Cato to close 120 stores in fiscal 2026 plan

Cato plans to close about 120 stores in fiscal 2026, expecting modest exit costs and improved operating results from 2027.

Available on EDGAR 09/18/2026 - 01:01 PM EDT Accepted by SEC EDGAR 09/18/2026 - 01:00 PM EDT Learn about SEC filing dates

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

CATO CORP (CATO) reported that it plans to close approximately 70 additional underperforming stores in the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2026, bringing total planned closures to about 120 stores for the year. Management cites economic pressure on customers’ discretionary income and does not expect marginal stores to improve meaningfully. The company expects these additional closures to benefit operating results in fiscal 2027 and beyond. Cato anticipates $1.0–$1.3 million in related exit costs through the end of 2026, mainly for disposing of signage and fixtures and returning store systems, and notes that all affected stores are at the end of their lease terms, so rent will not extend beyond 2026.

8-K Event Classification

2 items: 8.01, 9.01

2 items

Item 8.01 Other Events Other

Voluntary disclosure of events the company deems important to shareholders but not covered by other items.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits Exhibits

Financial statements, pro forma financial information, or exhibit attachments filed with this report.

Key Figures

Additional stores to be closed: 70 stores Total planned store closures in fiscal 2026: 120 stores Expected exit costs for additional closures: $1.0–$1.3 million +1 more

4 metrics

Additional stores to be closed 70 stores Planned additional underperforming store closures in Q3 and Q4 fiscal 2026

Total planned store closures in fiscal 2026 120 stores Aggregate planned closures for fiscal 2026 after adding 70 additional stores

Expected exit costs for additional closures $1.0–$1.3 million Costs to exit additional stores through the end of 2026

Fiscal year end January 30, 2027 Fiscal year for which store closing expectations are updated

Key Terms

underperforming stores, discretionary income, forward-looking, The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, +1 more

5 terms

underperforming stores financial

"plan to close approximately 70 additional underperforming stores in the third and fourth quarters"

discretionary income financial

"negative pressure on our customers’ discretionary income"

forward-looking regulatory

"Statements in this press release that express a belief, expectation or intention ... are considered “forward-looking”"

Forward-looking describes statements, estimates or projections about a company’s future performance, plans or expectations rather than past results. Like a weather forecast for a business, these predictions help investors form expectations and decide whether to buy, hold or sell, but they are not guarantees and can change if conditions differ from assumptions. Investors use them to gauge management’s strategy and potential risks and rewards.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regulatory

"considered “forward-looking” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995"

A U.S. law that changed the rules for private lawsuits over alleged misstatements in securities, making it harder to file weak or purely speculative claims while preserving genuine investor rights. Think of it as tightening the gate for complaints: plaintiffs now must show specific facts to get a case started, companies get limited protection for forward-looking statements, and procedures for choosing lead plaintiffs and calculating damages are clarified — all of which affect litigation risk and company valuations.

Risk Factors regulatory

"other factors discussed under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s most recently filed annual report"

Risk factors are elements or conditions that could cause an investment's value to decrease or lead to potential losses. They are like warning signs or obstacles that can affect the success of an investment, making it uncertain or more unpredictable. Recognizing risk factors helps investors understand the possible challenges and make more informed decisions.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What store closures did CATO (CATO) announce in this 8-K?

CATO plans to close approximately 70 additional underperforming stores in the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2026, bringing total planned closures to about 120 stores for the year, focused on locations where performance and profitability are not expected to improve.

How much does CATO (CATO) expect to spend on these additional store closures?

CATO expects to incur between $1.0 million and $1.3 million in costs to exit the additional stores through the end of 2026, primarily for disposal of external signage and fixtures and returning store systems back to corporate.

When does CATO (CATO) expect benefits from the 2026 store closures?

CATO states that it believes closing the additional stores will have a positive impact on operating results in fiscal 2027 and beyond, reflecting the removal of underperforming locations from its store base.

Will CATO (CATO) continue paying rent on the stores it is closing?

No. CATO notes that the stores being closed are all at the end of their lease term, and the company will not be paying rent for these locations beyond 2026, reducing ongoing occupancy commitments.

Why is CATO (CATO) closing more stores than in prior years?

CATO explains that, given the current economic environment and negative pressure on customers’ discretionary income, it does not expect marginal stores to improve appreciably, leading to a decision to close more stores than previously expected in 2026.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

Understanding 8-K Material Events →

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

FALSE 0000018255 0000018255 2026-09-18 2026-09-18

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

450 Fifth Street NW

Washington, D.C. 29549

Form

8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

September 18, 2026

THE CATO CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware

1-31340

56-0484485

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation

(Commission

File Number)

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

8100 Denmark Road

,

Charlotte

,

North Carolina

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

28273-5975

(Zip Code)

(704)

554-8510

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant

under any of the following provisions:

☐

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a -12)

☐

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Class A - Common Stock, par value $.033 per share

CATO

New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933

(§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for

complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

☐

2

THE CATO CORPORATION

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On September 18, 2026, The Cato Corporation issued a press release updating its anticipated store closings and

related closing cost expectations for the fiscal year ended January 30, 202 7. A copy of this press release is hereby

incorporated as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release issued September 18, 2026

Exhibit 104 – Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within Inline XBRL document)

3

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this

report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

THE CATO CORPORATION

September 18, 2026

/s/ John P. D. Cato

Date

John P. D. Cato

Chairman, President and

Chief Executive Officer

September 18, 2026

/s/ Charles D. Knight

Date

Charles D. Knight

Executive Vice President

Chief Financial Officer

4

Exhibit Index

Exhibit

Exhibit

No.

99.1 - Press Release issued September 18, 2026

99.1

104 Cover page Interactive Data File (embedded within Inline

XBRL document)

104

EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Further Information Contact:

Charles D. Knight

Executive Vice President

Chief Financial Officer

InvestorRelations@catocorp.com

CATO ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER STORE CLOSINGS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (September 18, 2026) – The Cato Corporation (NYSE: CATO) today announced that they plan to

close approximately 70 additional underperforming stores in the third and fourth quarters bringing total planned stores

closures to approximately 120 stores in fiscal 2026.

“Annually we review approximately one-third of our stores to exercise available lease options or negotiate an extension

based on each store’s performance including store sales trend and current and projected store profitability. In years past,

marginal stores were renewed for an additional year to give the store more time to improve its sales trend and

profitability,” stated John Cato, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. “In light of the current economic

environment, especially with the negative pressure on our customers’ discretionary income, we do not expect these

marginal stores to improve appreciably. As a result, we are closing more stores than expected this year. We believe that

closing these additional stores will have a positive impact on our operating results in fiscal 2027 and beyond.”

The Company expects to incur between $1.0 million and $1.3 million in costs to exit these additional stores through the

end of 2026. These costs relate primarily to expenses for the disposal of external signage and fixtures and returning store

systems back to corporate. As these stores are all at the end of their lease term, the Company will not be paying rent for

these locations beyond 2026.

Statements in this press release that express a belief, expectation or intention, as well as those that are not a historical

fact,

including, without limitation, statements regarding additional planned store closures and the expected costs and

potential impact on future operating results associated with these planned closures are considered “forward-looking”

within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based

on current expectations that are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause

actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but

are not limited to, any actual or perceived deterioration in the conditions that drive consumer confidence and spending,

including, but not limited to, prevailing social, economic, political and public health conditions and uncertainties, war or

similar hostilities and their collateral effects, levels of unemployment, fuel, energy and food costs, inflation, wage rates,

tax rates, tariff rates, interest rates, home values, consumer net worth and the availability of credit; changes in laws,

regulations or government policies affecting our business, including but not limited to tariffs, taxes and customs

enforcement; uncertainties regarding the impact of any governmental action regarding, or responses to, the foregoing

conditions; competitive factors and pricing pressures; our ability to predict and respond to rapidly changing fashion

trends and consumer demands; our ability to successfully open new stores in attractive locations and the ability of any

such new stores to grow and perform as expected; underperformance or other factors that may lead to a continuation or

acceleration of store closures and negatively affect the Company’s profitability, financial condition or prospects; adverse

weather, public health threats, acts of war or aggression or similar conditions and related consequences that may affect

our sales or operations; inventory risks due to shifts in market demand, including the ability to liquidate excess inventory

at anticipated margins; adverse developments or volatility affecting the financial services industry or broader financial

markets; and other factors discussed under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s most recently filed

annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports the Company files with or furnishes to the SEC from time to time. The

Company does not undertake, and expressly declines any obligation, to publicly update or revise the forward-looking

statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that the projected results expressed or implied therein will

not be realized. The Company is not responsible for any changes made to this press release by wire or Internet services.

* * *

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

4 documents

Press Releases

• EX-99.1 EX-99.1 14.8 KB

Other Documents

• EX-101 EX-101.SCH 2.0 KB
• EX-101 EX-101.LAB 14.1 KB
• EX-101 EX-101.PRE 10.6 KB