Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
The CatoCATO -4.49%56 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 0.00 as of Jul. 17, 2026. GuruFocus rates CATO with a GF Score™ of 56/100 and a GF Value™ of $4.18 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 580 Retail - Cyclical companies, The Cato ranks worse than 172413.62% on this metric.
The Cato's yield on cost for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 was 0.00.
The historical rank and industry rank for The Cato's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % or its related term are showing as below:
During the past 13 years, The Cato's highest Yield on Cost was 21.32. The lowest was 0.61. And the median was 8.08.
CATO's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is not ranked *
in the Retail - Cyclical industry.
Industry Median: 3.295 * Ranked among companies with meaningful 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % only.
The Cato (NYSE:CATO) 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % Explanation
Of course the risk here is that the company may not raise its dividends as it did before. The key is to select the companies that can consistently raise its dividends. Usually companies with long history of raising dividends tend to do so.
The Cato 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % Related Terms
CATO vs KMFG, BIRD, BRIA: 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % Comparison
For the Apparel Retail subindustry, The Cato's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost %, along with its competitors' market caps and 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % 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 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % vs Retail - Cyclical Industry
For the Retail - Cyclical industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, The Cato's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The Cato's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % falls into.
Dividend Yield % and dividend growth of a stock is an important factor for income investors. But if company A raises its dividend constantly faster than company B, company A's future dividend yield might be much higher than Company B's even if their yields are the same now and their stock prices do not change.
Yield on Cost assumes that you buy and the stock today, and hold it for 5 years. If the company raises it dividends at the same rate as it did over the past 5 years, the dividends investors receive annually in 5 years relative to the stock price today.
Therefore, Yield-on-Cost of The Cato is calculated as
The Cato (CATO) has a 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % of 0.00 as of Jul. 17, 2026. 5-Year Yield on Cost measures the expected yield based on a company's current yield and 5-year dividend growth. View historical data on The Cato and its competitors. Over the past decade, The Cato's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % has ranged from 0.61 to 21.32. According to the industry distribution chart, The Cato ranks #999999 out of 580 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry.
Is The Cato's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % too high?
The Cato's current 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 0.00. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.61 to a high of 21.32. Based on the distribution chart, The Cato ranks #999999 out of 580 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, The Cato has a GF Score™ of 56/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The Cato's 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % compare to KMFG and BIRD?
According to the Retail - Cyclical industry distribution chart, The Cato ranks #999999 out of 580 companies for 5-Year Yield-on-Cost %. This places The Cato in the lower half of its industry. The industry median 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 3.30. Historically, The Cato's own 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % has ranged from 0.61 to 21.32 over the past decade. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % for a Retail - Cyclical company?
The median 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % among Retail - Cyclical companies is 3.30, based on 580 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % 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 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % mean?
A high 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. 5-Year Yield on Cost measures the expected yield based on a company's current yield and 5-year dividend growth. View historical data on The Cato and its competitors. For the Retail - Cyclical industry, the median 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 3.30 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The Cato's current 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 0.00. 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 $3.19 — trading 23.7% below its estimated fair value. The current 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 0.00. The Cato's overall GF Score™ is 56/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % calculated?
5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The Cato (CATO), the current 5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is 0.00 as of Jul. 17, 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 $3.19 is trading 23.7% below its estimated GF Value™ of $4.18.
GuruFocus considers The Cato to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for CATO:
5-Year Yield-on-Cost %: 0.00
GF Value™: $4.18 vs. price of $3.19 (23.7% 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.
56GF Score
Get the complete analysis for CATO
5-Year Yield-on-Cost % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
CATO has been successfully added to your 
