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Cato Corporation

American women's clothing retailer

The Cato Corporation is an American retailer of women's fashions and accessories. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.3 From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

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Last updated Oct 16, 2026.

Overview

$653.8MRevenue, fiscal 20264
-$5.9MNet income, fiscal 20264
1946Founded1

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  • TickerCATO on NYSE1
  • Industryclothing industry, retail1
  • HeadquartersCharlotte1
  • Websitewww.catofashions.com
  • Incorporated inDE5
  • Business address8100 Denmark Road, Charlotte, Nc 28273-59755
  • Filer categoryNon-accelerated filer, Smaller reporting company5

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Cato and Cato Plus, Spalding Village
Photo: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons7

The Cato Corporation is an American retailer of women's fashions and accessories. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. As of January 2016, the company operated 1,372 stores under the names Cato, Cato Plus, It's Fashion, It's Fashion Metro and Versona.3

Financials

From the company’s reports to the SEC. Every number links to the filing it came from.

Key numbers, fiscal 2026

-1.9%Operating margin4
-0.9%Net margin4
0.6%Revenue growth, 20264
-3.8%Return on equity4
-$5.2MFree cash flow4

What sells

Revenue by product, business segment and region, as the company reports it to the SEC.

Business segments

Reportable Segments, Retail brought in 100% of the revenue Cato Corporation broke down this way in fiscal 2026.

  1. Reportable Segments, Retail$651.2M4100%up 1% from 2025
  2. Reportable Segments, Credit$2.7M40%down 2% from 2025
Business segments by year
Business segments202420252026
Reportable Segments, Retail$705.4M$647.1M$651.2M
Reportable Segments, Credit$2.6M$2.7M$2.7M

Where the money goes

Where each dollar of revenue went, fiscal 2026

  • Cost of revenue65¢$431.6M
  • Selling, general and admin34¢$226.3M
  • Interest0¢$115.0K
  • Income tax0¢$1.6M

Out of $653.8M in revenue.4 The company lost money this year.

Financial statements

Revenue891011124$653.8M in 2026−21% since 2019
0$250.0M$500.0M$750.0M$1.0B2019: $829.7M$829.7M20192020: $825.3M$825.3M2020−1%2021: $575.1M$575.1M2021−30%2022: $769.3M$769.3M2022+34%2023: $759.3M$759.3M2023−1%2024: $708.1M$708.1M2024−7%2025: $649.8M$649.8M2025−8%2026: $653.8M$653.8M2026+1%
Operating income891011124-$12.7M in 2026
-$100.0M-$50.0M0$50.0M2019: $33.1M$33.1M20192020: $43.2M$43.2M2020+31%2021: -$72.8M-$72.8M20212022: $39.0M$39.0M20222023: -$3.6M-$3.6M20232024: -$17.9M-$17.9M2024+400%2025: -$26.4M-$26.4M2025+47%2026: -$12.7M-$12.7M2026−52%
Net income891011124-$5.9M in 2026
-$50.0M-$25.0M0$25.0M$50.0M2019: $30.5M$30.5M20192020: $35.9M$35.9M2020+18%2021: -$47.5M-$47.5M20212022: $36.8M$36.8M20222023: $29.0K$29.0K2023−100%2024: -$23.9M-$23.9M20242025: -$18.1M-$18.1M2025−25%2026: -$5.9M-$5.9M2026−67%

Every line of the income statement in the latest annual report, as filed.4

Period ending2026-01-312025-01-312024-01-31
Retail sales$646.8M$642.1M$700.3M
Other revenue (principally finance charges, late fees and layaway charges)$7.0M$7.7M$7.7M
Total revenues$653.8M$649.8M$708.1M
Cost of goods sold (exclusive of depreciation shown below)$431.6M$436.4M$464.3M
Selling, general and administrative (exclusive of depreciation shown below)$226.3M$231.4M$252.7M
Depreciation$10.0M$9.8M$9.9M
Interest expense$115.0K$59.0K$35.0K
Interest and other income-$6.7M-$11.8M-$5.1M
Costs and expenses, net$661.3M$665.9M$721.9M
Loss before income taxes-$7.5M-$16.1M-$13.8M
Income tax (benefit) expense-$1.6M$1.9M$10.1M
Basic earnings (loss) per share-$0.31-$0.97-$1.17
Diluted earnings (loss) per share-$0.31-$0.97-$1.17
Dividends per share$0.00$0.51$0.68
Net loss-$5.9M-$18.1M-$23.9M
Net unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities for fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively$121.0K-$242.0K$1.6M
Comprehensive loss-$5.8M-$18.3M-$22.3M

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The story

In 1946, the company founder, Wayland Cato, left United Merchants to launch his own business in Charlotte with his sons, Wayland Henry Cato, Jr., and Edgar Thomas.

Five main-street stores were opened in the first year, with two more being opened in 1947. Earnings for that year were $404,000. The company continued to open stores through the 1950s, including some in shopping centers.

The company went public in 1968, took itself private in 1980, then went public again in 1987. Early in the 1990s, the business avoided bankruptcy by implementing a new discount pricing strategy and updating its inventory.

Cato stores are typically located in strip malls anchored by a national discounter like Walmart.

From Wikipedia’s article on Cato Corporation, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.6

Leadership

Who has led Cato Corporation, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Chief executive

  1. John P. D. Cato2003–now

Chair

  1. Wayland H. Cato Jr.2003
  2. John P. D. Cato2005–now

President

  1. John P. D. Cato2003–now

Chief financial officer

  1. Michael O. Moore2003–2005
  2. Thomas W. Stoltz2006–2008
  3. John R. Howe2008–2021
197019801990200020102020
Board members and other officers (52)

Products and brands

Cato and Cato Plus—Junior, misses and plus sizes

It's Fashion—Juniors, and Plus size

It's Fashion Metro—Larger It's Fashion stores that also include clothing for men, big and tall men, infants and toddlers

Versona -- "Exclusive" apparel and accessories

From Wikipedia’s article on Cato Corporation, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.6

Timeline

  1. Sep 17, 2003New chief executive John P. D. Cato becomes CEO18
  2. 2002Went public Listed on NYSE1
  3. 1946Founded Founded1

Recent filings

  1. Sep 18, 20268-K
  2. Sep 8, 2026SCHEDULE 13G/A
  3. Aug 27, 202610-Q
  4. Aug 25, 20268-K
  5. Aug 20, 2026SCHEDULE 13G/A
  6. Aug 13, 2026SCHEDULE 13G
  7. Jul 17, 2026SCHEDULE 13G/A
  8. May 28, 202610-Q
  9. May 26, 20268-K
  10. May 21, 2026SCHEDULE 13G/A
  11. May 20, 2026SCHEDULE 13G/A
  12. May 5, 2026SCHEDULE 13G/A
  13. Apr 10, 2026DEF 14A DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT
  14. Apr 9, 2026SCHEDULE 13G/A
  15. Mar 25, 20268-K/A

Every filing from the last three years, summarized. The full record is on SEC EDGAR.2

Sources

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