The CatoCATO -0.93%65 ROA % is 8.65% as of Apr. 2026, which is 469% above its 10-year median of 1.52. GuruFocus rates CATO with a GF Score™ of 65/100 and a GF Value™ of $4.19 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,134 Retail - Cyclical companies, The Cato ranks worse than 71.43% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. The Cato's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 was $37.2 Mil.
The Cato's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 was $430.3 Mil. Therefore, The Cato's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 was 8.65%.
The historical rank and industry rank for The Cato's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
CATO'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -7.44 Med: 1.52 Max: 7.56
Current: 0.02
During the past 13 years, The Cato's highest ROA % was 7.56%. The lowest was -7.44%. And the median was 1.52%.
CATO's ROA % is ranked worse than 71.43% of 1134
companies
in the Retail - Cyclical industry
Industry Median: 2.715
vs CATO: 0.02
The Cato (NYSE:CATO) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Apr. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is four times the quarterly (Apr. 2026) revenue data.
* 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.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
The Cato ROA % Related Terms
The Cato ROA % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for The Cato's ROA % 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 ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % 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 ROA % vs Retail - Cyclical Industry
For the Retail - Cyclical industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, The Cato's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The Cato's ROA % falls into.
* 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.
In the calculation of annual ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Apr. 2026) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
The Cato (CATO) has a ROA % of 8.65% as of Apr. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on The Cato and its competitors. This is 469% above median its historical median of 1.52. According to the industry distribution chart, The Cato ranks #810 out of 1134 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, placing it in the top 71.4%.
Is The Cato's ROA % too high?
The Cato's current ROA % of 8.65% is 469% above median its 10-year median of 1.52. The Retail - Cyclical industry median ROA % is 2.72. The Cato's value of 8.65% is 218.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, The Cato ranks #810 out of 1134 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, The Cato has a GF Score™ of 65/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The Cato's ROA % compare to DXLG and BRIA?
According to the Retail - Cyclical industry distribution chart, The Cato ranks #810 out of 1134 companies for ROA %. This places The Cato in the lower half of its industry. The industry median ROA % is 2.72. The Cato's value of 8.65% is 218.6% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 1.52 vs. the industry median of 2.72, 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 ROA % for a Retail - Cyclical company?
The median ROA % among Retail - Cyclical companies is 2.72, based on 1,134 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. The Cato's current ROA % of 8.65% is 218.6% 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 ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on The Cato and its competitors. For the Retail - Cyclical industry, the median ROA % is 2.72 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The Cato's current ROA % is 8.65%, which is 469% above median its own 10-year median of 1.52. 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 $4.19, compared to a current price of $3.20 — trading 23.6% below its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 8.65%, which is 469% above median its 10-year median of 1.52 and 218.6% above the Retail - Cyclical industry median of 2.72. The Cato's overall GF Score™ is 65/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The Cato (CATO), the current ROA % is 8.65% as of Apr. 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 $3.20 is trading 23.6% below its estimated GF Value™ of $4.19.
GuruFocus considers The Cato to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for CATO:
ROA %: 8.65% (469% above median its 10-year median of 1.52)
GF Value™: $4.19 vs. price of $3.20 (23.6% below fair value)
Industry Position: 218.6% above the Retail - Cyclical median (#810 of 1134)
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.
65GF Score
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