COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2018
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	NOTE 8 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Legal Proceedings From time to time, the Company and its subsidiaries are subject to legal proceedings, claims and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business and property ownership. The Company evaluates such matters on a case by case basis, and vigorously contests any such legal proceedings or claims which the Company believes are without merit. The Company establishes an accrual for legal proceedings if and when those matters reach a stage where they present loss contingencies that are both probable and reasonably estimable. In such cases, there may be a possible exposure to loss in excess of any amounts accrued. The Company monitors those matters for developments that would affect the likelihood of a loss and the accrued amount, if any, thereof, and adjusts the amount as appropriate. If the loss contingency at issue is not both probable and reasonably estimable, the Company does not establish an accrual, but will continue to monitor the matter for developments that will make the loss contingency both probable and reasonably estimable. If it is at least a reasonable possibility that a material loss will occur, the Company will provide disclosure regarding the contingency. The Company believes that the final disposition of the pending legal proceedings, claims and litigation will not have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or liquidity. It is possible, however, that the Company's future results of operations for a particular quarter or fiscal year could be impacted by changes in circumstances relating to such matters. Taxes The Company is required to file federal and state tax returns in the United States and various other tax returns in foreign jurisdictions. The preparation of these tax returns requires the Company to interpret the applicable tax laws and regulations in effect in such jurisdictions, which could affect the amount of tax paid by the Company. The Company, in consultation with its tax advisors, bases its tax returns on interpretations that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The tax returns, however, are subject to routine reviews by the various taxing authorities in the jurisdictions in which the Company files its returns. As part of these reviews, a taxing authority may disagree with respect to the interpretations the Company used to calculate its tax liability and therefore require the Company to pay additional taxes. The Company accrues an amount for its estimate of probable additional income tax liability. In certain cases, the impact of an uncertain income tax position on the income tax return must be recognized at the largest amount that is more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant tax authority. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than 50% likelihood of being sustained (see Note 9 - Income Taxes for additional information). In evaluating the exposure associated with various non-income tax filing positions, the Company accrues for probable and estimable exposures for non-income tax related tax contingencies. As of August 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company has recorded within other accrued expenses a total of $3.0 million and $3.4 million, respectively, for various non-income tax related tax contingencies. While the Company believes the recorded liabilities are adequate, there are inherent limitations in projecting the outcome of litigation, in estimating probable additional income tax liability taking into account uncertain tax positions and in evaluating the probable additional tax associated with various non-income tax filing positions. As such, the Company is unable to make a reasonable estimate of the sensitivity to change of estimates affecting its recorded liabilities. As additional information becomes available, the Company assesses the potential liability and revises its estimates as appropriate. Other Commitments The Company is committed under non-cancelable operating leases for the rental of facilities and land (see Note 11 “Leases”). In January 2017, the Company purchased a distribution center in Medley, Miami-Dade County, Florida. The Company transferred its Miami dry distribution center activities that were previously in the leased facility to the new facility during the third quarter of fiscal year 2017. As of August 31, 2018 all of the vacated space has been subleased (and/or returned to the landlord). As part of the subleases the Company provided the landlord of the leased facility a letter of credit (“LOC”) for the initial amount of $500,000 which entitled the landlord to draw on the LOC based on a decreasing scale over four years, if certain conditions occur related to nonpayment by the new tenant. The balance of this LOC decreases at an annual rate of $125,000 starting in August 2018. Although this agreement is considered a guarantee, in measuring the fair value, the Company considers the risk and probability of default by the third party tenant as not likely nor probable based on the Company’s review of the third party tenant’s financial position as well as the third party’s considerable capital investment into the leased facility. Therefore, the Company has not recorded a liability for this guarantee. The Company is also committed to non-cancelable construction services obligations for various warehouse club and regional distribution center developments and expansions. As of August 31, 2018 the Company had approximately $10.6 million in contractual obligations for construction services not yet rendered. The Company has entered into land purchase option agreements that have not been recorded as commitments, for which the Company has recorded within restricted cash and deposits approximately $400,000. The land purchase option agreements can be canceled at the sole option of the Company. The Company does not have a timetable of when or if it will exercise these land purchase options, due to the uncertainty related to the completion of the Company's due diligence reviews. The Company's due diligence reviews include evaluations of the legal status of each property, the zoning and permitting issues related to acquiring approval for the construction and operation of a warehouse club and any other issues related to the property itself that could render the property unsuitable or limit the property's economic viability as a warehouse club site. If the purchase option agreements are exercised, the cash use would be approximately $36.3 million. See Note 14 – “Unconsolidated Affiliates” for a description of additional capital contributions that may be required in connection with joint ventures to develop commercial centers adjacent to PriceSmart warehouse clubs in Panama and Costa Rica. The Company contracts for distribution center services in Mexico. The contract for this distribution center's services expires on August 31, 2020, with the applicable fees and rates to be reviewed at the beginning of each calendar year. Future minimum service commitments related to this contract through the end of the contract term are approximately $331,000. The Company contracts for data recovery services. The contract for these data recovery services expires on November 30, 2019, with the option of an automatic one year renewal. Future minimum service commitments related to this contract through the end of the contract term are approximately $465,000.

NOTE 8 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company and its subsidiaries are subject to legal proceedings, claims and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business and property ownership. The Company evaluates such matters on a case by case basis, and vigorously contests any such legal proceedings or claims which the Company believes are without merit. The Company establishes an accrual for legal proceedings if and when those matters reach a stage where they present loss contingencies that are both probable and reasonably estimable. In such cases, there may be a possible exposure to loss in excess of any amounts accrued. The Company monitors those matters for developments that would affect the likelihood of a loss and the accrued amount, if any, thereof, and adjusts the amount as appropriate. If the loss contingency at issue is not both probable and reasonably estimable, the Company does not establish an accrual, but will continue to monitor the matter for developments that will make the loss contingency both probable and reasonably estimable. If it is at least a reasonable possibility that a material loss will occur, the Company will provide disclosure regarding the contingency. The Company believes that the final disposition of the pending legal proceedings, claims and litigation will not have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or liquidity. It is possible, however, that the Company's future results of operations for a particular quarter or fiscal year could be impacted by changes in circumstances relating to such matters.

Taxes

The Company is required to file federal and state tax returns in the United States and various other tax returns in foreign jurisdictions. The preparation of these tax returns requires the Company to interpret the applicable tax laws and regulations in effect in such jurisdictions, which could affect the amount of tax paid by the Company. The Company, in consultation with its tax advisors, bases its tax returns on interpretations that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The tax returns, however, are subject to routine reviews by the various taxing authorities in the jurisdictions in which the Company files its returns. As part of these reviews, a taxing authority may disagree with respect to the interpretations the Company used to calculate its tax liability and therefore require the Company to pay additional taxes.

The Company accrues an amount for its estimate of probable additional income tax liability. In certain cases, the impact of an uncertain income tax position on the income tax return must be recognized at the largest amount that is more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant tax authority. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than 50% likelihood of being sustained (see Note 9 - Income Taxes for additional information).

In evaluating the exposure associated with various non-income tax filing positions, the Company accrues for probable and estimable exposures for non-income tax related tax contingencies. As of August 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company has recorded within other accrued expenses a total of $3.0 million and $3.4 million, respectively, for various non-income tax related tax contingencies.

While the Company believes the recorded liabilities are adequate, there are inherent limitations in projecting the outcome of litigation, in estimating probable additional income tax liability taking into account uncertain tax positions and in evaluating the probable additional tax associated with various non-income tax filing positions. As such, the Company is unable to make a reasonable estimate of the sensitivity to change of estimates affecting its recorded liabilities. As additional information becomes available, the Company assesses the potential liability and revises its estimates as appropriate.

Other Commitments

The Company is committed under non-cancelable operating leases for the rental of facilities and land (see Note 11 “Leases”).

In January 2017, the Company purchased a distribution center in Medley, Miami-Dade County, Florida. The Company transferred its Miami dry distribution center activities that were previously in the leased facility to the new facility during the third quarter of fiscal year 2017. As of August 31, 2018 all of the vacated space has been subleased (and/or returned to the landlord). As part of the subleases the Company provided the landlord of the leased facility a letter of credit (“LOC”) for the initial amount of $500,000 which entitled the landlord to draw on the LOC based on a decreasing scale over four years, if certain conditions occur related to nonpayment by the new tenant. The balance of this LOC decreases at an annual rate of $125,000 starting in August 2018. Although this agreement is considered a guarantee, in measuring the fair value, the Company considers the risk and probability of default by the third party tenant as not likely nor probable based on the Company’s review of the third party tenant’s financial position as well as the third party’s considerable capital investment into the leased facility. Therefore, the Company has not recorded a liability for this guarantee.

The Company is also committed to non-cancelable construction services obligations for various warehouse club and regional distribution center developments and expansions. As of August 31, 2018 the Company had approximately $10.6 million in contractual obligations for construction services not yet rendered.

The Company has entered into land purchase option agreements that have not been recorded as commitments, for which the Company has recorded within restricted cash and deposits approximately $400,000. The land purchase option agreements can be canceled at the sole option of the Company. The Company does not have a timetable of when or if it will exercise these land purchase options, due to the uncertainty related to the completion of the Company's due diligence reviews. The Company's due diligence reviews include evaluations of the legal status of each property, the zoning and permitting issues related to acquiring approval for the construction and operation of a warehouse club and any other issues related to the property itself that could render the property unsuitable or limit the property's economic viability as a warehouse club site. If the purchase option agreements are exercised, the cash use would be approximately $36.3 million.

See Note 14 – “Unconsolidated Affiliates” for a description of additional capital contributions that may be required in connection with joint ventures to develop commercial centers adjacent to PriceSmart warehouse clubs in Panama and Costa Rica.

The Company contracts for distribution center services in Mexico. The contract for this distribution center's services expires on August 31, 2020, with the applicable fees and rates to be reviewed at the beginning of each calendar year. Future minimum service commitments related to this contract through the end of the contract term are approximately $331,000.

The Company contracts for data recovery services. The contract for these data recovery services expires on November 30, 2019, with the option of an automatic one year renewal. Future minimum service commitments related to this contract through the end of the contract term are approximately $465,000.