIGNATURE MEDALLION GUARANTEE)

 

The undersigned, a member firm of a registered national securities exchange or member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States, or another “Eligible Guarantor Institution” as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, hereby guarantees that within three business days following the $7 Expiration Time or the $8 Expiration Time, as the case may be, the undersigned will deliver to the Subscription Agent the certificates representing the Rights being exercised hereby, with any required signature medallion guarantees and any other required documents.

 

                              
Name of Firm             Authorized Signature         Date     
                              
Address             Name (Print or Type)         Telephone Number     
                              
City, State and Zip Code             Title               

 

The institution which completes this form must communicate the guarantee to the Subscription Agent and must deliver the Rights Certificates to the Subscription Agent within the time period shown herein. Failure to do so could result in a financial loss to such institution.

 

DO NOT SEND RIGHTS CERTIFICATES WITH THIS FORM

EX-99.2 7 dex992.htm FORM OF LETTER FROM PRICESMART TO BROKERS, DEALERS AND NOMINEES Form of letter from PriceSmart to brokers, dealers and nominees

Exhibit 99.2

 

LOGO

 

To Securities Dealers, Commercial Banks,

Trust Companies and Other Nominees:

 

We are sending you this letter in connection with the distribution to our stockholders holding our common stock, par value $.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), of transferable subscription rights (“Rights”) to purchase our Common Stock. We have described the Rights and the rights offering in the enclosed Prospectus and evidenced the Rights by one or more rights certificate(s) registered in your name or the name of your nominee.

 

We are asking you to contact your clients for whom you hold our Common Stock registered in your name or in the name of your nominee to obtain instructions with respect to the Rights. We have enclosed several copies of the following documents for you to use:

 

  1. The Prospectus;

 

  2. The “Instructions for Use of PriceSmart, Inc. Common Stock Rights Certificates”;

 

  3. Instructions for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on Form W-9;

 

  4. A form letter which may be sent to your clients for whose accounts you hold Common Stock registered in your name or the name of your nominee;

 

  5. A Beneficial Owner Election Form, on which you may obtain your clients’ instructions with regard to the Rights;

 

  6. A Nominee Holder Certification Form;

 

  7. A Notice of Guaranteed Delivery; and

 

  8. A return envelope addressed to Mellon Investor Services LLC, the subscription agent for the rights offering.

 

We request that you act promptly. You may obtain additional copies of the enclosed materials and may request assistance or information from the information agent, Mellon Investor Services LLC, at (888) 684-7182.

 

Very truly yours,

 

PRICESMART, INC.

 

YOU ARE NOT AN AGENT OF MELLON INVESTOR SERVICES LLC NOR OF ANY OTHER PERSON (INCLUDING PRICESMART, INC.) WHO IS DEEMED TO BE MAKING OR WHO IS MAKING OFFERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK IN THE RIGHTS OFFERING, AND YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS ON THEIR OR OUR BEHALF, EXCEPT FOR STATEMENTS MADE IN THE PROSPECTUS.

EX-99.3 8 dex993.htm FORM OF LETTER FROM BROKERS, DEALERS AND NOMINEES TO CLIENTS Form of letter from brokers, dealers and nominees to clients

Exhibit 99.3

 

To Our Clients:

 

We are sending this letter because we hold shares of PriceSmart, Inc. common stock (“Common Stock”) for you. The Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “PSMT.” PriceSmart, Inc. has distributed to its stockholders transferable subscription rights to purchase its Common Stock, as described in the enclosed prospectus.

 

We have enclosed your copy of the following documents:

 

  1. The prospectus; and

 

  2. A beneficial owner election form.

 

We urge you to read these documents carefully before instructing us to exercise, sell or otherwise transfer your rights to acquire Common Stock. WE WILL ACT ON YOUR BEHALF ACCORDING TO YOUR INSTRUCTIONS.

EX-99.4 9 dex994.htm FORM OF BENEFICIAL OWNER ELECTION FORM Form of Beneficial Owner Election Form

Exhibit 99.4

 

PRICESMART, INC.

BENEFICIAL OWNER ELECTION FORM

FOR RIGHTS TO ACQUIRE COMMON STOCK

 

I (we) acknowledge receipt of your letter and the enclosed materials relating to the offering by PriceSmart, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), of rights (the “Rights”) to acquire shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company. Each share of Common Stock held by you entitles you to one Right. Each Right entitles you to purchase 1.5 shares of Common Stock pursuant to your subscription privilege (the “Subscription Privilege”) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on             ,                  , 2004, at a subscription price of $7 (the “$7 Expiration Time”), or after the $7 Expiration Time and at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on            ,                  , 2004, at a subscription price of $8, unless the rights offering is extended, pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the prospectus dated                  , 2004 (the “Prospectus”).

 

In Part I of this form, I (we) instruct you whether to exercise, sell or transfer the Rights distributed with respect to the Common Stock held by you for my (our) account, pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

 

PART I

 

BOX 1. ¨ Please do not exercise Rights for shares of Common Stock.

 

BOX 2. ¨ Please exercise Rights for shares of Common Stock as set forth below:

 

     Number of
Rights


   Number of
Shares


      Subscription Price

      Payment

Subscription Privilege:

   ______    ______   X   $ _________________   =   $____________             (Line 1)
                            (Shares X Price)

 

Total Payment Required = $                       (Equal to amount in Line 1; must equal total of amounts in Boxes 3 and 4).

 

BOX 3. ¨ Payment in the following amount is enclosed: $                    

 

BOX 4. ¨ Please deduct payment from the following account maintained by you as follows:

 

_______________________    _______________________    $   ____________________________
Type of Account    Account Number        Amount to be Deducted
_______________________    ________________________________________________________
Date    Signature(s)

 

BOX 5. ¨ Please sell                      of my Rights

 

BOX 6. ¨ Please have Mellon Investor Services LLC effect my specific instructions that I have attached hereto and for which I have had an Eligible Institution medallion guarantee my signature.

 

Signature(s): 

        Type or Print Name:      

Signature(s): 

        Type or Print Name:      
     (If held jointly)          

 

Officer signing this Medallion Guarantee:            
  (Name)    
Name of Guarantor:        
   

(Name of bank or firm)

   
EX-99.5 10 dex995.htm FORM OF NOMINEE HOLDER CERTIFICATION Form of Nominee Holder Certification

Exhibit 99.5

 

PRICESMART, INC.

NOMINEE HOLDER CERTIFICATION

FOR RIGHTS TO ACQUIRE COMMON STOCK

 

The undersigned, a bank, broker, trustee, depositary or other nominee of rights (“Rights”) to purchase shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), of PriceSmart, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), pursuant to the rights offering described and provided for in the Company’s prospectus dated                              , 2004 (the “Prospectus”), hereby certifies to the Company and to Mellon Investor Services LLC, as subscription agent for the offering of Rights, that the undersigned has exercised Rights to purchase the number of shares of Common Stock at the subscription price specified below pursuant to the subscription privilege (as described in the Prospectus) on behalf of beneficial owners of Rights, listing separately below the number of shares subscribed for with respect to each such exercised subscription privilege (without identifying any such beneficial owner):

 

    

NUMBER OF SHARES OF

COMMON STOCK

OWNED ON THE

RECORD DATE


  

NUMBER OF SHARES

SUBSCRIBED FOR

PURSUANT TO

SUBSCRIPTION

PRIVILEGE


  

SUBSCRIPTION

PRICE


1.               
2.               
3.               
4.               
5.               
6.               
7.               
8.               

 

Provide the following information if applicable:

 

           

Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)

Participant Number

     

DTC Basic Subscription Confirmation Number(s)

 

PARTICIPANT

By:

   
   

Name:

   

Title

EX-99.7 11 dex997.htm INSTRUCTIONS FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER INDENTIFICATION NUMBER ON FORM W-9 Instructions for Certification of Taxpayer Indentification Number on Form W-9

Exhibit 99.7

 

PRICESMART, INC.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ON

FORM W-9

 

Under United States federal income tax law, the sale of Rights may be subject to backup withholding and information reporting. Each U.S. rights holder who sells Rights through the Subscription Agent is required to provide the Subscription Agent (as the agent of PriceSmart, Inc.) with such holder’s correct Taxpayer Identification Number (“TIN”) on the attached Form W-9. Foreign rights holders who sell Rights through the Subscription Agent should complete a Form W-8, a copy of which can be obtained from the Information Agent by contacting the Information Agent at its address and telephone number set forth in the Prospectus. In the case of a U.S. rights holder, if such rights holder is an individual, the TIN is his or her social security number. If the Subscription Agent is not provided with a correct TIN, then the rights holder may be subject to a $50 penalty imposed by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION APPLIES ONLY TO RIGHTS HOLDERS WHO SELL THEIR RIGHTS THROUGH THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT.

 

Exempt rights holders (including, among others, all corporations and certain foreign individuals) are not subject to these backup withholding and reporting requirements. Exempt rights holders, other than foreign persons, should furnish their TIN, write “Exempt” in Part 2 of the attached Form W-9 and sign, date and return the Form W-9 to the Subscription Agent. In order for a foreign individual to qualify as an exempt recipient, that rights holder must submit a statement, signed under penalties of perjury, attesting to that individual’s exempt status. Such statements can be obtained from the Subscription Agent. See the Instructions to Form W-9 below for additional instructions.

 

If backup withholding applies, our Subscription Agent will be required to withhold 28% of any “reportable payments” made to the rights holder. “Reportable payments” generally include the proceeds of a taxable sale. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the tax liability of a person subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS.

 

PURPOSE OF FORM W-9

 

U.S. rights holders should use Form W-9 to give their correct TIN to the payer (the person requesting your TIN) and, when applicable, (1) to certify that the TIN you are using is correct (or that you are waiting for a TIN to be issued), (2) to certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, or (3) to claim exemption from backup withholding if you are an exempt payee. To prevent backup withholding, a U.S. rights holder is required to notify the Subscription Agent of such holder’s correct TIN by completing the form attached certifying that the TIN provided on Form W-9 is correct (or that such holder is awaiting a TIN). Each U.S. rights holder must sign and date the Form W-9 in the space indicated.

 

WHAT NUMBER TO GIVE THE SUBSCRIPTION AGENT?

 

Each U.S. rights holder is required to give the Subscription Agent such holder’s Social Security Number or Employer Identification Number of the record owner of the Rights. If the Rights are in more than one name or are not in the name of the actual owner, consult the enclosed Instructions to Form W-9 for additional guidelines on which number to report. If the U.S. rights holder has not been issued a TIN and has applied for a number or intends to apply for a number in the near future, the U.S. rights holder should contact the Subscription Agent for further instructions. Foreign rights holders should complete a Form W-8, a copy of which can be obtained from the Information Agent by contacting the Information Agent at its address and telephone number set forth in the Prospectus.


           

Form W-9

(Rev. January 2003)

  

Request for Taxpayer

Identification Number and Certification

   Give form to the requester. Do not send to the IRS.

Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service

       

 

Print or type

See Specific Instructions on page 2.

 

Name

 


Business name, if different from above

 


 

Check appropriate box:  

 ¨  Individual/

      Sole proprietor

 

¨   Corporation

 

¨   Partnership

 

¨   Other    >................

 

 ¨  Exempt from

       backup withholding

 


Address (number, street, and apt, or suite no.)

   Requester’s name and address (optional)        

 


City, state, and ZIP code

 


List account number(s) here (optional)

 


 

Part I Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

 


 

Enter your TIN in the appropriate box. For individuals, this is your social security number (SSN). However, for a resident alien, sole proprietor, or disregarded entity, see the Part I instructions on page 3. For other entities, it is your employer identification number (EIN). If you do not have a number, see How to get a TIN on page 3.

 

Note: If the account is in more than one name, see the chart on page 4 for guidelines on whose number to enter.

 

Social security number

   or    Employer identification number

[    ][    ][    ]- [    ][    ]-

[    ][    ][    ][    ]

        [    ][    ]- [    ][    ][    ][    ][    ][    ]

 


 

Part II Certification

 



Under penalties of perjury, I certify that:

 

1. The number shown on this form is my correct taxpayer identification number (or I am waiting for a number to be issued to me), and

 

2. I am not subject to backup withholding because: (a) I am exempt from backup withholding, or (b) I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that I am subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends, or (c) the IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup withholding, and

 

3. I am a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien).

 

Certification instructions. You must cross out item 2 above if you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding because you have failed to report all interest and dividends on your tax return. For real estate transactions, item 2 does not apply. For mortgage interest paid, acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, contributions to an individual retirement arrangement (IRA), and generally, payments other than interest and dividends, you are not required to sign the Certification, but you must provide your correct TIN. (See the instructions on page 4.)

 


Sign

Here

  

Signature of

U.S. person >

   Date >

 

Purpose of Form

 

A person who is required to file an information return with the IRS must obtain your correct taxpayer identification number (TIN) to report, for example, income paid to you, real estate transactions, mortgage interest you paid, acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, or contributions you made to an IRA.

 

U.S. person. Use Form W-9 only if you are a U.S. person (including a resident alien), to provide your correct TIN to the person requesting it (the requester) and, when applicable, to:

 

1. Certify that the TIN you are giving is correct (or you are waiting for a number to be issued),

 

2. Certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, or

 

3. Claim exemption from backup withholding if you are a U.S. exempt payee.

 

Note: If a requester gives you a form other than Form W-9 to request your TIN, you must use the requester’s form if it is substantially similar to this Form W-9.

 

Foreign person. If you are a foreign person, use the appropriate Form W-8 (see Pub. 515, Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities).

 

Nonresident alien who becomes a resident alien. Generally, only a nonresident alien individual may use the terms of a tax treaty to reduce or eliminate U.S. tax on certain types of income. However, most tax treaties contain a provision known as a “saving clause.” Exceptions specified in the saving clause may permit an exemption from tax to continue for certain types of income even after the recipient has otherwise become a U.S. resident alien for tax purposes.

 

If you are a U.S. resident alien who is relying on an exception contained in the saving clause of a tax treaty to claim an exemption from U.S. tax on certain types of income, you must attach a statement that specifies the following five items:

 

1. The treaty country. Generally, this must be the same treaty under which you claimed exemption from tax as a nonresident alien.

 

2. The treaty article addressing the income.

 

3. The article number (or location) in the tax treaty that contains the saving clause and its exceptions.


4. The type and amount of income that qualifies for the exemption from tax.

 

5. Sufficient facts to justify the exemption from tax under the terms of the treaty article.

 

Example. Article 20 of the U.S.-China income tax treaty allows an exemption from tax for scholarship income received by a Chinese student temporarily present in the United States. Under U.S. law, this student will become a resident alien for tax purposes if his or her stay in the

 

United States exceeds 5 calendar years. However, paragraph 2 of the first Protocol to the U.S.-China treaty (dated April 30, 1984) allows the provisions of Article 20 to continue to apply even after the Chinese student becomes a resident alien of the United States. A Chinese student who qualifies for this exception (under paragraph 2 of the first protocol) and is relying on this exception to claim an exemption from tax on his or her scholarship or fellowship income would attach to Form W-9 a statement that includes the information described above to support that exemption.

 

If you are a nonresident alien or a foreign entity not subject to backup withholding, give the requester the appropriate completed Form W-8.

 

What is backup withholding? Persons making certain payments to you must under certain conditions withhold from such payments and pay the withheld amounts to the IRS. This is called “backup withholding.” Payments that may be subject to backup withholding include interest, dividends, broker and barter exchange transactions, rents, royalties, nonemployee pay, and certain payments from fishing boat operators. Real estate transactions are not subject to backup withholding.

 

You will not be subject to backup withholding on payments you receive if you give the requester your correct TIN, make the proper certifications, and report all your taxable interest and dividends on your tax return.

 

Payments you receive will be subject to backup withholding if:

 

1. You do not furnish your TIN to the requester, or

 

2. You do not certify your TIN when required (see the Part II instructions on page 4 for details), or

 

3. The IRS tells the requester that you furnished an incorrect TIN, or

 


    Cat. No. 10231X   Form W-9 (Rev. 1-2003)

Form W-9 (Rev. 1-2003)   Page 2    

 

4. The IRS tells you that you are subject to backup withholding because you did not report all your interest and dividends on your tax return (for reportable interest and dividends only), or

 

5. You do not certify to the requester that you are not subject to backup withholding under 4 above (for reportable interest and dividend accounts opened after 1983 only).

 

Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding. See the instructions below and the separate Instructions for the Requester of Form W-9.

 

Penalties

 

Failure to furnish TIN. If you fail to furnish your correct TIN to a requester, you are subject to a penalty of S50 for each such failure unless your failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect.

 

Civil penalty for false information with respect to withholding. If you make a false statement with no reasonable basis that results in no backup withholding, you are subject to a $500 penalty.


Criminal penalty for falsifying information. Willfully falsifying certifications or affirmations may subject you to criminal penalties including fines and/or imprisonment.

 

Misuse of TINs. If the requester discloses or uses TINs in violation of Federal law, the requester may be subject to civil and criminal penalties.

 

Specific Instructions

 

Name

 

If you are an individual, you must generally enter the name shown on your social security card. However, if you have changed your last name, for instance, due to marriage without informing the Social Security Administration of the name change, enter your first name, the last name shown on your social security card, and your new last name.

 

If the account is in joint names, list first and then circle, the name of the person or entity whose number you entered in Part I of the form.

 

Sole proprietor. Enter your individual name as shown on your social security card on the “Name” line. You may enter your business, trade, or “doing business as (DBA)” name on the “Business name” line.

 

Limited liability company (LLC). If you are a single-member LLC (including a foreign LLC with a domestic owner) that is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner under Treasury regulations section 301.7701-3, enter the owner’s name on the “Name” line. Enter the LLC’s name on the “Business name” line.

 

Other entities. Enter your business name as shown on required Federal tax documents on the “Name” line. This name should match the name shown on the charter or other legal document creating the entity. You may enter any business, trade, or DBA name on the “Business name” line.

 

Note: You are requested to check the appropriate box for your status (individual/sole proprietor, corporation, etc.).

 

Exempt From Backup Withholding.

 

If you are exempt, enter your name as described above and check the appropriate box for your status, then check the “Exempt from backup withholding” box in the line following the business name, sign and date the form.

 

Generally, individuals (including sole proprietors) are not exempt from backup withholding. Corporations are exempt from backup withholding for certain payments, such as interest and dividends.

 

Note: If you are exempt from backup withholding, you should still complete this form to avoid possible erroneous backup withholding.

 

Exempt payees. Backup withholding is not required on any payments made to the following payees:

 

1. An organization exempt from tax under section 501(a), any IRA, or a custodial account under section 403(b)(7) if the account satisfies the requirements of section 401(f)(2);

 

2. The United States or any of its agencies or instrumentalities;

 

3. A state, the District of Columbia, a possession of the United States, or any of their political subdivisions or instrumentalities;

 

4. A foreign government or any of its political subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities; or

 

5. An international organization or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.

 

Other payees that may be exempt from backup withholding include:

 

6. A corporation;


7. A foreign central bank of issue;

 

8. A dealer in securities or commodities required to register in the United States, the District of Columbia, or a possession of the United States;

 

9. A futures commission merchant registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission;

 

10. A real estate investment trust;

 

11. An entity registered at all times during the tax year under the Investment Company Act of 1940;

 

12. A common trust fund operated by a bank under section 584(a);

 

13. A financial institution;

 

14. A middleman known in the investment community as a nominee or custodian; or

 

15. A trust exempt from tax under section 664 or described in section 4947.

 

The chart below shows types of payments that may be exempt from backup withholding. The chart applies to the exempt recipients listed above, 1 through 15.

 


If the payment is for    THEN the payment is exempt for

Interest and dividend payments    All exempt recipients except for 9

Broker transactions    Exempt recipients 1 through 13. Also, a person registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 who regularly acts as a broker

Barter exchange transactions and patronage dividends    Exempt recipients 1 through 5

Payments over $600 required to be reported and direct sales over $5,0001    Generally, exempt recipients 1 through 72


1 See Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income, and its instructions.

 

2 However, the following payments made to a corporation (including gross proceeds paid to an attorney under section 6045(f), even if the attorney is a corporation) and reportable on Form 1099-MISC are not exempt from backup withholding: medical and health care payments, attorneys’ fees; and payments for services paid by a Federal executive agency.

 

Part I—Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

 

Enter your TIN in the appropriate box. If you are a resident alien and you do not have and are not eligible to get an SSN, your TIN is your IRS individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Enter it in the social security number box. If you do not have an ITIN, see How to get a TIN below.

 

If you are a sole proprietor and you have an EIN, you may enter either your SSN or EIN. However, the IRS prefers that you use your SSN.

 

If you are a single-owner LLC that is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner (see Limited liability company (LLC) on page 2), enter your SSN (or EIN, if you have one). If the LLC is a corporation, partnership, etc., enter the entity’s EIN.

 

Note: See the chart on page 4 for further clarification of name and TIN combinations.

 

How to get a TIN. If you do not have a TIN, apply for one immediately. To apply for an SSN, get Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card, from your local Social Security Administration office or get this form


on-line at www.ssa.gov/online/ss5.html. You may also get this form by calling 1-800-772-1213. Use Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, to apply for an ITIN, or Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number, to apply for an EIN. You can get Forms W-7 and SS-4 from the IRS by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676) or from the IRS Web Site at www.irs.gov.

 

If you are asked to complete Form W-9 but do not have a TIN, write “Applied For” in the space for the TIN, sign and date the form, and give it to the requester. For interest and dividend payments, and certain payments made with respect to readily tradable instruments, generally you will have 60 days to get a TIN and give it to the requester before you are subject to backup withholding on payments. The 60-day rule does not apply to other types of payments. You will be subject to backup withholding on all such payments until you provide your TIN to the requester.

 

Note: Writing “Applied For” means that you have already applied for a TIN or that you intend to apply for one soon.

 

Caution: A disregarded domestic entity that has a foreign owner must use the appropriate Form W-8.

 

Part II—Certification

 

To establish to the withholding agent that you are a U.S. person, or resident alien, sign Form W-9. You may be requested to sign by the withholding agent even if items 1, 3, and 5 below indicate otherwise.

 

For a joint account, only the person whose TIN is shown in Part I should sign (when required). Exempt recipients, see Exempt from backup withholding on page 2.

 

Signature requirements. Complete the certification as indicated in 1 through 5 below.

 

1. Interest, dividend, and barter exchange accounts opened before 1984 and broker accounts considered active during 1983. You must give your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the certification.

 

2. Interest, dividend, broker, and barter exchange accounts opened after 1983 and broker accounts considered inactive during 1983. You must sign the certification or backup withholding will apply. If you are subject to backup withholding and you are merely providing your correct TIN to the requester, you must cross out item 2 in the certification before signing the form.

 

3. Real estate transactions. You must sign the certification. You may cross out item 2 of the certification.

 

4. Other payments. You must give your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the certification unless you have been notified that you have previously given an incorrect TIN. “Other payments” include payments made in the course of the requester’s trade or business for rents, royalties, goods (other than bills for merchandise), medical and health care services (including payments to corporations), payments to a nonemployee for services, payments to certain fishing boat crew members and fishermen, and gross proceeds paid to attorneys (including payments to corporations).

 


Form W-9 (Rev. 1-2003)   

Page 3


 

5. Mortgage interest paid by you, acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, qualified tuition program payments (under section 529), IRA or Archer MSA contributions or distributions, and pension distributions. You must give your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the certification.


What Name and Number To Give the Requester

 


For this type of account:    Give name and SSN of:

1.    Individual    The individual
2.    Two or more individuals (joint account)    The actual owner of the account or, if combined funds, the first individual on the account 1
3.    Custodian account of a minor (Uniform Gift to Minors Act)    The minor 2
4.    a. The usual revocable savings trust (grantor is also trustee)    The grantor-trustee 1
     b. So-called trust account that is not s legal or valid trust under state law    The actual owner 1
5.    Sole proprietorship or single-owner LLC    The owner 3

For this type of account:    Give name and EIN of:

6.    Sole proprietorship or single-owner LLC    The owner 3
7.    A valid trust, estate, or pension trust    Legal entity 4
8.    Corporate or LLC electing corporate status on Form 8832    The corporation
9.    Association, club, religious, charitable, educational, or other tax-exempt organization    The organization
10.    Partnership or multi-member LLC    The partnership
11.    A broker or registered nominee    The broker or nominee
12.    Account with the Department of Agriculture in the name of a public entity (such as a state or local government, school district, or prison) that receives agricultural program payments    The public entity


1 List first and circle the name of the person whose number you furnish. If only one person on a joint account has an SSN, that person’s number must be furnished.

 

2 Circle the minor’s name and furnish the minor’s SSN.

 

3 You must show your individual name, but you may also enter your business or “DBA” name. You may use either your SSN or EIN (if you have one).

 

4 List first and circle the name of the legal trust, estate, or pension trust. (Do not furnish the TIN of the personal representative or trustee unless the legal entity itself is not designated in the account title.)

 

Note: If no name is circled when more than one name is listed, the number will be considered to be that of the first name listed.

 

Privacy Act Notice

 

Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code requires you to provide your correct TIN to persons who must file information returns with the IRS to report interest, dividends, and certain other income paid to you, mortgage interest you paid, the acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, or contributions you made to an IRA or Archer MSA. The IRS uses the numbers for identification purposes and to help verify the accuracy of your tax return. The IRS may also provide this information to the Department of Justice for civil and criminal litigation, and to cities, states, and the District of Columbia to carry out their tax laws. We may also disclose this information to other countries under a tax treaty, or to Federal and state agencies to enforce Federal nontax criminal laws and to combat terrorism.

 

You must provide your TIN whether or not you are required to file a tax return. Payers must generally withhold 30% of taxable interest, dividend, and certain other payments to a payee who does not give a TIN to a payer. Certain penalties may also apply.

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-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----