EX-99.1 2 dex991.htm RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS Related Party Transactions

EXHIBIT 99.1

 

NOTE 13 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

Relationships with the Price Family: As of August 31, 2004 Sol Price beneficially owns approximately 35.8% of the outstanding Common Stock. Sol Price is the father of Robert E. Price, the Chairman of the Board and Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Robert E. Price beneficially owns approximately 40.2% of the outstanding Common Stock, including shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Sol Price. Sol Price and Robert E. Price together beneficially own approximately 47.1% of the outstanding Common Stock. In addition, Sol Price beneficially owns approximately 8.3% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and Robert E. Price beneficially owns approximately 5.5% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, including shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Sol Price. Sol Price and Robert E. Price together beneficially own approximately 8.3% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, which is convertible, at the holder’s option, into approximately 1% of the outstanding Common Stock. See also Note 17 – Subsequent Events.

 

Sale of Series B Preferred Stock: In July 2003, entities affiliated with Sol Price and Robert E. Price purchased an aggregate of 22,000 shares, representing all of the outstanding shares, of Series B Preferred Stock for an aggregate purchase price of $22.0 million. Sol Price beneficially owns approximately 77.3% of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock, and Robert E. Price beneficially owns approximately 68.2% of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock, including some shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Sol Price. Sol Price and Robert E. Price together beneficially own all of the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock, which is convertible, at the holder’s option, into approximately 13.8% of the outstanding Common Stock.

 

Sale of Common Stock: In October 2003, entities affiliated with Sol Price and Robert E. Price purchased an aggregate of 500,000 shares of Common Stock for an aggregate purchase price of $5.0 million.

 

Relationship with Price Legacy Corp: Sol Price has beneficial ownership through the Price Group and various family and charitable trusts of approximately 28.0% of the common stock (the “Price Legacy Common Stock”) of Price Legacy, formerly known as Price Enterprises, Inc. (“PEI”). Robert E. Price beneficially owns approximately 25.5% of the Price Legacy Common Stock, including shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Sol Price, and served as the Chairman of the Board of PEI until November 1999. Collectively, Sol Price, Robert E. Price and parties affiliated with them, including the Price Group, beneficially own an aggregate of approximately 37.6% of the Price Legacy Common Stock. James F. Cahill, Murray L. Galinson and Jack McGrory, directors of the Company, beneficially own approximately 16.4%, 16.1% and 15.9%, respectively, of the Price Legacy Common Stock, including shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Sol Price and Robert E. Price. In addition, each is a director of Price Legacy and Jack McGrory serves as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Price Legacy.

 

On March 26, 2004, the Company moved into its new headquarters located in San Diego, CA. Prior to this move, the Company leased office space from Price Legacy to house its headquarters. In April 2004, the Company received $500,000 from its then landlord, Price Legacy, as an incentive to terminate early the lease of its headquarters. For the year ended August 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, the Company paid Price Legacy $209,000, $388,000 and $332,000 in rent, respectively.

 

Relationships with the Price Group: In February 2004, the Company entered into an agreement with the Price Group which provided the Company with up to $10.0 million of purchase order financing. Directors Robert E. Price, James F. Cahill, Murray L. Galinson and Jack McGrory are managers of the Price Group and collectively own more than 80% of that entity. The agreement allows the Price Group to place a lien on merchandise inventories in the United States as security for such financing. Interest accrues at a rate of 1% per month. In July 2004, this agreement was amended to increase the funds available from the Price Group by $5.0 million (to a total of $15.0 million) for purchase order financing. This additional funding is secured by the Company’s pledge of shares of its wholly-owned Panamanian subsidiary, PriceSmart Real Estate Panama, S.A. As described in Note 17 – Subsequent Events, the amounts owed under this agreement were converted to common stock in October 2004.

 

In May 2004, the Company entered into another agreement with the Price Group to sell the real estate and improvements owned by the Company in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The purchase price will be the fair market value of the property and improvements as determined by an independent appraiser. Under the terms of the agreement the Price Group made an initial payment of $5.0 million, with the balance to be paid upon closing, and if the closing does not occur for any reason, the initial payment shall be returned to the Price Group, plus accrued interest at the rate of 8% per annum. The agreement is subject to several contingencies, including the right of each


party to terminate the agreement after receipt of the final appraisal report, and the approval by the Board of the final terms of the agreement. This Agreement was to terminate on August 31, 2004. However, on August 30, 2004, this agreement was extended for an additional 90 days, until November 30, 2004. As described in Note 17 – Subsequent Events, this sale did not proceed and the amounts owed were converted to common stock in October 2004.

 

In August 2004, the Company entered into a $25.0 million bridge loan with The Price Group, LLC. This loan accrues interest at 8% per annum and is due in two years. As described in Note 17 – Subsequent Events, the amounts owed under this agreement were converted to common stock in October 2004.

 

Use of Private Plane: From time to time members of the Company’s management used a private plane owned in part by PFD Ivanhoe, Inc. (“PFD Ivanhoe”) to travel to business meetings in Central America and the Caribbean. The Price Group owns 100% of the stock of PFD Ivanhoe, and Sol Price and James F. Cahill are officers of PFD Ivanhoe. The Price Group’s members include Sol Price, Robert E. Price, James F. Cahill, Murray Galinson and Jack McGrory. Prior to March 2003, when the Company used the plane, it reimbursed PFD Ivanhoe for a portion of a fixed management fee and additional expenses PFD Ivanhoe incurred based on the number of hours flown, and also reimbursed PFD Ivanhoe for direct charges associated with use of the plane, including landing fees, international fees and catering. Since March 2003, the Company reimburses PFD Ivanhoe based on the amounts the passengers would have paid if they had flown a commercial airline. During fiscal 2004, 2003 and 2002, the Company paid PFD Ivanhoe $86,000, $137,000 and $555,000, respectively, to cover the costs associated with the Company’s use of the plane.

 

Put Option Agreement: On December 15, 2003, the Company entered into an agreement with the Sol and Helen Price Trust, a trust affiliated with Sol Price, giving the Company the right to sell all or a portion of specified real property to the Trust at any time on or prior to August 31, 2004 at a price equal to the Company’s net book value for the respective properties and upon other commercially reasonable terms. The specified real property covers both the land and building at nine warehouse club locations. As of August 31, 2004, the net book value of this real property was approximately $54.9 million with approximately $29.9 million of encumbrances (including $5.1 million received as an advance payment for one of these properties). Under the terms of the agreement, the Company would have the option, but not the obligation, to lease back one or more warehouse club buildings at an annual lease rate equal to 9% of the selling price for the building and upon other commercially reasonable terms. On August 30, 2004, this agreement was extended for an additional 90 days. As a result of the Financial Program described in Note 17 – Subsequent Events, the Company does not intend to exercise its rights under this agreement nor to extend it further.

 

Relationships with Edgar Zurcher: Edgar Zurcher has been a director of the Company since November 2000. Mr. Zurcher is a partner in a law firm that the Company utilizes in legal matters and incurred legal expenses of approximately $108,200, $67,600 and $4,000 during fiscal 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively. Mr. Zurcher is also a director of a company that owns 40% of Payless ShoeSource Holdings, Ltd., which rents retail space from the Company. The Company has recorded approximately $757,000 and $723,500 in rental income for this space during fiscal 2004 and 2003, respectively. Mr. Zurcher is also a director of Banco Promerica, from which the Company has recorded approximately $305,000 of rental income for fiscal 2004 for space leased to it by the Company. The Company also received approximately $525,000, $481,000 and $62,000 in incentive fees on a co-branded credit card the Company has with Banco Promerica in fiscal year 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively. Mr. Zurcher is also Chairman of the Board of Banca Promerica (Costa Rica), which lent $900,000 as part of a $5.9 million syndicated loan to the Company in fiscal 2000, of which $277,000 is outstanding as of August 31, 2004 and due and repaid in October 2004. During fiscal 2001, the Company entered into a $1.9 million short-term credit facility with Banco Promerica (El Salvador), of which the $1.3 million is outstanding as of August 31, 2004.

 

Relationships with Grupo Gigante, S.A. and Angel Losada M.: Gigante beneficially owns approximately 2.8% of the outstanding Common Stock and 75.0% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock. In January 2002, the Company entered into a 50/50 joint venture with Gigante to construct and operate warehouse stores in Mexico. In addition, Angel Losada M., one of the directors of the Company, is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive President of Gigante. Mr. Losada also owns 13.5% of the common stock of Gigante, and together with members of his family, owns an aggregate of 69.4% of the common stock of Gigante. In fiscal 2004, Gigante purchased an aggregate of approximately $123,000 of products from PriceSmart Mexico, the 50/50 joint venture subsidiary in Mexico. During the third quarter of fiscal 2002, the Company’s Mexico joint venture began negotiations to lease certain property from Gigante in Mexico City, upon which the joint venture may construct and operate a membership warehouse club. In October 2002, the joint venture entered into a memorandum of intent for the allocation of construction expenses in connection with the proposed lease.


Relationships with Rafael Barcenas: Rafael Barcenas was a director of the Company from April 1998 until April 2004 and is also President and General Director of Boyd, Barcenas, S.A., an advertising firm in Panama, to which the Company paid approximately $60,000, $35,000 and $85,000 for services rendered during fiscal 2004, 2003 and 2002, respectively. In March 2002, the Company paid $1.0 million to a company affiliated with Mr. Barcenas as the final installment of a purchase of this company’s minority interest ownership of PriceSmart Panama.

 

Relationship with PriceSmart Mexico: The Company sells inventory to PriceSmart Mexico and charges it for salaries and other administrative services. Such transactions are in the ordinary course of business at negotiated prices comparable to those of transactions with other customers. For the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2003, export sales to PriceSmart Mexico were approximately $583,000 and $2.0 million, respectively, and are included in total export sales of $1.1 million and $7.0 million, respectively, on the consolidated statements of operations. Under equity accounting, for export sales to PriceSmart Mexico, the Company’s investment in unconsolidated affiliate has been reduced by the Company’s portion of the unrealized profit from these sales. Salaries and other administrative services charged to PriceSmart Mexico for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2003 were approximately $190,000 and $1.1 million, respectively.

 

Relationships with PSC, S.A.: PSC, S.A. beneficially owns approximately 5.0% of the Company’s common stock. In addition, Mr. Zurcher is a director and 9.1% shareholder of PSC, S.A. In August 2002, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with PSC, S.A. to form a new subsidiary to construct and operate a warehouse club in Nicaragua. The Company owns a 51% interest and PSC, S.A. owns the remaining 49% interest in the subsidiary. In connection with the joint venture, in September 2002, PSC, S.A. purchased 79,313 shares of Common Stock from the Company at a price of $33.50 per share, which is equivalent to the Company’s capital investment in the joint venture.

 

Relationship with Philippines minority interest shareholder: The Company formerly utilized the importation and exportation businesses of one of its minority shareholder in the Philippines for the movement of merchandise inventories both to and from the Asian regions to its warehouse clubs operating in Asia. As of August 31, 2004, the Company had a total of approximately $645,000 in net receivables due from the minority interest shareholder’s importation and exportation businesses, which is included in accounts receivable on the consolidated financial statements.

 

The Company believes that each of the related party transactions described above were on terms that the Company could have been obtained from unaffiliated third parties.