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The CatoCATO +5.28%61 EV-to-FCF is -120.73 as of Jul. 16, 2026. GuruFocus rates CATO with a GF Score™ of 61/100 and a GF Value™ of $4.18 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 772 Retail - Cyclical companies, The Cato ranks worse than 129533.55% on this metric.
EV-to-FCF is calculated as enterprise value divided by its free cash flow. As of today, The Cato's Enterprise Value is $131.7 Mil.
The Cato's Free Cash Flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $-1.1 Mil. Therefore, The Cato's EV-to-FCF for today is -120.73.
The historical rank and industry rank for The Cato's EV-to-FCF or its related term are showing as below:
CATO'
s EV-to-FCF Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -121.71 Med: 2.83 Max: 368.6
Current: -120.73
During the past 13 years, the highest EV-to-FCF of The Cato was 368.60. The lowest was -121.71. And the median was 2.83.
CATO's EV-to-FCF is ranked worse than 100% of 772
companies
in the Retail - Cyclical industry
Industry Median: 13.735
vs CATO: -120.73
EV-to-FCF is a valuation multiple that allows analysts and investors to compare stocks, preferably in the same sector or industry. 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.
EV-to-FCF is a valuation multiple that allows analysts and investors to compare stocks, preferably in the same sector or industry. 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 share price for today is $3.39.
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.
Enterprise Value is used because it is a more complete measure in reflecting how much an investor pays when buying a company. Free Cash Flow is an important financial metric because it represents the actual amount of cash at a company's disposal. Companies with a low EV-to-FCF ratio, combined with a strong balance sheet are generally considered as undervalued.
The Cato EV-to-FCF Related Terms
The Cato EV-to-FCF Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for The Cato's EV-to-FCF 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.
For the Apparel Retail subindustry, The Cato's EV-to-FCF, along with its competitors' market caps and EV-to-FCF 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-FCF vs Retail - Cyclical Industry
For the Retail - Cyclical industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, The Cato's EV-to-FCF distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The Cato's EV-to-FCF falls into.
The Cato's current Enterprise Value is $131.7 Mil.
The Cato's Free Cash Flow 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 $-1.1 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.
The Cato (CATO) has a EV-to-FCF of -120.73 as of Jul. 16, 2026. EV to FCF ratio is the company's enterprise value divided by free cash flow. View historical data on The Cato and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, The Cato ranks #999999 out of 772 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry.
Is The Cato's EV-to-FCF too high?
The Cato's current EV-to-FCF is -120.73. Based on the distribution chart, The Cato ranks #999999 out of 772 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, The Cato has a GF Score™ of 61/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The Cato's EV-to-FCF compare to KMFG and BIRD?
According to the Retail - Cyclical industry distribution chart, The Cato ranks #999999 out of 772 companies for EV-to-FCF. This places The Cato in the lower half of its industry. The industry median EV-to-FCF is 13.74. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good EV-to-FCF for a Retail - Cyclical company?
The median EV-to-FCF among Retail - Cyclical companies is 13.74, based on 772 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a EV-to-FCF significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, EV-to-FCF should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high EV-to-FCF mean?
A high EV-to-FCF can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. EV to FCF ratio is the company's enterprise value divided by free cash flow. View historical data on The Cato and its competitors. For the Retail - Cyclical industry, the median EV-to-FCF is 13.74 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The Cato's current EV-to-FCF is -120.73. 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 $4.18, compared to a current price of $3.39 — trading 18.9% below its estimated fair value. The current EV-to-FCF is -120.73. The Cato's overall GF Score™ is 61/100 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-FCF calculated?
EV-to-FCF is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The Cato (CATO), the current EV-to-FCF is -120.73 as of Jul. 16, 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 $3.39 is trading 18.9% below its estimated GF Value™ of $4.18.
GuruFocus considers The Cato to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for CATO:
EV-to-FCF: -120.73
GF Value™: $4.18 vs. price of $3.39 (18.9% below fair value)
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 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.
61GF Score
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