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The Cato
(NYSE:CATO)
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Rating:43Neutral
Price Target:
$2.50
▼(-9.75% Downside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:09/18/26
The score is primarily weighed down by weak financial performance (recent losses and volatile/declining sales) and bearish technical trends (price below major moving averages with negative MACD). Positive TTM operating/free cash flow and moderate leverage provide some support, but negative earnings make valuation signals less reliable, and the accelerated store-closure plan underscores ongoing operating pressure despite potential longer-term cost benefits.
Positive Factors
Positive cash generation
Positive TTM operating and free cash flow shows the retailer can currently convert operations into cash despite its net loss. If sustained, this provides internal funding for inventory, stores and restructuring, while reducing dependence on external financing during the next several quarters.
Negative Factors
Declining and volatile revenue
A sustained decline in revenue indicates weakening customer demand and reduces the scale available to absorb store, labor and logistics expenses. Continued volatility also makes merchandising and inventory planning less predictable, limiting visibility into a durable recovery in sales.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Positive cash generation
Positive TTM operating and free cash flow shows the retailer can currently convert operations into cash despite its net loss. If sustained, this provides internal funding for inventory, stores and restructuring, while reducing dependence on external financing during the next several quarters.
Read all positive factors
The Cato (CATO) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$49.98M
Dividend Yield15.08%
Average Volume (3M)161.84K
Price to Earnings (P/E)―
Beta (1Y)0.86
Revenue Growth-1.10%
EPS Growth70.99%
CountryUS
Employees6,700
SectorConsumer Cyclical
Sector Strength84
IndustryApparel - Retail
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)-0.30
Shares Outstanding18,148,296
10 Day Avg. Volume86,080
30 Day Avg. Volume161,841
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio0.14
Price to Book (P/B)0.37
Price to Sales (P/S)0.09
P/FCF Ratio-11.13
Enterprise Value/Market Cap<0.01
Enterprise Value/Revenue<0.01
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit<0.01
Enterprise Value/Ebitda>-0.01
Forecast
1Y Price TargetN/A
Price Target UpsideN/A
Rating ConsensusN/A
Number of Analyst Covering0
EPS Forecast (FY)N/A
Revenue Forecast (FY)N/A
The Cato Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
The Cato Corporation, encompassing its subsidiary entities, operates as a specialized vendor of fashionable clothing and accompanying accessories, with its primary market centered in the southeastern region of the United States. Its business model...
How the Company Makes Money
Cato generates revenue primarily from retail sales of apparel and fashion accessories to consumers through (1) its physical store base and (2) its online sales channel. Its core revenue stream is merchandise sales, which are driven by customer tra...
The Cato Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
38
Negative
Balance Sheet
55
Neutral
Cash Flow
46
Neutral
| Breakdown | TTM | Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 | Jan 2024 | Jan 2023 | Jan 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 643.67M | 653.81M | 649.81M | 708.06M | 759.26M | 769.27M |
| Gross Profit | 207.00M | 212.28M | 203.55M | 233.88M | 238.52M | 303.85M |
| EBITDA | -37.00K | 2.49M | -6.24M | -3.90M | 12.94M | 51.39M |
| Net Income | -5.59M | -5.91M | -18.61M | -22.59M | 41.00K | 34.91M |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 423.44M | 421.42M | 452.36M | 486.82M | 553.14M | 633.77M |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 96.44M | 76.32M | 77.70M | 102.95M | 128.66M | 165.76M |
| Total Debt | 138.63M | 150.45M | 145.90M | 153.12M | 174.77M | 184.33M |
| Total Liabilities | 255.53M | 264.11M | 290.06M | 294.50M | 326.55M | 379.57M |
| Stockholders Equity | 167.91M | 157.31M | 162.30M | 192.32M | 226.59M | 254.20M |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | 1.63M | -5.22M | -27.62M | -12.05M | -6.06M | 55.68M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 5.44M | -1.46M | -19.75M | 477.00K | 13.37M | 59.79M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -4.28M | -1.30M | 28.96M | 19.78M | 16.02M | -25.33M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -267.00K | -851.00K | -14.05M | -16.13M | -29.28M | -31.80M |
The Cato Technical Analysis
Negative
2.77
Price Trends
3.03
Negative
3.08
Negative
3.08
Negative
Market Momentum
-0.19
Negative
39.52
Neutral
35.72
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CATO, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 2.77 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 2.57, below the 50-day MA of 3.03, and below the 200-day MA of 3.08, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.19 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 39.52 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 35.72 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for CATO.
The Cato Risk Analysis
The Cato disclosed 28 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. The Cato reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks
The Cato Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
67 Neutral | $355.82M | 13.15 | 21.10% | 1.05% | -2.25% | -24.65% | |
65 Neutral | $2.52B | 7.53 | 20.04% | 3.32% | 8.21% | 89.24% | |
61 Neutral | $18.38B | 12.79 | -2.54% | 3.03% | 1.52% | -15.83% | |
56 Neutral | $126.63M | 58.31 | 2.37% | 12.82% | 6.07% | ― | |
49 Neutral | $229.35M | -25.44 | 4.27% | ― | -11.16% | -384.28% | |
45 Neutral | $28.74M | -3.40 | -903.25% | ― | -10.40% | 83.52% | |
43 Neutral | $49.98M | -8.37 | -3.39% | 15.08% | -1.10% | 70.99% |
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
CATO
The Cato
2.51
-1.90
-43.08%
AEO
American Eagle
15.06
-2.41
-13.80%
TLYS
Tilly's
4.14
2.18
111.22%
JILL
JJill
23.94
5.89
32.65%
CURV
Torrid Holdings
2.30
0.49
27.07%
LVLU
Lulu's Fashion Lounge Holdings
10.01
5.35
114.81%
The Cato Corporate Events
Business Operations and Strategy
The Cato to Close 70 More Underperforming Stores
Negative
Sep 18, 2026
On September 18, 2026, The Cato Corporation announced plans to close about 70 additional underperforming stores in the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2026, bringing total planned closures for the year to roughly 120 locations. Management cite...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.