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The Cato Corporation (CATO)

Consumer Cyclical | Apparel Retail | Charlotte, United States | NYSE
3.23 USD
Short-term:★★☆☆☆Long-term:★☆☆☆☆Dividends:★☆☆☆☆
Hot Take ↕ | July 11, 2026, 3:26 a.m. EDT

The Cato Corporation presents a stark case of a business in structural decline masked by a distressed valuation. Fundamentally, the company is failing on every metric that matters for long-term survival: it has posted four consecutive years of negative annual returns, dragging the stock down 91% over the last nine years, while generating negative free cash flow and posting a loss per share of $0.55 in the most recent quarter. Despite trading at a fraction of book value, the market has correctly priced this as a deteriorating asset rather than a bargain, evidenced by the heavy put option activity signaling a fear of further collapse. While the trailing twelve-month revenue growth shows a marginal uptick (+1.8%), this is insufficient to arrest the multi-year downward trajectory or reverse the capital destruction. The dividend, though seemingly stable at $0.68 annually, is a token payout that barely covers a fraction of the operating cash flow and offers no real income relative to the massive capital impairment occurring. The short-term outlook remains bearish as the stock consolidates near its 52-week low, with options flow confirming that smart money is betting against further downside. Investors should view this as a speculative recovery play at best, but currently, the data supports a strong sell or avoidance stance.
Model Selection — Backtest MAE (log-scale, lower is better)
ModelMAE
AutoETS ✓0.094873
AutoARIMA0.097108
MSTL0.102897
AutoTheta0.110173

Forecast horizon: 45 days | Selected: AutoETS

Forecast Reliability
Score 45%
H-stat 3.05
Ljung-Box p 0.000
Jarque-Bera p 0.188
Excess Kurtosis -0.36
Attribute Value
Sector Consumer Cyclical
Ex Dividend Date 2024-09-15
Last Dividend Date 2024-09-15
Debt to Equity Ratio 86.996
Revenue per Share 34.786
Market Cap 63,547,292
Forward P/E 2.48
Beta 0.59
Profit Margins 0.01%
Website https://www.catofashions.com

As of July 11, 2026, 3:26 a.m. EDT: Speculators are overwhelmingly positioning for downside protection rather than upside participation. Put open interest significantly exceeds call open interest across all expirations, with the heaviest concentration in out-of-the-money strikes ($2.50). This distribution suggests a market consensus expecting further price weakness, likely testing the $2.50 floor, while call buyers remain sparse and focused on deep out-of-the-money speculation.

Dividend Data

Dividend History
Date Dividend Yield %
2024-09-16 0.170000 3.769401
2024-06-10 0.170000 3.035714
2024-03-25 0.170000 3.189493
2023-12-15 0.170000 2.449568
2023-09-08 0.170000 2.260638
2023-06-09 0.170000 2.111801
2023-03-20 0.170000 1.951780
2022-12-22 0.170000 1.884701
2022-09-09 0.170000 1.750772
2022-06-10 0.170000 1.503095
2022-03-21 0.170000 1.108214
2021-12-17 0.170000 1.067839
2021-09-10 0.170000 1.060511
2021-06-04 0.110000 0.688360
2020-03-06 0.330000 2.337111
2019-12-13 0.330000 1.853933
2019-09-13 0.330000 1.914153
2019-06-07 0.330000 2.596381
2019-03-08 0.330000 2.500000
2018-12-07 0.330000 2.328864
2018-09-14 0.330000 1.578192
2018-06-08 0.330000 1.367026
2018-03-09 0.330000 2.736318
2017-12-08 0.330000 2.133161
2017-09-08 0.330000 2.501895
2017-06-01 0.330000 1.637717
2017-03-02 0.330000 1.366460
2016-12-08 0.330000 1.059390
2016-09-08 0.330000 1.007326
2016-06-02 0.330000 0.861394
2016-03-03 0.300000 0.825310
2015-12-10 0.300000 0.778412
2015-09-10 0.300000 0.889680
2015-06-04 0.300000 0.797448
2015-03-05 0.300000 0.712758
2014-12-11 0.300000 0.748503
2014-09-11 0.300000 0.854701
2014-06-05 0.300000 1.007387
2014-03-06 0.300000 1.028101
2013-12-12 0.050000 0.162496
2013-09-12 0.050000 0.187688
2013-06-06 0.050000 0.196002
2013-03-07 0.050000 0.197785
2012-12-12 2.250000 8.627301
2012-09-06 0.250000 0.787402
2012-06-07 0.250000 0.841468
2012-03-01 0.230000 0.859813
2011-12-15 0.230000 0.939926
2011-09-08 0.230000 0.984589
2011-06-09 0.230000 0.841258
2011-03-03 0.185000 0.757266
2010-12-16 0.185000 0.656261
2010-09-09 0.185000 0.764463
2010-06-10 0.185000 0.774059
2010-03-04 0.165000 0.784220
2009-12-17 0.165000 0.855365
2009-09-10 0.165000 0.879531
2009-06-04 0.165000 0.811608
2009-03-05 0.165000 1.249054
2008-12-18 0.165000 1.178571
2008-09-11 0.165000 0.897715
2008-06-05 0.165000 1.034483
2008-03-06 0.165000 1.107383
2007-12-20 0.165000 1.057692
2007-09-06 0.165000 0.764243
2007-06-07 0.165000 0.768872
2007-03-08 0.150000 0.698649
2006-12-14 0.150000 0.622924
2006-09-07 0.150000 0.657318
2006-06-08 0.150000 0.672043
2006-03-09 0.130000 0.654582
2005-12-15 0.130000 0.585586
2005-09-08 0.130000 0.666325
2005-06-09 0.130000 0.643989
2005-03-10 0.116667 0.570778
2004-12-16 0.116667 0.625002
2004-09-09 0.116667 0.858266
2004-06-10 0.116667 0.783701
2004-03-11 0.106667 0.790516
2003-12-18 0.106667 0.801204
2003-09-11 0.106667 0.725626
2003-06-05 0.106667 0.764090
2003-03-13 0.100000 0.893389
2002-12-19 0.100000 0.701590
2002-09-12 0.100000 0.789474
2002-06-06 0.100000 0.584795
2002-03-07 0.090000 0.674663
2001-12-20 0.090000 0.752089
2001-09-17 0.090000 0.782609
2001-09-10 0.135000 1.088710
2001-06-07 0.090000 0.681474
2001-03-15 0.083333 0.803210
2000-12-20 0.083333 0.934576
2000-09-07 0.066667 0.837701
2000-06-08 0.066667 0.941181
2000-03-09 0.066667 0.914290
1999-12-16 0.050000 0.631579
1999-09-09 0.050000 0.487805
1999-06-03 0.050000 0.566038
1999-03-11 0.036667 0.530125
1998-12-17 0.033333 0.470584
1998-09-10 0.033333 0.423276
1998-05-28 0.030000 0.298755
1998-03-12 0.030000 0.354680
1997-12-18 0.026667 0.500006
1997-09-11 0.026667 0.421058
1997-05-29 0.026667 0.820523
1997-03-13 0.026667 0.727282
1996-12-19 0.026667 0.820523
1996-09-12 0.026667 0.640008
1996-05-30 0.026667 0.507943
1996-03-14 0.026667 0.457149
1995-12-14 0.026667 0.581825
1995-09-07 0.026667 0.561411
1995-06-15 0.026667 0.507943
1995-03-07 0.026667 0.711120
1994-12-13 0.026667 0.615392
1994-09-06 0.026667 0.372098
1994-05-31 0.026667 0.320004
1994-03-08 0.016667 0.119050
1993-12-14 0.016667 0.125003
1993-09-07 0.016667 0.119050
1993-06-01 0.016444 0.121308
1993-03-09 0.008889 0.069566
1992-12-15 0.008889 0.086958
1992-09-08 0.008889 0.118520
1992-06-02 0.008889 0.156865
1990-03-05 0.008889 0.727282
1989-12-13 0.008889 0.571436
1989-09-08 0.008889 0.390249
1989-06-05 0.008889 0.410261
1989-03-06 0.008889 0.457149
1988-12-12 0.008889 0.444450
1988-09-02 0.008889 0.666675
1988-06-08 0.008889 0.444450
1988-03-09 0.008889 0.421058
Additional Data
exDividendDate 2024-09-16
trailingAnnualDividendRate 0.0
trailingAnnualDividendYield 0.0
lastDividendValue 0.17
lastDividendDate 2024-09-16
dividendDate 2024-09-30

Info Dump

Attribute Value
52 Week Change 0.1023891
Address1 8,100 Denmark Road
All Time High 44.89
All Time Low 0.25
Ask 0.0
Ask Size 200
Audit Risk 5
Average Daily Volume10 Day 85,220
Average Daily Volume3 Month 74,619
Average Volume 74,619
Average Volume10Days 85,220
Beta 0.591
Bid 0.0
Bid Size 200
Board Risk 8
Book Value 8.761
City Charlotte
Compensation As Of Epoch Date 1,767,139,200
Compensation Risk 5
Country United States
Crypto Tradeable 0
Currency USD
Current Price 3.23
Current Ratio 1.291
Custom Price Alert Confidence HIGH
Date Short Interest 1,782,777,600
Day High 3.27
Day Low 3.1501
Debt To Equity 86.996
Display Name The Cato
Dividend Date 1,727,654,400
Earnings Growth 1.817
Earnings Quarterly Growth 1.813
Earnings Timestamp 1,779,366,600
Earnings Timestamp End 1,787,229,000
Earnings Timestamp Start 1,787,229,000
Ebitda 949,000
Ebitda Margins 0.00145
Enterprise To Ebitda 132.261
Enterprise To Revenue 0.192
Enterprise Value 125,515,624
Eps Forward 1.3
Eps Trailing Twelve Months -0.01
Esg Populated 0
Ex Dividend Date 1,726,444,800
Exchange NYQ
Exchange Data Delayed By 0
Exchange Timezone Name America/New_York
Exchange Timezone Short Name EDT
Fifty Day Average 3.1564
Fifty Day Average Change 0.073600054
Fifty Day Average Change Percent 0.02331772
Fifty Two Week Change Percent 10.23891
Fifty Two Week High 4.92
Fifty Two Week High Change -1.69
Fifty Two Week High Change Percent -0.34349594
Fifty Two Week Low 2.59
Fifty Two Week Low Change 0.6400001
Fifty Two Week Low Change Percent 0.2471043
Fifty Two Week Range 2.59 - 4.92
Financial Currency USD
First Trade Date Milliseconds 546,096,600,000
Five Year Avg Dividend Yield 7.73
Float Shares 13,829,712
Forward Eps 1.3
Forward P E 2.4846156
Free Cashflow -1,113,000
Full Exchange Name NYSE
Full Time Employees 6,700
Gmt Off Set Milliseconds -14,400,000
Governance Epoch Date 1,782,864,000
Gross Margins 0.34287998
Gross Profits 224,474,000
Has Pre Post Market Data 1
Held Percent Insiders 0.18861
Held Percent Institutions 0.34173
Implied Shares Outstanding 19,674,085
Industry Apparel Retail
Industry Disp Apparel Retail
Industry Key apparel-retail
Ir Website http://www.catofashions.com/investors.cfm
Is Earnings Date Estimate 1
Language en-US
Last Dividend Date 1,726,444,800
Last Dividend Value 0.17
Last Fiscal Year End 1,769,817,600
Last Split Date 1,119,916,800
Last Split Factor 3:2
Long Business Summary The Cato Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty retailer of fashion apparel and accessories primarily in the southeastern United States. It operates through two segments, Retail and Credit. The company's stores and e-commerce websites offer a range of apparel and accessories, including dressy, career, and casual sportswear; and dresses, coats, shoes, lingerie, costume jewelry, and handbags, as well as men's wear, and lines for kids and infants. It operates its stores and e-commerce websites under the Cato, Cato Fashions, Cato Plus, It's Fashion, It's Fashion Metro, and Versona names. It also provides credit card services and layaway plans for customers. The Cato Corporation was incorporated in 1946 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Long Name The Cato Corporation
Market us_market
Market Cap 63,547,292
Market State PRE
Max Age 86,400
Message Board Id finmb_258697
Most Recent Quarter 1,777,680,000
Net Income To Common -144,000
Next Fiscal Year End 1,801,353,600
Non Diluted Market Cap 64,467,110
Open 3.22
Operating Cashflow 2,720,000
Operating Margins 0.05025
Overall Risk 9
Payout Ratio 0.0
Peg Ratio 1.17
Phone 704 554 8510
Previous Close 3.23
Price Hint 4
Price To Book 0.3686794
Price To Sales Trailing12 Months 0.09706708
Profit Margins 0.00014
Quick Ratio 0.678
Quote Source Name Delayed Quote
Quote Type EQUITY
Recommendation Key none
Region US
Regular Market Change 0.0
Regular Market Change Percent 0.0
Regular Market Day High 3.27
Regular Market Day Low 3.1501
Regular Market Day Range 3.1501 - 3.27
Regular Market Open 3.22
Regular Market Previous Close 3.23
Regular Market Price 3.23
Regular Market Time 1,784,059,203
Regular Market Volume 41,625
Return On Assets -0.01209
Return On Equity 0.00055
Revenue Growth 0.005
Revenue Per Share 34.786
Sand P52 Week Change 0.2043345
Sector Consumer Cyclical
Sector Disp Consumer Cyclical
Sector Key consumer-cyclical
Share Holder Rights Risk 10
Shares Outstanding 17,910,433
Shares Percent Shares Out 0.0212
Shares Short 424,077
Shares Short Previous Month Date 1,780,012,800
Shares Short Prior Month 485,361
Short Name Cato Corporation (The)
Short Percent Of Float 0.025899999
Short Ratio 6.42
Source Interval 15
State NC
Symbol CATO
Total Cash 80,970,000
Total Cash Per Share 4.255
Total Debt 145,027,008
Total Revenue 654,673,984
Tradeable 0
Trailing Annual Dividend Rate 0.0
Trailing Annual Dividend Yield 0.0
Trailing Eps -0.01
Trailing Peg Ratio None
Triggerable 1
Two Hundred Day Average 3.29365
Two Hundred Day Average Change -0.06364989
Two Hundred Day Average Change Percent -0.019325033
Type Disp Equity
Volume 41,625
Website https://www.catofashions.com
Zip 28,273-5975