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The Cato Corporation (CATO) Stock Price & Analysis

The Cato Corporation (CATO) — MoonshotScore 53/100 (Fair band), calculated Oct 4, 2026. Price $2.40 (+0.42%), as of the Oct 2, 2026 trading session; market cap $43.7M.

Educational signal · not a buy or sell recommendation · How to read this

$2.40 +$0.01 (+0.42%) Market Cap $43.7M

The Cato Corporation · CATO · NYSE

The Cato Corporation is a specialty retailer of fashion apparel and accessories, primarily operating in the southeastern United States. It offers a range of apparel and accessories through its stores and e-commerce websites under various brand names.

Price as of Oct 2, 2026

Key Statistics

53 of 100

MoonshotScore v2 · The Cato (CATO)

Fair
Business Quality Average (43)
Financial Safety Okay (44)
Valuation Fair (70)
Growth Durability Growing (65)
Momentum Slipping (27)
Why this rating? Method, drivers & history

Bands for the MoonshotScore: Exceptional 80-100 · Strong 65-79 · Fair 45-64 · Weak below 45.

  • Business Quality — Is this a genuinely good business?
  • Financial Safety — Could this blow up on me?
  • Valuation — Am I paying a fair price?
  • Growth Durability — Is the growth real and likely to last?
  • Momentum — Is the market already moving on this?
The ten-second read ·

Cheap, but average quality and a middling balance sheet, and the price trend has turned against it. Business Quality: Average; Financial Safety: Okay; Valuation: Fair; Growth Durability: Growing; Momentum: Slipping.

  • quarterly revenue $166M (Q2 FY2026, quarter ended Aug 2026)
  • Altman Z 1.82 · Piotroski F 4
  • ROE -0.1% · ROA -0.1% · current ratio 1.29 · earnings yield -0.4% · free-cash-flow yield -1.9%

Holding back: weak price trend

Helping: an attractive price

What has the MoonshotScore done over time?

MoonshotScore snapshots recorded for CATO (29 recorded, newest six shown)
RecordedScoreBand
53Fair
53Fair
53Fair
53Fair
53Fair
53Fair

The score was 53 in the stored Oct 3, 2026 snapshot and remains 53 in the current publication computed Oct 4, 2026 (0).

Calculation uses the most recent completed US trading session. Live price changes do not update the score immediately.

Computed · Educational signal · not a buy or sell recommendation · How the MoonshotScore is computed →

Price & valuation

Dates shown where recorded
MeasureValueAs of
Latest provided price$2.40
Change on the day+0.42%
52-week range$2.30 – $4.67
Market capitalisation$43.7M
Shares traded on the day50.5K

Price & events

Other perspectives

Council score for The Cato (CATO): perspectives

Council is a separate blend of available disciplines; MoonshotScore above remains the five-pillar research rating.

9-Factor Breakdown

Revenue Growth Neutral
Gross Margin Moderate
Operating Leverage Neutral
Cash Runway Neutral
R&D Intensity Neutral
Insider Activity Moderate
Trading Liquidity Moderate
Price Momentum Negative
News Sentiment Neutral

Legends Council

6 lenses, 0 current

AI simulations built from the named investors' published principles. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or the opinion of these individuals. How these lenses are built

Dalio-style lens (simulated) Ray Dalio Favorable read
Griffin-style lens (simulated) Ken Griffin Favorable read
Simons-style lens (simulated) Jim Simons Neutral read
Englander-style lens (simulated) Izzy Englander Neutral read
Klarman-style lens (simulated) Seth Klarman Unfavorable read
Moon AI lens (model) Neutral read

Read on: Sep 11, 2026 · older than the 27 hours refresh window; not a current reading

Munger's Mindset

Balance Sheet & Valuation · historical

Financial Health Negative
Margin of Safety Fairly Valued
Profit Margin Weak
Revenue Growth Weak
Debt/Equity Weak
ROE Negative
Gross Margin Neutral

Read on: Sep 10, 2026 · older than the 27 hours refresh window; not a current reading

How to read these bars and different assessments

Council is a separate blend of available disciplines; MoonshotScore above remains the five-pillar research rating.

Bars show each model's ordered assessment on its own scale, not a probability or a comparable investment return. The adjacent words give the assessment; more filled segments indicate a stronger model reading.

On Sep 10, 2026, the Munger lens read the price at that time as fairly valued against its own estimate of value.

Readings on this page are from Oct 5, 2026, except a card that shows its own read date.

Watch the CATO film — every key number, told as a short cinematic story

~2 min · open the film

1 · What is it?

What is The Cato (CATO), and what does it report?

Short answer · as of

A current FMP business description is unavailable; the listing and provider classification below are the available identity facts. The Cato Corporation (CATO) is listed on NYSE. It employs 6,700 people and is led by John Derham Cato. In Q2 FY2026 it reported revenue of $166M and net income of $1M. The market values it at $43.7M.

2 · Latest results

What do the latest results show for The Cato (CATO)?

Short answer · as of

The most recent reported quarter, Q2 FY2026, carried revenue of $166M.

Quarterly income statement — 4 quarters
Revenue, net income and earnings per share by quarter
PeriodRevenueNet incomeEPS
Q2 FY2026$166M$1M$0.06 (diluted)
Q1 FY2026$171M$9M$0.47 (diluted)
Q4 FY2025$152M-$11M-$0.55 (diluted)
Q3 FY2025$155M-$5M-$0.28 (diluted)
3 · Financial strengths and risks

What are the financial strengths and risks for The Cato (CATO)?

Short answer

The MoonshotScore pillars rate an attractive price as strengths. What is holding it back is weak price trend. The distress and quality screens read Altman Z 1.82 · Piotroski F 4. Trailing ratios: ROE -0.1% · ROA -0.1% · current ratio 1.29 · earnings yield -0.4% · free-cash-flow yield -1.9%.

4 · What to check next?

What should you watch next at The Cato (CATO)?

Short answer · as of

Analyst estimates on file carry FY2027 revenue $947.40M · EPS 1.68 · 1 analysts.

What the records here don't tell us

  • The next earnings date is not yet scheduled in the calendar we read.

Checked against the records this page reads, on the dates shown above.

5 · Peer comparison

How does The Cato compare with its peers?

Short answer

The Cato's score ranks 8th of 13 in the bounded comparison shown, against 12 same-model peers. These are company scores, not expected investment returns. The set lists named competitors first, then companies in the same data-provider industry classification closest in market value; that classification is the provider's, not our judgment of business similarity.

Peer set — price, market value and MoonshotScore
CompanyPriceMarket valueScore
J.Jill, Inc. (JILL) Same industry, near in market value$24.84 Oct 2, 2026$282M88 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
Genesco Inc. (GCO) Same industry, near in market value$34.80 Oct 2, 2026$387M88 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) Named competitor$80.80 Oct 2, 2026$6.92B85 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
Duluth Holdings Inc. (DLTH) Same industry, near in market value$3.93 Oct 2, 2026$149M84 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
Designer Brands Inc. (DBI) Same industry, near in market value$6.06 Oct 2, 2026$308M78 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
Zumiez Inc. (ZUMZ) Same industry, near in market value$13.29 Oct 2, 2026$224M68 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
Tilly's, Inc. (TLYS) Same industry, near in market value$4.58 Oct 2, 2026$138M60 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
The Cato (CATO) — this page$2.40$43.7M53
Torrid Holdings Inc. (CURV) Same industry, near in market value$2.50 Oct 2, 2026$249M36 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
Stitch Fix, Inc. (SFIX) Same industry, near in market value$2.61 Oct 2, 2026$348M34 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
Destination XL Group, Inc. (DXLG) Same industry, near in market value$0.43 Oct 2, 2026$24.0M32 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
The Children's Place, Inc. (PLCE) Same industry, near in market value$1.99 Oct 2, 2026$44.3M29 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026
Rent the Runway, Inc. (RENT) Same industry, near in market value$1.55 Oct 2, 2026$52.1M27 5-pillar Oct 4, 2026

Only 5-pillar scores are ranked together. Other models are not directly comparable. Price and score dates are shown separately; market-value dates are unavailable.

The records behind this page

Analyst targets & estimates

What analysts have on file

Revenue estimate
$947.40M
EPS estimate
$1.68

Measured against a quoted price of $2.40 (as of Oct 2, 2026).

Insider activity

Form 4 records via FMP · Most recent available transactions

Transactions
12
Identified insiders
6
Purchases
0
Sales
0
Other transactions
12

Purchases and sales use the reported transaction category. Other transactions include awards, exercises, gifts, withholding and unclassified activity; an acquisition or disposition alone is not a purchase or sale. These records do not establish intent.

What has been published about The Cato (CATO)?

Read these with our analysis →

What Investors Ask About The Cato (CATO)

These answers are editorial: 1 of these 9 answers is drawn from the CATO research dossier (written May 10, 2026 by gemini-2.0-flash); the other 8 are question templates that restate figures shown above. Figures in this section are not part of the source register.

What does the MoonshotScore mean for CATO?

CATO carries the MoonshotScore stated above — the Fair band. This is an educational research signal, not a buy or sell recommendation. The number comes from the five-pillar engine (business quality, financial safety, valuation, growth durability, momentum), re-ranked daily against sector peers. The Cato Corporation is a specialty retailer of fashion apparel and accessories, primarily operating in the southeastern United States.

Is CATO a good stock to buy?

Stock Expert AI does not rate CATO buy, sell or hold. The Cato Corporation carries a MoonshotScore, in the Fair band, a research rating against its peers rather than a forecast. Whether it fits is your call: check what it sells, whether it earns and what the price assumes. This is educational content, not investment advice.

What is the CATO stock price today?

The last price recorded on this page for The Cato Corporation (CATO) is $2.40, as of the Oct 2, 2026 trading session (source: Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) · quote). It is a provider snapshot, not a live exchange feed, so check a brokerage quote before you trade.

What are the main risks for CATO?

The Cato Corporation faces several key risks, including intense competition from other retailers, which can pressure market share and profitability. Changing consumer preferences and fashion trends pose a risk to sales and brand relevance. Supply chain disruptions can affect inventory and costs.

What are the key factors to evaluate for CATO?

The Cato Corporation (CATO) holds a MoonshotScore in the moderate range. By investing in its online presence, Cato can capitalize on this trend and drive revenue growth. Not financial advice.

How frequently does CATO data refresh on this page?

CATO's price is the last quote we recorded, from the Oct 2, 2026 trading session. Pages are served from a cache, so the copy you are reading can lag that quote. The quote is a provider snapshot, not an exchange feed. Fundamentals follow quarterly filings. V2 is recalculated from the most recent completed US trading session; the score's own date shows its last successful run.

What has driven CATO's recent stock price performance?

The Cato Corporation (CATO) moves on earnings results, analyst revisions, sector rotation, and market sentiment. Notable catalyst: Established brand with a long history. See the News tab for the latest drivers. Past performance does not predict future results.

Should investors consider CATO overvalued or undervalued right now?

The Cato Corporation (CATO) has no trailing P/E available here, so lean on price-to-sales and cash flow in the Financials tab. Compare P/E, P/S, and EV/EBITDA against sector peers for a full view.

Can I buy fractional shares of CATO?

Fractional-share availability for The Cato Corporation (CATO) depends on your brokerage, account and supported securities. Check the broker's current eligibility, minimums and fees before placing an order.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research and consult a financial advisor.

Machine-generated analysis by Stock Expert AI — model gemini-2.0-flash, generated May 10, 2026. Editorial oversight is systemic, not page-by-page. Editorially accountable: Sedat ANAK, Founder and Editor-in-Chief.

Sources — records for every figure on this page (19 figures)

The 19 rows below are exactly the facts the evidence-backed sections of this page printed — the 10-second verdict, the MoonshotScore, price and market value, the five questions with their receipts, and the records behind this page. Known dates and sources are recorded on their own rows; an em dash or UNRECORDED tier preserves a stored observation without inventing either. The quarterly income statement is provider-standardized (FMP) under one row, and scale definitions — a 0-100 rating, the band ladder, the Piotroski 0–9 range — are fixed rather than measured. No number in those sections was generated by a model. The register does not cover quoted third-party headlines, the dated council readings, or the Frequently Asked Questions; each of those says where it came from where it stands.

"As of" is the date the value is true for where the source carries one — a quarter end, a filing date, a price close, the day the score was computed. A cached observation with no source date remains undated; the page publication date is not used as a substitute.

FMP — 9 facts from Financial Modeling Prep endpoint families

FMP facts used on this page
Fact IDFactValue as shownAs ofTierSource
px.lastLatest provided price$2.40FMPFinancial Modeling Prep (FMP) · quote — Dated to the US trading session the price belongs to, derived from the quote record's timestamp (weekend and pre-open reads roll back to the previous weekday; exchange holidays are not modelled). The record does not establish an exchange execution time. Retrieved 2026-10-04T17:14:23.235Z.
px.changeChange on the day+0.42%FMPFinancial Modeling Prep (FMP) · quote
px.mcapMarket capitalisation$43.7MFMPFinancial Modeling Prep (FMP) · quote — Date unknown Market cap record date: 2026-10-02. FMP quote timestamp: 2026-10-02T20:00:02.000Z. Captured from FMP at 2026-10-04T17:14:22.358Z. No share-count basis is inferred; this page preserves the reported amount instead of recalculating it from shares.
px.change_absChange on the day, in dollars+$0.01FMPFinancial Modeling Prep (FMP) · quote
fin.q_revenueRevenue, Q2 FY2026$166MFMPFinancial Modeling Prep (FMP) · income statement (quarterly)
px.volumeShares traded on the day50.5KFMPFinancial Modeling Prep (FMP) · quote
fin.q_incomeNet income, Q2 FY2026$1MFMPFinancial Modeling Prep (FMP) · income statement (quarterly)
fin.q_tableQuarterly income statement4 quarters through Q2 FY2026FMPFinancial Modeling Prep (FMP) · income statement (quarterly), as filed
own.insidersInsider transactions via FMP12 transactions · 0 purchases, 0 sales, 12 other transactions · 6 identified insiders · most recent available transactionsFMPFinancial Modeling Prep (FMP), carrying Form 4 transaction records — Purchases and sales use the reported transaction category. Other transactions include awards, exercises, gifts, withholding and unclassified activity; an acquisition or disposition alone is not a purchase or sale. These records do not establish intent.

UNRECORDED — 8 facts from stored observations whose source was not recorded

UNRECORDED facts used on this page
Fact IDFactValue as shownAs ofTierSource
fin.scoresDistress and quality screensAltman Z 1.82 · Piotroski F 4UNRECORDEDStored financial-scores observation — Captured 2026-10-04 · Expired observation
fin.ratiosReturn and yield ratios (trailing twelve months)ROE -0.1% · ROA -0.1% · current ratio 1.29 · earnings yield -0.4% · free-cash-flow yield -1.9%—UNRECORDEDStored key metrics — Date unknown
px.range5252-week range$2.30 – $4.67UNRECORDEDStored company-profile observation — Captured 2026-09-30
id.employeesEmployees6,700UNRECORDEDStored company-profile observation — Captured 2026-09-30
id.ceoChief executiveJohn Derham CatoUNRECORDEDStored company-profile observation — Captured 2026-09-30
earn.estimatesAnalyst estimates, next fiscal yearFY2027 revenue $947.40M · EPS 1.68 · 1 analystsUNRECORDEDStored analyst estimates — Captured 2026-08-13 · Expired observation
earn.est_revenueRevenue estimate, FY2027$947.40MUNRECORDEDStored analyst estimates — Captured 2026-08-13 · Expired observation
earn.est_epsEPS estimate, FY2027$1.68UNRECORDEDStored analyst estimates — Captured 2026-08-13 · Expired observation

OURS — 2 facts from Stock Expert AI's own score and rank

OURS facts used on this page
Fact IDFactValue as shownAs ofTierSource
ours.moonshotMoonshotScore v253 of 100 · Fair · pillars 43 / 44 / 70 / 65 / 27OURSStock Expert AI MoonshotScore v2 engine
ours.moonshot_changeMoonshotScore movement53 (stored snapshot Oct 3, 2026) → 53 (current publication computed Oct 4, 2026) (0)OURSStock Expert AI current score publication and immutable score snapshots
Published
Research standards
Methodology · Editorial policy · Corrections
Data Sources & Methodology
Figures come from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP). If FMP has no figure for a ticker, a price or fundamental may come from a Yahoo Finance fallback, or a price from an Alpaca fallback. SEC EDGAR is used only for filing links and company identity details (legal name, address), never for figures. AI analysis by Stock Expert AI proprietary algorithms. Technical indicators via industry-standard calculations. Last updated: .
Data Provenance
Sources: Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) — Primary · Yahoo Finance — Fallback · Alpaca — Tertiary
Last fetched:
Cache TTL: Quote 5min · Profile 7d · Financials 7d · Insider 48h
How we use AI: Numbers are pulled directly from FMP & Yahoo Finance — our AI writes the analysis, it never edits the figures.
Data provided as-is for educational purposes. Not financial advice. Methodology

Data provided for informational purposes only.