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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | 9 Months Ended
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May 31, 2019
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract] |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES ﻿ Principles of Consolidation – The interim consolidated financial statements of the Company included herein include the assets, liabilities and results of operations of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries, subsidiaries in which it has a controlling interest, and the Company’s joint ventures for which the Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary. The Company reports noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities as a component of equity separate from the Company’s equity. The Company’s net income excludes income attributable to its noncontrolling interests. Additionally, the consolidated financial statements also include the Company's investment in, and the Company's share of the income (loss) of, joint ventures recorded under the equity method. All significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC and reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) that are, in the opinion of management, necessary to fairly present the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the year. ﻿ The Company determines whether any of the joint ventures in which it has made investments is a Variable Interest Entity (“VIE”) at the start of each new venture and if a reconsideration event has occurred. At this time, the Company also considers whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement in a VIE. A reporting entity must consolidate a VIE if that reporting entity has a variable interest (or combination of variable interests) that will absorb a majority of the VIE's expected losses, receive a majority of the VIE's expected residual returns, or both. A reporting entity must consider the rights and obligations conveyed by its variable interests and the relationship of its variable interests with variable interests held by other parties to determine whether its variable interests will absorb a majority of a VIE's expected losses, receive a majority of the VIE's expected residual returns, or both. The reporting entity that consolidates a VIE is called the primary beneficiary of that VIE. If the Company determines that it is not the primary beneficiary of the VIE, then the Company records its investment in, and the Company's share of the income (loss) of, joint ventures recorded under the equity method. Due to the nature of the joint ventures that the Company participates in and the continued commitments for additional financing, the Company determined these joint ventures are VIEs. ﻿ The Company has determined that for its ownership interest in store-front joint ventures within its marketplace and casillero business, the Company has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of these VIE’s. Therefore, the Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary of these VIEs and has consolidated these entities within its consolidated financial statements. The Company's ownership interest in these store-front joint ventures, for which the Company has consolidated their financial statements as of May 31, 2019 are listed below: ﻿ ﻿
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿Marketplace and Casillero Store-front Joint Ventures |  | Countries |  | Ownership |  | Basis of Presentation
﻿El Salvador |  | EL Salvador |  | 60.0 | % |  | Consolidated
﻿Guatemala |  | Guatemala |  | 60.0 | % |  | Consolidated
﻿Tortola |  | British Virgin Islands |  | 50.0 | % |  | Consolidated
﻿Trinidad |  | Trinidad |  | 50.0 | % |  | Consolidated
﻿ For the Company's ownership interest in real estate development joint ventures, since all rights, obligations and the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance is shared equally by both parties within each joint venture, the Company has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of the VIEs and, therefore, has accounted for these entities under the equity method. Under the equity method, the Company's investments in unconsolidated affiliates are initially recorded as an investment in the stock of an investee at cost and are adjusted for the carrying amount of the investment to recognize the investor's share of the earnings or losses of the investee after the date of the initial investment. The Company's ownership interest in real estate development joint ventures for which the Company has recorded under the equity method as of May 31, 2019 are listed below: ﻿ ﻿
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿Real Estate Development Joint Ventures |  | Countries |  | Ownership |  | Basis of Presentation
﻿GolfPark Plaza, S.A. |  | Panama |  | 50.0 | % |  | Equity(1)
﻿Price Plaza Alajuela PPA, S.A. |  | Costa Rica |  | 50.0 | % |  | Equity(1)
﻿
| (1) |  | Joint venture interests are recorded as investment in unconsolidated affiliates on the consolidated balance sheets.
﻿ Use of Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. ﻿ Cash and Cash Equivalents – The Company considers as cash and cash equivalents all cash on deposit, highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase, and proceeds due from credit and debit card transactions in the process of settlement. ﻿ Restricted Cash – The changes in restricted cash are disclosed within the consolidated statement of cash flows based on the nature of the restriction. The following table summarizes the restricted cash reported by the Company (in thousands): ﻿ ﻿
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿ |  | May 31, |  |  | August 31,
﻿ |  | 2019 |  |  | 2018
﻿Short-term restricted cash: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿Restricted cash for land purchase option agreements |  | $ | 4,136 |  |  | $ | 400
﻿Other short-term restricted cash |  |  | — |  |  |  | 5
﻿Total short-term restricted cash |  | $ | 4,136 |  |  | $ | 405
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿Long-term restricted cash: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿Other long-term restricted cash (1) |  | $ | 3,402 |  |  | $ | 3,049
﻿Total long-term restricted cash |  | $ | 3,402 |  |  | $ | 3,049
﻿Total restricted cash |  | $ | 7,538 |  |  | $ | 3,454
﻿
| (1) |  | Other long-term restricted cash consists mainly of cash deposits held within banking institutions in compliance with federal regulatory requirements in Costa Rica and Panama.
﻿ Short-Term Investments –The Company considers as short-term investments certificates of deposit and similar time-based deposits with financial institutions with maturities over three months and up to one year. ﻿ Goodwill and Other Intangibles – Goodwill and other intangibles totaled $59.3 million as of May 31, 2019 and $61.3 million as of August 31, 2018. The Company reviews reported goodwill and other intangibles at the cash-generating unit level for impairment. The Company tests Goodwill for impairment at least annually or when events or changes in circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired. ﻿ Tax Receivables – The Company pays Value Added Tax (“VAT”) or similar taxes (“input VAT”), income taxes, and other taxes within the normal course of the Company’s business in most of the countries in which the Company operates related to the procurement of merchandise and/or services it acquires and/or on sales and taxable income. The Company also collects VAT or similar taxes on behalf of the government (“output VAT”) for merchandise and/or services it sells. If the output VAT exceeds the input VAT, then the difference is remitted to the government, usually on a monthly basis. If the input VAT exceeds the output VAT, this creates a VAT receivable. In most countries where the Company operates, the governments have implemented additional collection procedures, such as requiring credit card processors to remit a portion of sales processed via credit card directly to the government as advance payments of VAT and/or income tax. In the case of VAT, these procedures alter the natural offset of input and output VAT and generally leave us with a net VAT receivable, forcing us to process significant refund claims on a recurring basis. With respect to income taxes paid, if the estimated income taxes paid or withheld exceed the actual income tax due this creates an income tax receivable. The Company either requests a refund of these tax receivables or applies the balance to expected future tax payments. These refund or offset processes can take anywhere from several months to several years to complete. ﻿ In most countries where the Company operates, the VAT refund process is defined and structured with regular refunds or offsets. However, the Company, together with its tax and legal advisers, is currently seeking clarification in court in one country without a clearly defined process and expects to prevail. The balance of the VAT receivable in the country with undefined refund mechanisms was approximately $4.3 million and $3.1 million as of May 31, 2019 and August 31, 2018, respectively. In another country in which the Company has warehouse clubs, beginning in fiscal year 2015, a new minimum income tax mechanism took effect, which requires the Company to pay taxes based on a percentage of sales rather than income. As a result, the Company is making income tax payments substantially in excess of those it would expect to pay based on taxable income. The rules (which the Company has challenged in court) effective for fiscal years 2015 to 2018 do not clearly allow us to obtain a refund or offset this excess income tax against other taxes. As of May 31, 2019, the Company had deferred tax assets of approximately $2.3 million in this country. Also, the Company had an income tax receivable balance of $7.5 million as of May 31, 2019 related to excess payments from fiscal years 2015 to 2019. In the third quarter of fiscal year 2018, a revised minimum tax law was passed in this country, which beginning in fiscal year 2020 will reduce the minimum tax rate. Additionally, this law clarifies rules on a go-forward basis for reimbursement of excess minimum tax paid beginning in fiscal year 2019, but does not address periods prior to fiscal year 2019. Nevertheless, the Company has not placed any type of allowance on the recoverability of these tax receivables or deferred tax assets because the Company believes that it is more likely than not that it will ultimately succeed in its refund requests, related appeals and/or court challenge on these matters. The Company’s policy for classification and presentation of VAT receivables, income tax receivables and other tax receivables is as follows: ﻿
| · |  | Short-term VAT and Income tax receivables, recorded as Other current assets: This classification is used for any countries where the Company’s subsidiary has generally demonstrated the ability to recover the VAT or income tax receivable within one year. The Company also classifies as short-term any approved refunds or credit notes to the extent that the Company expects to receive the refund or use the credit notes within one year.
﻿
| · |  | Long-term VAT and Income tax receivables, recorded as Other non-current assets: This classification is used for amounts not approved for refund or credit in countries where the Company’s subsidiary has not demonstrated the ability to obtain refunds within one year and/or for amounts which are subject to outstanding disputes. An allowance is provided against VAT and income tax receivable balances in dispute when the Company does not expect to eventually prevail in its recovery. The Company does not currently have any allowances provided against VAT and income tax receivables.
﻿ The following table summarizes the VAT receivables reported by the Company (in thousands): ﻿ ﻿
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿ |  | May 31, |  | August 31,
﻿ |  | 2019 |  | 2018
﻿Prepaid expenses and other current assets |  | $ | 3,751 |  | $ | 5,921
﻿Other non-current assets |  |  | 21,385 |  |  | 19,224
﻿Total amount of VAT receivables reported |  | $ | 25,136 |  | $ | 25,145
﻿ The following table summarizes the Income tax receivables reported by the Company (in thousands): ﻿ ﻿
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿ |  | May 31, |  | August 31,
﻿ |  | 2019 |  | 2018
﻿Prepaid expenses and other current assets |  | $ | 13,080 |  | $ | 6,344
﻿Other non-current assets |  |  | 15,294 |  |  | 18,165
﻿Total amount of Income tax receivables reported |  | $ | 28,374 |  | $ | 24,509
﻿ Lease Accounting – Certain of the Company's operating leases where the Company is the lessee provide for minimum annual payments that increase over the life of the lease. The aggregate minimum annual payments are expensed on the straight-line basis beginning when the Company takes possession of the property and extending over the term of the related lease including renewal options when the exercise of the option is reasonably assured as an economic penalty may be incurred if the option is not exercised. The amount by which straight-line rent exceeds actual lease payment requirements in the early years of the leases is accrued as deferred rent and reduced in later years when the actual cash payment requirements exceed the straight-line expense. The Company also accounts in its straight-line computation for the effect of any “rental holidays” and lessor-paid tenant improvements. In addition to the minimum annual payments, in certain locations, the Company pays additional contingent rent based on a contractually stipulated percentage of sales. ﻿ Operating leases where the Company is the lessor with lease payments that have fixed and determinable rent increases are recognized as revenue on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company also accounts in its straight-line computation for the effect of any "rental holidays." ﻿ Merchandise Inventories – Merchandise inventories, which include merchandise for resale, are valued at the lower of cost (average cost) or net realizable value. The Company provides for estimated inventory losses and obsolescence between physical inventory counts on the basis of a percentage of sales. The provision is adjusted periodically to reflect the trend of actual physical inventory count results, with physical inventories occurring primarily in the second and fourth fiscal quarters. In addition, the Company may be required to take markdowns below the carrying cost of certain inventory to expedite the sale of such merchandise. ﻿ Stock Based Compensation – The Company utilizes three types of equity awards: restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance based restricted stock units (“PSUs”). Compensation related to RSAs, RSUs and PSUs is based on the fair market value at the time of grant. The Company recognizes the compensation cost related to RSAs and RSUs over the requisite service period as determined by the grant, amortized ratably or on a straight-line basis over the life of the grant. The Company also recognizes compensation cost for PSUs over the performance period. The Company assesses the probability of vesting for awards with performance conditions and adjusts compensation cost based on the probability that performance metrics will be achieved. If the Company determines that an award is unlikely to vest, any previously recorded expense is then reversed. ﻿ The Company accounts for actual forfeitures as they occur. The Company records the tax savings resulting from tax deductions in excess of expense for stock-based compensation and the tax deficiency resulting from stock-based compensation in excess of the related tax deduction as income tax expense or benefit. In addition, the Company reflects the tax savings (deficiency) resulting from the taxation of stock-based compensation as an operating cash flow in its consolidated statement of cash flows. ﻿ RSAs are outstanding shares of common stock and have the same cash dividend and voting rights as other shares of common stock. Shares of common stock subject to RSUs are not issued nor outstanding until vested, and RSUs do not have the same dividend and voting rights as common stock. However, all outstanding RSUs have accompanying dividend equivalents, requiring payment to the employees and directors with unvested RSUs of amounts equal to the dividend they would have received had the shares of common stock underlying the RSUs been actually issued and outstanding. Payments of dividend equivalents to employees are recorded as compensation expense. ﻿ PSUs, similar to RSUs, are awarded with dividend equivalents, provided that such amounts become payable only if the performance metric is achieved. At the time the Compensation Committee confirms the performance metric has been achieved, the accrued dividend equivalents are paid on the PSUs. ﻿ In October 2018, the Company’s then Chief Executive Officer (“former C.E.O.”), resigned by mutual agreement with the Board of Directors. In connection with his departure, the Company recognized a one-time separation charge of approximately $3.8 million ($3.6 million net of tax) in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. This amount was comprised of approximately $2.9 million of non-cash charges related to the acceleration of certain equity awards and approximately $892,000 for other separation costs. Given that the former C.E.O. had substantially rendered the required services per his separation agreement, the Company recorded these charges in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. This charge was recorded in the General and administrative caption within the Consolidated Statements of Income and is recorded in the Company’s United States segment. The Company will substantially fulfill all payment obligations by the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2020. ﻿ Treasury Stock – Shares of common stock repurchased by the Company are recorded at cost as treasury stock and result in the reduction of stockholders’ equity in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company may reissue these treasury shares as part of its stock-based compensation programs. When treasury shares are reissued, the Company uses the first in/first out (“FIFO”) cost method for determining cost of the reissued shares. If the issuance price is higher than the cost, the excess of the issuance price over the cost is credited to additional paid-in capital (“APIC”). If the issuance price is lower than the cost, the difference is first charged against any credit balance in APIC from treasury stock and the balance is charged to retained earnings. During the nine months ended May 31, 2019, the Company reissued 63,000 treasury shares. ﻿ Fair Value Measurements – The Company measures the fair value for all financial and nonfinancial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the consolidated financial statements on a recurring or nonrecurring basis. The fair value of an asset is the price at which the asset could be sold in an orderly transaction between unrelated, knowledgeable and willing parties able to engage in the transaction. A liability’s fair value is defined as the amount that would be paid to transfer the liability to a new obligor in a transaction between such parties, not the amount that would be paid to settle the liability with the creditor. ﻿ The Company has established a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring and revaluing fair value. These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions. The Company was not required to revalue any assets or liabilities utilizing Level 1 or Level 3 inputs at the balance sheet dates. The Company's Level 2 assets and liabilities revalued at the balance sheet dates, on a recurring basis, consisted of cash flow hedges (interest rate swaps and cross-currency interest rate swaps) and forward foreign exchange contracts. In addition, the Company utilizes Level 2 inputs in determining the fair value of long-term debt. The Company did not make any significant transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 fair value tiers during the periods reported on herein. ﻿ Non-financial assets and liabilities are revalued and recognized at fair value subsequent to initial recognition when there is evidence of impairment. For the periods reported, no impairment of such non-financial assets was recorded. ﻿ The Company’s current and long-term financial assets and liabilities have fair values that approximate their carrying values. The Company’s long-term financial liabilities consist of long-term debt, which is recorded on the balance sheet at issuance price and adjusted for any applicable unamortized discounts or premiums and debt issuance costs. There have been no significant changes in fair market value of the Company’s current and long-term financial assets, and there have been no material changes to the valuation techniques utilized in the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities as disclosed in the Company’s 2018 Form 10-K. ﻿ Derivatives Instruments and Hedging Activities – The Company uses derivative financial instruments for hedging and non-trading purposes to manage its exposure to changes in interest and currency exchange rates. In using derivative financial instruments for the purpose of hedging the Company’s exposure to interest and currency exchange rate risks, the contractual terms of a hedged instrument closely mirror those of the hedged item, providing a high degree of risk reduction and correlation. Contracts that are effective at meeting the risk reduction and correlation criteria (effective hedge) are recorded using hedge accounting. If a derivative financial instrument is an effective hedge, changes in the fair value of the instrument will be reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged item completes its contractual term. Instruments that do not meet the criteria for hedge accounting, or contracts for which the Company has not elected hedge accounting, are valued at fair value with unrealized gains or losses reported in earnings during the period of the change. The Company did not change valuation techniques utilized in the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities presented on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets from previous practice during the reporting period. The Company seeks to manage counterparty risk associated with these contracts by limiting transactions to counterparties with which the Company has an established banking relationship. There can be no assurance, however, that this practice effectively mitigates counterparty risk. ﻿ Cash Flow Instruments. The Company is a party to receive floating interest rate, pay fixed-rate interest rate swaps to hedge the interest rate risk of certain U.S. dollar denominated debt within its international subsidiaries. The swaps are designated as cash flow hedges of interest expense risk. These instruments are considered effective hedges and are recorded using hedge accounting. The Company is also a party to receive variable interest rate, pay fixed interest rate cross-currency interest rate swaps to hedge the interest rate and currency exposure associated with the expected payments of principal and interest of U.S. denominated debt within its international subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar. The swaps are designated as cash flow hedges of the currency risk and interest-rate risk related to payments on the U.S. denominated debt. These instruments are also considered to be effective hedges and are recorded using hedge accounting. Under cash flow hedging, the entire gain or loss of the derivative, calculated as the net present value of the future cash flows, is reported on the consolidated balance sheets in accumulated other comprehensive loss. Amounts recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss are released to earnings in the same period that the hedged transaction impacts consolidated earnings. See Note 8 - Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities for information on the fair value of interest rate swaps and cross-currency interest rate swaps as of May 31, 2019 and August 31, 2018. ﻿ Fair Value Instruments. The Company is exposed to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations in the normal course of business. This includes exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations on U.S. dollar denominated liabilities within the Company’s international subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar. The Company manages these fluctuations, in part, through the use of non-deliverable forward foreign-exchange contracts that are intended to offset changes in cash flows attributable to currency exchange movements. The contracts are intended primarily to economically address exposure to U.S. dollar merchandise inventory expenditures made by the Company’s international subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar. Currently, these contracts are treated for accounting purposes as fair value instruments and do not qualify for derivative hedge accounting, and as such the Company does not apply derivative hedge accounting to record these transactions. As a result, these contracts are valued at fair value with unrealized gains or losses reported in earnings during the period of the change. The Company seeks to mitigate foreign currency exchange-rate risk with the use of these contracts and does not intend to engage in speculative transactions. These contracts do not contain any credit-risk-related contingent features and are limited to less than one year in duration. ﻿ Self-Insurance – As of October 1, 2017, PriceSmart, Inc. became self-insured for its U.S. employee medical health benefits and in doing so the Company has assumed the financial risk for providing health care benefits to its employees. The Company contracted with Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (“CHLIC”), a third party administrator, to process claims on its behalf under an Administrative Services Only (ASO) agreement. The Company has elected to purchase “Stop Loss Insurance” to cover the risk in excess of certain dollar limits. The Company establishes an estimated accrual for its insurance program based on available comparable claims data, trends and projected ultimate costs of claims. This accrual is based on estimates prepared with the assistance of outside actuaries, and the ultimate cost of these claims may vary from initial estimates and established accrual. The actuaries periodically update their estimates, and the Company records such adjustments in the period in which such determination is made. The accrued obligation for this self-insurance program is included in “Accrued salaries and benefits” in the consolidated balance sheets and is $637,000 as of May 31, 2019 and $801,000 as of August 31, 2018. ﻿ Cost of Goods Sold – The Company includes the cost of merchandise, food service and bakery raw materials in cost of goods sold, net merchandise sales. The Company also includes in cost of goods sold: net merchandise sales the external and internal distribution and handling costs for supplying merchandise, raw materials and supplies to the warehouse clubs. External costs include inbound freight, duties, drayage, fees, insurance, and non-recoverable value-added tax related to inventory shrink, spoilage and damage. Internal costs include payroll and related costs, utilities, consumable supplies, repair and maintenance, rent expense and building and equipment depreciation at the Company's distribution facilities and payroll and other direct costs for in-store demonstrations. ﻿ For export sales, the Company includes the cost of merchandise and external and internal distribution and handling costs for supplying merchandise in cost of goods sold, exports. ﻿ For the marketplace and casillero operations, the Company includes the costs of external and internal shipping, handling and other direct costs incurred to provide delivery, insurance and customs processing services in cost of goods sold, non-merchandise. ﻿ Vendor consideration consists primarily of volume rebates, time-limited product promotions, slotting fees, demonstration reimbursements and prompt payment discounts. Volume rebates that are not threshold based are incorporated into the unit cost of merchandise reducing the inventory cost and cost of goods sold. Volume rebates that are threshold based are recorded as a reduction to cost of goods sold when the Company achieves established purchase levels that are confirmed by the vendor in writing or upon receipt of funds. On a quarterly basis, the Company calculates the amount of rebates recorded in cost of goods sold that relates to inventory on hand and this amount is reclassified as a reduction to inventory, if significant. Slotting fees are related to consideration received by the Company from vendors for preferential "end cap" placement of the vendor's products within the warehouse club. Demonstration reimbursements are related to consideration received by the Company from vendors for the in store promotion of the vendors' products. The Company records the reduction in cost of goods sold on a transactional basis for these programs. Prompt payment discounts are taken in substantially all cases, and therefore, are applied directly to reduce the acquisition cost of the related inventory, with the resulting effect recorded to cost of goods sold when the inventory is sold. ﻿ Selling, General and Administrative – Selling, general and administrative costs are comprised primarily of expenses associated with operating warehouse clubs and freight forwarding operations. These operations include the operating costs of the Company’s warehouse clubs and freight forwarding activities, including payroll and related costs, utilities, consumable supplies, repair and maintenance, rent expense, building and equipment depreciation, bank, credit card processing fees, and amortization of intangibles. Also included in selling, general and administrative expenses are the payroll and related costs for the Company’s U.S. and regional management and purchasing centers. ﻿ Pre-Opening Costs – The Company expenses pre-opening costs (the costs of start-up activities, including organization costs and rent) for new warehouse clubs as incurred. ﻿ Contingencies and Litigation – The Company records and reserves for loss contingencies if (a) information available prior to issuance of the consolidated financial statements indicates that it is probable that an asset had been impaired or a liability had been incurred at the date of the consolidated financial statements and (b) the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. If one or both criteria for accrual are not met, but there is at least a reasonable possibility that a material loss will occur, the Company does not record and reserve for a loss contingency but describes the contingency within a note and provides detail, when possible, of the estimated potential loss or range of loss. If an estimate cannot be made, a statement to that effect is made. ﻿ Foreign Currency Translation – The assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations are translated to U.S. dollars when the functional currency in the Company’s international subsidiaries is the local currency and not U.S. dollars. Assets and liabilities of these foreign subsidiaries are translated to U.S. dollars at the exchange rate on the balance sheet date, and revenue, costs and expenses are translated at average rates of exchange in effect during the period. The corresponding translation gains and losses are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss. These adjustments will affect net income upon the sale or liquidation of the underlying investment. ﻿ The following table discloses the net effect of translation into the reporting currency on other comprehensive income (loss) for these local currency denominated accounts for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2019 and 2018: ﻿ ﻿
﻿ |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
﻿ |  | Three Months Ended |  | Nine Months Ended
﻿ |  | May 31, |  | May 31, |  | May 31, |  |  | May 31,
﻿ |  | 2019 |  | 2018 |  | 2019 |  |  | 2018
﻿Effect on other comprehensive (loss) income due to foreign currency translation |  | $ | (9,697) |  | $ | (2,461) |  | $ | (17,972) |  | $ | (126)
﻿ Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the respective entity (primarily U.S. dollars) are revalued to the functional currency using the exchange rate on the balance sheet date. These foreign exchange transaction gains (losses), including transactions recorded involving these monetary assets and liabilities, are recorded as Other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of income. ﻿ For the three and nine months ended May 31, 2019, we had a net expense associated with foreign currency transactions of approximately $192,000 and $1.9 million, respectively. ﻿ ﻿ Recent Accounting Pronouncements – Not Yet Adopted ﻿ FASB ASC 815 ASU 2018-16 – Derivatives and Hedging — Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes ﻿ In October 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board “FASB” issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2018-16, Derivatives and Hedging—Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes, which expands the list of United States benchmark interest rates permitted in the application of hedge accounting. The amendments in this ASU allow use of the Overnight Index Swap (OIS) rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes under Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company will evaluate the impact adoption of this guidance may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. ﻿ FASB ASC 810 ASU 2018-15 – Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract ﻿ In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s accounting for implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. ASU No. 2018-15 aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software (and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license). As such, the amendment in this ASU requires an entity (customer) in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract to follow the guidance in subtopic 350-40 in order to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as an asset and which costs to expense. ﻿ Additionally, the amendments in this ASU require the entity to expense the capitalized implementation costs of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract over the term of the hosting arrangement. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will evaluate the impact adoption of this guidance may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. ﻿ FASB ASC 718 ASU 2018-07 - Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718) — Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting ﻿ In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which expands the scope to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from non-employees. The amendments in this ASU apply to all share-based payment transactions in which a grantor acquires goods or services to be used or consumed in the grantor’s own operations by issuing share-based payment awards. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will evaluate the impact adoption of this guidance may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. ﻿ FASB ASC 350 ASU 2017-04- Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment ﻿ In January 2017, the FASB issued Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This ASU simplifies the manner in which an entity is required to test goodwill for impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Under the amendments in this ASU, an entity should (1) perform its annual or interim goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, and (2) recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value, with the understanding that the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. ﻿ Additionally, ASU 2017-04 requires any reporting unit with a zero or negative carrying amount to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will evaluate the impact adoption of this guidance may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. ﻿ FASB ASC 842 ASU 2016-02 -Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification ﻿ In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance codified in ASC 842, Leases, which requires lease assets and liabilities to be recorded on the balance sheet. Certain qualitative and quantitative disclosures are also required. ASC 842 will be effective for the Company on September 1, 2019, and the Company expects to apply the transition practical expedients allowed by the standard. Additionally, the Company expects to elect the optional transition method that allows for a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption and will not restate prior periods. The Company is currently implementing a new lease system and evaluating the changes to business processes and controls to support the adoption of this accounting standard update. While the Company continues to evaluate the provisions of ASC 842, we currently expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated balance sheets due to the creation of lease liabilities with corresponding right-of-use assets, resulting in a significant increase in the assets and liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet upon adoption. However, the Company does not expect a material change to its net income attributable to the company on its consolidated statement of income or opening retained earnings on its consolidated balance sheet, or on the net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents as reported on its consolidated statement of cash flows. ﻿ Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted ﻿ FASB ASC 715 ASU 2017-09 - Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718)—Scope of Modification Accounting ﻿ In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting, which seeks to provide clarity, reduce diversity in practice, and reduce cost and complexity when applying the guidance in Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, regarding a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. This ASU provides guidance concerning which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. Specifically, an entity is to account for the effects of a modification unless all of the following are satisfied: (1) the fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value, if such an alternative measurement method is used) of the modified award is the same as the fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value, if such an alternative measurement method is used) of the original award immediately before the original award is modified; (2) the vesting conditions of the modified award are the same as the vesting conditions of the original award immediately before the original award is modified; and (3) the classification of the modified award as an equity instrument or as a liability instrument is the same as the classification of the original award immediately before the original award is modified. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this guidance, prospectively, as of September 1, 2018. FASB ASC 715 ASU 2017-07- Compensation—Retirement Benefits (Topic 715) — Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost ﻿ In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, Compensation—Retirement Benefits (Topic 715) — Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. This ASU i s designed to improve guidance related to the presentation of defined benefit costs in the income statement. In particular, ASU 2017-07 requires that an employer report the service cost component in the same line item(s) as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this ASU retrospectively, beginning September 1, 2018, and elected to use the practical expedient as the estimation basis for applying the retrospective presentation requirements. The service cost component of the Company’s pension and postretirement expenses is reported in the Warehouse club and other operations financial statement line item. The other components of pension and post-retirement expenses are classified in Other income (expense), net. Adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements. ﻿ FASB ASC 606 ASU 2014-09 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers ﻿ In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance on the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. The guidance converges the requirements for reporting revenue and requires disclosures sufficient to describe the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows. The new standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted this guidance at the beginning of its first quarter of fiscal year 2019, using the modified retrospective approach through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. The Company adopted this guidance as of September 1, 2018 and has disclosed the impact adoption that this guidance had for the Company’s consolidated financial statements with Note 3 – Revenue Recognition.

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