PriceSmart lifts regional sales

PriceSmart said its Central America business drove a large share of companywide sales growth in the quarter ended February 28, 2026, as warehouse demand stayed firm. (investors.pricesmart.com) The San Diego-based retailer reported second-quarter net merchandise sales of $1.47 billion, up 9.9% from $1.33 billion a year earlier. In constant currency, which strips out exchange-rate effects, net merchandise sales rose 7.8%. (investors.pricesmart.com) PriceSmart said foreign exchange added 2.1% to second-quarter merchandise sales, or $27.7 million. Comparable sales at clubs open more than 13 and a half months rose 7.6%, or 5.5% in constant currency. (investors.pricesmart.com) On the April 9 earnings call, management said Central America contributed about 280 basis points to consolidated comparable merchandise sales growth in the fiscal second quarter. In the fiscal first quarter, the same segment contributed about 320 basis points. (msn.com 1) (msn.com 2) That matters for suppliers because PriceSmart is the only operator of membership warehouse clubs focused on Central America, the Caribbean and Colombia. The company said it had 56 warehouse clubs in 12 countries and one United States territory as of February 28, 2026. (investors.pricesmart.com 1) (investors.pricesmart.com 2) Its Central American footprint includes Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. PriceSmart’s country sites list those six markets under Central America. (pricesmart.com) Membership income is becoming a bigger part of the model. In the first quarter ended November 30, 2025, PriceSmart said Platinum members made up 19.3% of its membership base, up from 14.0% a year earlier, while renewal rates reached 89.3%. (fool.com) By the second quarter, membership income rose 14.9% to $22.6 million, and management tied the gain to higher Platinum penetration and a $5 annual fee increase. Total revenue reached $1.50 billion, operating income rose to $75.4 million, and diluted earnings per share increased to $1.62 from $1.45. (fool.com) (investors.pricesmart.com) PriceSmart is also adding capacity in the region. On April 8, the company said it plans an eighth club in Guatemala, after opening two clubs over the prior 12 months and lifting its total store count from 54 to 56 year over year. (investors.pricesmart.com) For consumer packaged goods companies that sell through warehouse clubs, the latest quarter shows a channel still growing on both traffic and membership economics. PriceSmart’s next test is whether that Central America momentum holds as new clubs open and fee-rich Platinum memberships keep expanding. (investors.pricesmart.com) (fool.com)