CATO CORP (CATO) Financials
A multiple compares the market's price with a filed figure; it says what the market pays, not how the business is doing. The market capitalization is the vendor's as of Oct 17, 2026; every other figure is from the SEC filings on this page. Not financial advice.
Newest figures come from the 10-Q for Q3 FY2027, filed Aug 27, 2026. Each column of the statement tables below links to the filing it was taken from, and every filing is listed on the CATO SEC filings page.
CATO CORP (CATO) reported $653.8M in revenue for fiscal year 2025, up 0.6% from the prior fiscal year. This page shows its income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, and key financial ratios. View 15 years of annual fundamentals and quarterly data, with year-over-year growth rates and compound annual growth rates (CAGR). All figures are derived from SEC filings (10-K and 10-Q reports).
The business is shrinking its footprint while narrowing losses, with 2025 improvement coming more from cost and inventory restraint than sales growth.
Revenue recovered only slightly in FY2025, yet gross margin rose to34.0% from32.8% . That combination, alongside lower overhead, cut the operating loss to$12.7M from$26.4M : the improvement reflects cost containment more than renewed volume.
Cash conversion improved in FY2025: operating cash flow was
Total assets fell to
Financial Health Signals
Scored against operating companies for FY2025. Each of the six dimensions is a percentile rank within that peer group; the overall is their average, with missing dimensions counted as zero out of six. A high score means strong standing among peers, not absolute cross-industry strength. How this score is calculated →
Health score ≠ stock price. This rates the quality of CATO CORP's business: profitability, growth, balance sheet strength. It doesn't tell you whether the stock is a good buy at today's price. Not financial advice. Use it alongside valuation analysis and your own research.
CATO CORP has an operating margin of -1.9%, meaning the company loses $2 on every $100 of revenue. This results in a profitability score of 22/100. This is up from -4.1% the prior year.
CATO CORP's revenue grew a modest 0.6% year-over-year to $653.8M. This slow but positive growth earns a score of 19/100.
CATO CORP has a moderate D/E ratio of 1.68. This balance of debt and equity financing earns a leverage score of 35/100.
CATO CORP's current ratio of 1.24 indicates adequate short-term liquidity, earning a score of 31/100. The company can meet its near-term obligations, though with limited headroom.
CATO CORP's operations used $1.5M of cash, and capex of $3.8M added to the outflow, for a free cash flow shortfall of $5.2M. This results in a cash flow score of 21/100.
CATO CORP posts a -3.8% return on equity (ROE), meaning it loses $4 for every $100 of shareholders' equity. This results in a returns score of 18/100. This is up from -11.1% the prior year.
CATO CORP scores 1.75, below the 1.81 distress threshold. This indicates elevated financial distress risk and warrants close attention to liquidity and debt levels.
Distress-screening estimate for non-financial companies. Not computed for banks or insurers, where the Altman model does not apply.
CATO CORP passes 5 of 7 computable financial strength tests (2 of the nine could not be computed from available data). 2 of 4 profitability signals pass, all 1 leverage/liquidity signals pass, both operating efficiency signals pass.
CATO CORP reported a net loss of $5.9M while operations used $1.5M of cash. With neither figure positive, the ratio between the two carries no quality signal.
CATO CORP reported an operating loss of $12.7M against $115K in interest expense. There is no operating profit to cover interest, so interest must be met from cash reserves or from financing rather than from operations.
Key Financial Metrics
Earnings & Revenue
CATO CORP generated $165.5M in revenue in Q3 2027. This represents a decrease of 6.2% from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is down 3.3%.
CATO CORP's EBITDA was $1.6M in Q3 2027, measuring earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. This represents a decrease of 79.8% from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is down 85.5%.
CATO CORP reported $1.1M in net income in Q3 2027. This represents a decrease of 83.2% from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is down 87.7%.
CATO CORP earned $0.06 per diluted share (EPS) in Q3 2027. This represents a decrease of 82.9% from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is down 87.2%.
Cash & Balance Sheet
CATO CORP generated $13.1M in free cash flow in Q3 2027, representing cash available after capex. This represents an increase of 26.0% from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is up 88.3%.
CATO CORP held $35.1M in cash as of Q3 2027; long-term debt is not reported for that period.
Not reported for Q3 2027.
Margins & Returns
CATO CORP's gross margin was 33.4% in Q3 2027, indicating the percentage of revenue retained after direct costs. This is down 3.4 percentage points from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is down 4.4 percentage points.
CATO CORP's operating margin was -0.4% in Q3 2027, reflecting core business profitability. This is down 3.5 percentage points from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is down 5.6 percentage points.
CATO CORP's net profit margin was 0.7% in Q3 2027, showing the share of revenue converted to profit. This is down 3.2 percentage points from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is down 4.8 percentage points.
CATO CORP's ROE was 0.7% in Q3 2027, measuring profit generated per dollar of shareholder equity. This is down 3.3 percentage points from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is down 4.9 percentage points.
Capital Allocation
CATO CORP spent $111K on share buybacks in Q3 2027, returning capital to shareholders by reducing shares outstanding. This represents an increase of 85.0% from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is down 64.3%.
CATO CORP invested $1.3M in capex in Q3 2027, funding long-term assets and infrastructure. That is unchanged from the same quarter a year earlier. Against the prior quarter it is up 25.9%.
Not reported for Q3 2027.
CATO Income Statement
Figures in USD, abbreviated K (thousand), M (million), B (billion), T (trillion). Negative values carry a minus sign and red type. Each change compares the year with the year before it, and each quarter with the same quarter a year earlier.
| Metric | Q3'2710-Q | Q2'2710-Q | Q4'2610-Q | Q3'2610-Q | Q2'2610-Q | Q1'2610-K | Q4'2510-Q | Q3'2510-Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $165.5M-6.2% | $171.1M+0.5% | $155.4M+6.3% | $176.5M+4.7% | $170.2M-3.9% | $164.8M-13.2% | $146.2M | $168.6M+6.6% |
| Cost of Revenue | $110.2M-1.2% | $106.3M-2.7% | $104.5M+1.5% | $111.5M+2.1% | $109.3M-2.8% | $115.0M-10.4% | $103.0M | $109.1M+3.1% |
| Gross Profit | $55.3M-14.9% | $64.8M+6.3% | $50.9M+17.7% | $65.0M+9.3% | $60.9M-5.7% | $49.7M-19.1% | $43.2M | $59.5M+13.5% |
| SG&A Expenses | $54.0M-5.8% | $53.9M-2.5% | $57.0M-1.6% | $57.4M-1.4% | $55.3M-2.5% | $60.0M-17.3% | $57.9M | $58.2M-5.8% |
| Operating Income | -$618K-111.2% | $9.0M+160.1% | -$8.2M+51.9% | $5.5M+986.5% | $3.4M-43.8% | -$12.2M+24.3% | -$17.0M | -$623K+94.0% |
| EBITDA | $1.6M-79.8% | $11.2M+86.3% | -$5.7M+59.9% | $8.0M+371.7% | $6.0M-26.4% | -$10.0M+24.7% | -$14.2M | $1.7M+121.7% |
| Income Tax | $147K+150.2% | $522K-43.8% | -$1.2M-461.2% | -$293K-145.6% | $928K+43.0% | $51K-99.6% | $322K | $643K+115.1% |
| Net Income | $1.1M-83.2% | $9.3M+181.3% | -$5.2M+65.6% | $6.8M+7091.6% | $3.3M-69.8% | -$6.4M+78.7% | -$15.1M | $95K+101.6% |
| EPS (Basic) | $0.06-82.9% | $0.47+176.5% | -$0.28+64.6% | $0.35+3400.0% | $0.17-68.5% | -$0.73+36.5% | -$0.79 | $0.01+103.3% |
| EPS (Diluted) | $0.06-82.9% | $0.47+176.5% | -$0.28+64.6% | $0.35 | $0.17-68.5% | -$0.73 | -$0.79 | $0.01 |
| Diluted Shares (Avg) | 19M+1.0% | 19M+0.7% | 19M-2.5% | 19M | 19M-3.5% | N/A | 19M | 19M |
Not reported in any period shown, so not listed: R&D Expenses, Interest Expense.
CATO Balance Sheet
Figures in USD, abbreviated K (thousand), M (million), B (billion), T (trillion). Negative values carry a minus sign and red type. Each change compares the year with the year before it, and each quarter with the same quarter a year earlier.
| Metric | Q3'2710-Q | Q2'2710-Q | Q4'2610-Q | Q3'2610-Q | Q2'2610-Q | Q1'2610-K | Q4'2510-Q | Q3'2510-Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $423.4M-3.1% | $439.2M-0.4% | $450.2M+6.1% | $436.9M-4.1% | $440.8M-7.6% | $452.4M-7.1% | $424.4M | $455.6M-6.5% |
| Current Assets | $208.5M-7.7% | $217.2M-4.1% | $210.4M-8.6% | $225.8M-7.3% | $226.4M-9.3% | $223.2M-8.2% | $230.2M | $243.5M-6.7% |
| Cash & Equivalents | $35.1M+2.6% | $25.4M-18.9% | $22.8M+12.6% | $34.2M+11.3% | $31.3M-19.8% | $20.3M-15.3% | $20.2M | $30.8M+22.9% |
| Short-Term Investments | $58.6M+3.7% | $55.6M+14.3% | $56.2M-14.8% | $56.5M-23.5% | $48.6M-26.6% | $57.4M-27.3% | $66.0M | $73.9M-21.0% |
| Inventory | $82.5M-15.2% | $92.5M-15.5% | $94.1M-12.2% | $97.3M+1.4% | $109.4M+8.0% | $110.7M+12.3% | $107.2M | $96.0M-2.9% |
| Accounts Receivable | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $24.5M-17.5% | N/A | N/A |
| Long-Term Investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Liabilities | $255.5M-3.5% | $272.5M-1.2% | $282.6M+14.3% | $264.7M+1.6% | $275.9M-1.6% | $290.1M-1.5% | $247.3M | $260.5M-3.5% |
| Current Liabilities | $153.5M-12.5% | $168.2M-7.8% | $152.1M-10.3% | $175.3M+1.0% | $182.5M-0.7% | $188.2M+0.1% | $169.5M | $173.6M-5.8% |
| Non-Current Liabilities | $102.1M+14.2% | $104.3M+11.7% | $130.5M+67.8% | $89.4M+2.8% | $93.4M-3.2% | $101.8M-4.4% | $77.8M | $86.9M+1.3% |
| Total Equity | $167.9M-2.5% | $166.7M+1.1% | $167.6M-5.3% | $172.2M-11.7% | $164.9M-16.2% | $162.3M-15.6% | $177.1M | $195.1M-10.2% |
| Retained Earnings | $35.1M-14.6% | $34.0M-0.7% | $35.9M-24.3% | $41.1M-37.9% | $34.3M-50.7% | $31.9M-50.3% | $47.4M | $66.1M-27.5% |
Not reported in any period shown, so not listed: Goodwill, Long-Term Debt.
CATO Cash Flow Statement
Figures in USD, abbreviated K (thousand), M (million), B (billion), T (trillion). Negative values carry a minus sign and red type. Each change compares the year with the year before it, and each quarter with the same quarter a year earlier.
| Metric | Q3'2710-Q | Q2'2710-Q | Q4'2610-Q | Q3'2610-Q | Q2'2610-Q | Q1'2610-K | Q4'2510-Q | Q3'2510-Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash Flow | $14.5M+23.1% | $8.0M+108.1% | -$12.4M+43.9% | $11.8M+276.1% | $3.9M-32.2% | -$6.5M+42.1% | -$22.1M | $3.1M+131.6% |
| Depreciation & Amortization | $2.2M-11.0% | $2.2M-12.8% | $2.4M-10.7% | $2.5M+8.4% | $2.6M+25.7% | $2.7M+8.4% | $2.7M | $2.3M-7.0% |
| Stock-Based Compensation | N/A | $578K+199.5% | N/A | N/A | $193K+607.9% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Capital Expenditures | $1.3M0.0% | $1.1M+4.7% | $530K-69.0% | $1.3M-12.7% | $1.0M-68.8% | $1.4M-39.7% | $1.7M | $1.5M-14.6% |
| Free Cash Flow | $13.1M+26.0% | $7.0M+145.1% | -$12.9M+45.7% | $10.4M+555.1% | $2.8M+16.5% | -$7.8M+41.7% | -$23.8M | $1.6M+113.6% |
| Investing Cash Flow | -$4.7M+47.1% | $809K-89.8% | $857K-94.2% | -$8.8M-11.2% | $7.9M-45.6% | $7.5M-45.3% | $14.8M | -$7.9M+55.1% |
| Financing Cash Flow | -$115K-91.7% | -$234K+73.2% | $82K+102.4% | -$60K+98.3% | -$873K+84.4% | -$1.5M+57.4% | -$3.5M | -$3.5M-4.8% |
| Dividends Paid | N/A | N/A | $0-100.0% | $0-100.0% | $0-100.0% | $0-100.0% | $3.5M | $3.5M+0.9% |
| Share Buybacks | $111K+85.0% | $311K-66.7% | $0-100.0% | $60K | $935K-58.2% | $1.5M+147800.0% | $161K | $0 |
CATO Financial Ratios
Margins and returns are percentages; the remaining ratios are unitless multiples. Each change compares the year with the year before it, and each quarter with the same quarter a year earlier.
| Metric | Q3'2710-Q | Q2'2710-Q | Q4'2610-Q | Q3'2610-Q | Q2'2610-Q | Q1'2610-K | Q4'2510-Q | Q3'2510-Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 33.4%-3.4pp | 37.9%+2.1pp | 32.7%+3.2pp | 36.9%+1.6pp | 35.8%-0.7pp | 30.2%-2.2pp | 29.6% | 35.3%+2.2pp |
| Operating Margin | -0.4%-3.5pp | 5.2%+3.2pp | -5.3%+6.4pp | 3.1%+3.5pp | 2.0%-1.4pp | -7.4%+1.1pp | -11.6% | -0.4%+6.2pp |
| Net Margin | 0.7%-3.2pp | 5.4%+3.5pp | -3.3%+7.0pp | 3.9%+3.8pp | 1.9%-4.3pp | -3.9%+11.9pp | -10.3% | 0.1%+3.9pp |
| Return on Equity | 0.7%-3.3pp | 5.6%+3.6pp | -3.1%+5.4pp | 4.0%+3.9pp | 2.0%-3.6pp | -3.9%+11.6pp | -8.5% | 0.1%+2.9pp |
| Return on Assets | 0.3%-1.3pp | 2.1%+1.4pp | -1.1%+2.4pp | 1.6%+1.5pp | 0.8%-1.6pp | -1.4%+4.8pp | -3.5% | 0.0%+1.3pp |
| Current Ratio | 1.36+0.1x | 1.29+0.1x | 1.380.0x | 1.29-0.1x | 1.24-0.1x | 1.19-0.1x | 1.36 | 1.400.0x |
| Debt-to-Equity | 1.520.0x | 1.630.0x | 1.69+0.3x | 1.54+0.2x | 1.67+0.2x | 1.79+0.3x | 1.40 | 1.34+0.1x |
| Asset Turnover | 0.390.0x | 0.390.0x | 0.350.0x | 0.400.0x | 0.390.0x | 0.360.0x | 0.34 | 0.370.0x |
| FCF Margin | 7.9%+2.0pp | 4.1%+2.4pp | -8.3%+8.0pp | 5.9%+5.0pp | 1.7%+0.3pp | -4.8%+2.3pp | -16.3% | 0.9%+8.3pp |
Similar Companies
Newest fiscal year on record for each company. The health score is the peer-relative Financial Health Score for that year; a dash means no score is published for it.
| Company | Fiscal year | Revenue | Net income | Net margin | Market cap | Health score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CATO CORP CATO | FY2025 | $653.8M | -$5.9M | -0.9% | $46.8M | 24/100 |
| Destination XL Group, Inc. DXLG | FY2025 | $435.0M | -$35.9M | -8.3% | $25.3M | 27/100 |
| a.k.a. Brands Holding Corp. AKA | FY2025 | $600.2M | -$31.4M | -5.2% | $112.4M | 33/100 |
| Tilly's Inc. TLYS | FY2025 | $553.6M | -$17.5M | -3.1% | $140.7M | 20/100 |
| Duluth Holdings Inc. DLTH | FY2025 | $565.2M | -$16.4M | -2.9% | $152.0M | 27/100 |
| BrilliA Inc BRIA | FY2025 | $64.4M | $2.8M | 4.4% | $34.9M | 42/100 |
Where CATO CORP Ranks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CATO CORP's annual revenue?
CATO CORP (CATO) reported $653.8M in total revenue for fiscal year 2025. This represents a 0.6% change compared to the previous fiscal year. Revenue measures the total income earned from the company's primary business operations before any expenses are deducted.
How fast is CATO CORP's revenue growing?
CATO CORP (CATO) revenue grew by 0.6% year-over-year, from $649.8M to $653.8M in fiscal year 2025.
Is CATO CORP profitable?
No, CATO CORP (CATO) reported a net income of -$5.9M in fiscal year 2025, with a net profit margin of -0.9%.
What is CATO CORP's EBITDA?
CATO CORP (CATO) had EBITDA of -$2.7M in fiscal year 2025, measuring earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.
What is CATO CORP's gross margin?
CATO CORP (CATO) had a gross margin of 34.0% in fiscal year 2025, indicating the percentage of revenue retained after direct costs of goods sold.
What is CATO CORP's operating margin?
CATO CORP (CATO) had an operating margin of -1.9% in fiscal year 2025, reflecting the profitability of core business operations before interest and taxes.
What is CATO CORP's net profit margin?
CATO CORP (CATO) had a net profit margin of -0.9% in fiscal year 2025, representing the share of revenue converted into profit after all expenses.
What is CATO CORP's return on equity (ROE)?
CATO CORP (CATO) has a return on equity of -3.8% for fiscal year 2025, measuring how efficiently the company generates profit from shareholder equity.
What is CATO CORP's free cash flow?
CATO CORP (CATO) recorded an outflow of $5.2M in free cash flow during fiscal year 2025. This represents a 81.1% change compared to the previous fiscal year. Free cash flow represents the cash a company generates after accounting for capital expenditures, and is widely used to assess financial flexibility and shareholder value.
What is CATO CORP's operating cash flow?
CATO CORP (CATO) recorded an outflow of $1.5M in operating cash flow during fiscal year 2025, representing cash used by core business activities.
What are CATO CORP's total assets?
CATO CORP (CATO) had $421.4M in total assets as of fiscal year 2025, including both current and long-term assets.
What are CATO CORP's capital expenditures?
CATO CORP (CATO) invested $3.8M in capital expenditures during fiscal year 2025, funding long-term assets and infrastructure.
What is CATO CORP's current ratio?
CATO CORP (CATO) had a current ratio of 1.24 as of fiscal year 2025, which is considered adequate.
What is CATO CORP's debt-to-equity ratio?
CATO CORP (CATO) had a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68 as of fiscal year 2025, measuring the company's financial leverage by comparing total debt to shareholder equity.
What is CATO CORP's return on assets (ROA)?
CATO CORP (CATO) had a return on assets of -1.4% for fiscal year 2025, measuring how efficiently the company uses its assets to generate profit.
What is CATO CORP's P/E ratio?
CATO CORP (CATO) has no price-to-earnings ratio at the moment: net loss, so no earnings multiple (FY2025). The market capitalization is $46.8M as of Oct 17, 2026; a multiple compares that price with a filed figure and says nothing about the quality of the business.
What is CATO CORP's price-to-sales ratio?
CATO CORP (CATO) trades at 0.1x sales, its market capitalization divided by revenue of $653.8M revenue, FY2025. The market capitalization is $46.8M as of Oct 17, 2026; a multiple compares that price with a filed figure and says nothing about the quality of the business.
What is CATO CORP's Altman Z-Score?
CATO CORP (CATO) has an Altman Z-Score of 1.75, placing it in the Distress Zone (elevated bankruptcy risk). The Z-Score combines five financial ratios (working capital, retained earnings, EBIT, market capitalization, and revenue relative to total assets) to predict the likelihood of bankruptcy. Scores above 2.99 indicate financial safety while scores below 1.81 suggest financial distress. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.
What is CATO CORP's Piotroski F-Score?
CATO CORP (CATO) has a Piotroski F-Score of 5 out of 7 computable signals; 2 of the nine could not be computed from available data, so the full-scale strength rating is not shown. The F-Score evaluates nine binary signals across profitability (positive ROA, positive cash flow, improving ROA, earnings quality), leverage (decreasing debt, improving liquidity, no share dilution), and operating efficiency (improving gross margin, improving asset turnover). Scores of 7 to 9 indicate strong and improving fundamentals. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.
Are CATO CORP's earnings high quality?
CATO CORP (CATO) reported a net loss of $5.9M while operations used $1.5M of cash. With neither figure positive, the ratio between the two carries no quality signal. This ratio compares operating cash flow to net income. A ratio above 1.0x means the company generates more cash than its reported earnings, indicating sustainable, cash-backed profits. Ratios below 1.0x suggest earnings rely on accounting accruals rather than actual cash generation. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.
Can CATO CORP cover its interest payments?
CATO CORP (CATO) reported an operating loss of $12.7M against $115K in interest expense. There is no operating profit to cover interest, so interest must be met from cash reserves or from financing rather than from operations. This ratio divides operating income by interest expense. Ratios above 5x indicate strong debt-servicing ability, while ratios below 2x suggest the company may face difficulty meeting interest payments if earnings decline. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.
How financially healthy is CATO CORP?
CATO CORP (CATO) scores 24 out of 100 on our Financial Health Score, indicating weak standing within its operating companies peer group. The score is a 0-100 composite of six dimensions (Profitability, Growth, Leverage, Liquidity, Cash Flow, Returns), each ranked as a percentile relative to companies in the same scoring family (banks against banks, REITs against REITs, and so on) rather than across all industries. It rates the quality of the business, not whether the stock is fairly priced, and is not financial advice. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.