CATO (The Cato) EV-to-EBITDA: 16.66 (As of Aug. 04, 2026) — 194% Above Median

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CATO The Cato Corp CATO
59 GF Score
Price $3.33
GF Value $4.17
Valuation Modestly Undervalued
! 2 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is The Cato EV-to-EBITDA?

The Cato CATO -4.03% 59 EV-to-EBITDA is 16.66 as of Aug. 04, 2026, which is 194% above its 10-year median of 5.67. GuruFocus rates CATO with a GF Score™ of 59/100 and a GF Value™ of $4.17 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 947 Retail - Cyclical companies, The Cato ranks worse than 77.51% on this metric.

EV-to-EBITDA is calculated as enterprise value divided by its EBITDA. As of today, The Cato's enterprise value is $130.5 Mil. The Cato's EBITDA for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $7.8 Mil. Therefore, The Cato's EV-to-EBITDA for today is 16.66.

The historical rank and industry rank for The Cato's EV-to-EBITDA or its related term are showing as below:

CATO' s EV-to-EBITDA Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -68.2   Med: 5.67   Max: 107.92
Current: 16.66

During the past 13 years, the highest EV-to-EBITDA of The Cato was 107.92. The lowest was -68.20. And the median was 5.67.

CATO's EV-to-EBITDA is ranked worse than
77.51% of 947 companies
in the Retail - Cyclical industry
Industry Median: 8.97 vs CATO: 16.66

EV-to-EBITDA is a valuation multiple used in finance and investment to measure the value of a company. This important multiple is often used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the PE Ratio to determine the fair market value of a company.

As of today (2026-08-04), The Cato's stock price is $3.33. The Cato's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $-0.010. Therefore, The Cato's PE Ratio (TTM) for today is At Loss.

The "classic" EV-to-EBITDA is much better in capturing debt and net cash than the PE Ratio (TTM).


The Cato  (NYSE:CATO) EV-to-EBITDA Explanation

EV-to-EBITDA is a valuation multiple used in finance and investment to measure the value of a company. This important multiple is often used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the PE Ratio (TTM) to determine the fair market value of a company.

The Cato's PE Ratio (TTM) for today is calculated as:

PE Ratio (TTM)=Share Price (Today)/Earnings per Share (Diluted) (TTM)
=3.33/-0.010
=At Loss

The Cato's share price for today is $3.33.
The Cato's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $-0.010.

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Study has found that the companies with the lowest EV-to-EBITDA outperforms companies measured as cheap by other ratios such as PE Ratio (TTM).

Please read Which price ratio outperforms the enterprise multiple?


The Cato EV-to-EBITDA Related Terms


The Cato EV-to-EBITDA Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for The Cato's EV-to-EBITDA can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

The Cato EV-to-EBITDA Chart

The Cato Annual Data
Trend Jan17 Jan18 Jan19 Jan20 Jan21 Jan22 Jan23 Jan24 Jan25 Jan26
EV-to-EBITDA
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 7.30 19.31 -48.57 -21.72 52.68

The Cato Quarterly Data
Jul21 Oct21 Jan22 Apr22 Jul22 Oct22 Jan23 Apr23 Jul23 Oct23 Jan24 Apr24 Jul24 Oct24 Jan25 Apr25 Jul25 Oct25 Jan26 Apr26
EV-to-EBITDA Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -11.70 -44.40 24.39 52.68 15.48

CATO vs LVLU, KMFG, DXLG: EV-to-EBITDA Comparison

For the Apparel Retail subindustry, The Cato's EV-to-EBITDA, along with its competitors' market caps and EV-to-EBITDA data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


The Cato EV-to-EBITDA vs Retail - Cyclical Industry

For the Retail - Cyclical industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, The Cato's EV-to-EBITDA distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where The Cato's EV-to-EBITDA falls into.


CATO
59GF Score
The Cato Corp CATO
EV-to-EBITDA is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

The Cato EV-to-EBITDA Calculation

The Cato's EV-to-EBITDA for today is calculated as:

EV-to-EBITDA=Enterprise Value (Today)/EBITDA (TTM)
=130.517/7.836
=16.66

The Cato's current Enterprise Value is $130.5 Mil.
The Cato's EBITDA for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $7.8 Mil.

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about EV-to-EBITDA →
What does a EV-to-EBITDA of 16.66 mean?
The Cato (CATO) has a EV-to-EBITDA of 16.66 as of Aug. 04, 2026. EV to EBITDA ratio is the company's enterprise value divided by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on The Cato. This is 194% above median its historical median of 5.67. According to the industry distribution chart, The Cato ranks #734 out of 947 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, placing it in the top 77.5%.
Is The Cato's EV-to-EBITDA too high?
The Cato's current EV-to-EBITDA of 16.66 is 194% above median its 10-year median of 5.67. The Retail - Cyclical industry median EV-to-EBITDA is 8.97. The Cato's value of 16.66 is 85.7% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, The Cato ranks #734 out of 947 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, The Cato has a GF Score™ of 59/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The Cato's EV-to-EBITDA compare to LVLU and KMFG?
According to the Retail - Cyclical industry distribution chart, The Cato ranks #734 out of 947 companies for EV-to-EBITDA. This places The Cato in the lower half of its industry. The industry median EV-to-EBITDA is 8.97. The Cato's value of 16.66 is 85.7% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 5.67 vs. the industry median of 8.97, The Cato has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good EV-to-EBITDA for a Retail - Cyclical company?
The median EV-to-EBITDA among Retail - Cyclical companies is 8.97, based on 947 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a EV-to-EBITDA significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, EV-to-EBITDA should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. The Cato's current EV-to-EBITDA of 16.66 is 85.7% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high EV-to-EBITDA mean?
A high EV-to-EBITDA can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. EV to EBITDA ratio is the company's enterprise value divided by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on The Cato. For the Retail - Cyclical industry, the median EV-to-EBITDA is 8.97 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The Cato's current EV-to-EBITDA is 16.66, which is 194% above median its own 10-year median of 5.67. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is The Cato stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The Cato (CATO) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $4.17, compared to a current price of $3.33 — trading 20.1% below its estimated fair value. The current EV-to-EBITDA is 16.66, which is 194% above median its 10-year median of 5.67 and 85.7% above the Retail - Cyclical industry median of 8.97. The Cato's overall GF Score™ is 59/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is EV-to-EBITDA calculated?
EV-to-EBITDA is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The Cato (CATO), the current EV-to-EBITDA is 16.66 as of Aug. 04, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is The Cato (CATO) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The Cato stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $3.33 is trading 20.1% below its estimated GF Value™ of $4.17. GuruFocus considers The Cato to be Modestly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for CATO:

  • EV-to-EBITDA: 16.66 (194% above median its 10-year median of 5.67)
  • GF Value™: $4.17 vs. price of $3.33 (20.1% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 59/100 with 2 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 85.7% above the Retail - Cyclical median (#734 of 947)

No single metric tells the full story. See the CATO stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


The Cato Business Description

Other Exchanges CO2A:Germany
Address 8100 Denmark Road, Charlotte, NC, USA, 28273-5975
The Cato Corp seeks to offer quality fashion apparel and accessories at low prices every day, in junior/missy and plus sizes. The Cato concept's stores and e-commerce website feature a broad assortment of apparel and accessories, including dressy, career, and casual sportswear, dresses, coats, shoes, lingerie, costume jewelry, and handbags. Management believes the Company's success is dependent upon its ability to differentiate its stores from department stores, mass merchandise discount stores, and competing specialty stores. The key elements of the Company's business are: Merchandise Assortment, Value Pricing, Strip Shopping Center Location, Customer Service, Credit and Layaway Programs.
59GF Score

Get the complete analysis for CATO

EV-to-EBITDA is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$3.33
Price
$4.17
GF Value