Cato annual free cash flow
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2025
Cato Free Cash Flow (FCF) History (CATO)
Cato reported −$5.2M in free cash flow for fiscal 2025, an increase of $22.4M from the previous fiscal year, with a free cash flow margin of −0.81%.
View full Cato company overviewCato free cash flow by year
| Fiscal year | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | Growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2026-01-31 | −$5.2M | $22.4M | — | −0.81% |
| 2024 | 2025-02-01 | −$27.6M | −$15.6M | — | −4.30% |
| 2023 | 2024-02-03 | −$12.1M | −$6.0M | — | −1.72% |
| 2022 | 2023-01-28 | −$6.1M | −$61.7M | — | −0.81% |
| 2021 | 2022-01-29 | $55.7M | $100.3M | — | +7.31% |
| 2020 | 2021-01-30 | −$44.7M | −$89.8M | — | −7.87% |
| 2019 | 2020-02-01 | $45.1M | −$10.8M | −19.32% | +5.52% |
| 2018 | 2019-02-02 | $55.9M | $31.0M | +124.51% | +6.81% |
| 2017 | 2018-02-03 | $24.9M | −$19.9M | −44.47% | +2.96% |
| 2016 | 2017-01-28 | $44.8M | −$22.5M | −33.41% | +4.73% |
| 2015 | 2016-01-30 | $67.3M | −$21.2M | −23.98% | +6.66% |
| 2014 | 2015-01-31 | $88.6M | $27.1M | +44.19% | +8.97% |
| 2013 | 2014-02-01 | $61.4M | $27.3M | +79.92% | +6.68% |
| 2012 | 2013-02-02 | $34.1M | −$11.3M | −24.90% | +3.62% |
| 2011 | 2012-01-28 | $45.5M | −$14.5M | −24.14% | +4.88% |
| 2010 | 2011-01-29 | $59.9M | −$14.8M | −19.82% | +6.48% |
| 2009 | 2010-01-30 | $74.7M | — | — | +8.45% |
Cato quarterly free cash flow
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Q3.24
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Q1.25
Q2.25
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Q1.26
Q2.26
| Fiscal quarter | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | YoY growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 2026-08-01 | $13.1M | $2.7M | +26.04% | +8.02% |
| Q1 2026 | 2026-05-02 | $7.0M | $4.1M | +145.07% | +4.12% |
| Q4 2025 | 2026-01-31 | −$5.6M | $2.3M | — | −3.72% |
| Q3 2025 | 2025-11-01 | −$12.9M | $10.9M | — | −8.41% |
| Q2 2025 | 2025-08-02 | $10.4M | $8.8M | +555.09% | +5.97% |
| Q1 2025 | 2025-05-03 | $2.8M | $404,000 | +16.52% | +1.69% |
| Q4 2024 | 2025-02-01 | −$7.8M | $5.6M | — | −5.05% |
| Q3 2024 | 2024-11-02 | −$23.8M | −$12.1M | — | −16.46% |
| Q2 2024 | 2024-08-03 | $1.6M | −$7.8M | −83.03% | +0.95% |
| Q1 2024 | 2024-05-04 | $2.4M | −$1.3M | −34.36% | +1.39% |
| Q4 2023 | 2024-02-03 | −$13.5M | −$2.5M | — | −7.82% |
| Q3 2023 | 2023-10-28 | −$11.7M | −$10.0M | — | −7.47% |
| Q2 2023 | 2023-07-29 | $9.4M | −$2.4M | −20.45% | +5.18% |
| Q1 2023 | 2023-04-29 | $3.7M | $8.9M | — | +1.96% |
| Q4 2022 | 2023-01-28 | −$11.0M | $11.0M | — | −6.19% |
| Q3 2022 | 2022-10-29 | −$1.7M | $1.5M | — | −0.96% |
| Q2 2022 | 2022-07-30 | $11.8M | −$25.1M | −68.02% | +6.05% |
| Q1 2022 | 2022-04-30 | −$5.2M | −$49.2M | — | −2.54% |
| Q4 2021 | 2022-01-29 | −$21.9M | −$14.6M | — | −12.63% |
| Q3 2021 | 2021-10-30 | −$3.2M | −$23.9M | — | −1.88% |
| Q2 2021 | 2021-07-31 | $36.9M | $18.3M | +98.15% | +17.91% |
| Q1 2021 | 2021-05-01 | $43.9M | $120.6M | — | +20.80% |
| Q4 2020 | 2021-01-30 | −$7.4M | −$8.1M | — | −4.74% |
| Q3 2020 | 2020-10-31 | $20.7M | $19.3M | +1385.39% | +13.90% |
| Q2 2020 | 2020-08-01 | $18.6M | −$10.7M | −36.44% | +11.20% |
| Q1 2020 | 2020-05-02 | −$76.6M | −$90.3M | — | −77.57% |
| Q4 2019 | 2020-02-01 | $730,000 | −$4.2M | −85.06% | +0.38% |
| Q3 2019 | 2019-11-02 | $1.4M | $5.0M | — | +0.74% |
| Q2 2019 | 2019-08-03 | $29.3M | $5.7M | +23.99% | +13.92% |
| Q1 2019 | 2019-05-04 | $13.7M | −$17.3M | −55.83% | +6.00% |
| Q4 2018 | 2019-02-02 | $4.9M | $9.5M | — | +2.54% |
| Q3 2018 | 2018-11-03 | −$3.6M | $3.9M | — | −1.90% |
| Q2 2018 | 2018-08-04 | $23.6M | −$1.2M | −4.82% | +11.42% |
| Q1 2018 | 2018-05-05 | $31.0M | $18.8M | +154.58% | +13.11% |
| Q4 2017 | 2018-02-03 | −$4.7M | −$27.3M | — | −2.19% |
| Q3 2017 | 2017-10-28 | −$7.4M | $15.4M | — | −3.94% |
| Q2 2017 | 2017-07-29 | $24.8M | $9.9M | +66.30% | +11.99% |
| Q1 2017 | 2017-04-29 | $12.2M | −$18.0M | −59.65% | +5.07% |
| Q4 2016 | 2017-01-28 | $22.6M | −$9.4M | −29.33% | +10.26% |
| Q3 2016 | 2016-10-29 | −$22.8M | −$13.8M | — | −10.92% |
| Q2 2016 | 2016-07-30 | $14.9M | −$4.3M | −22.18% | +6.25% |
| Q1 2016 | 2016-04-30 | $30.1M | $4.9M | +19.63% | +10.46% |
| Q4 2015 | 2016-01-30 | $32.0M | $9.8M | +44.40% | +12.78% |
| Q3 2015 | 2015-10-31 | −$9.1M | −$8.1M | — | −4.01% |
| Q2 2015 | 2015-08-01 | $19.2M | −$620,000 | −3.13% | +7.63% |
| Q1 2015 | 2015-05-02 | $25.2M | −$22.4M | −47.08% | +8.87% |
| Q4 2014 | 2015-01-31 | $22.2M | $12.6M | +132.36% | +9.23% |
| Q3 2014 | 2014-11-01 | −$1.0M | $10.8M | — | −0.46% |
| Q2 2014 | 2014-08-02 | $19.8M | −$1.8M | −8.39% | +8.03% |
| Q1 2014 | 2014-05-03 | $47.6M | $5.5M | +13.08% | +16.72% |
| Q4 2013 | 2014-02-01 | $9.5M | $11.8M | — | +4.38% |
| Q3 2013 | 2013-11-02 | −$11.8M | $2.4M | — | −5.88% |
| Q2 2013 | 2013-08-03 | $21.6M | $19.6M | +978.49% | +9.33% |
| Q1 2013 | 2013-05-04 | $42.1M | −$6.5M | −13.42% | +15.61% |
| Q4 2012 | 2013-02-02 | −$2.3M | −$6.4M | — | −0.98% |
| Q3 2012 | 2012-10-27 | −$14.2M | −$3.8M | — | −7.09% |
| Q2 2012 | 2012-07-28 | $2.0M | −$11.1M | −84.66% | +0.86% |
| Q1 2012 | 2012-04-28 | $48.6M | $10.0M | +25.80% | +17.66% |
| Q4 2011 | 2012-01-28 | $4.1M | — | — | +1.82% |
| Q3 2011 | 2011-10-29 | −$10.3M | −$5.4M | — | −5.26% |
| Q2 2011 | 2011-07-30 | $13.1M | — | — | +5.52% |
| Q1 2011 | 2011-04-30 | $38.6M | — | — | +14.12% |
| Q3 2010 | 2010-10-30 | −$4.9M | — | — | −2.45% |
Cato free cash flow growth trends
Over the last five reported fiscal years, free cash flow grew from −$44.7M to −$5.2M, a net increase of $39.4M. Cato's latest reported quarter, Q2 2026, generated $13.1M in free cash flow, an increase of 26.04% year over year.
About the metric
What free cash flow means
Free cash flow is the cash a company generates from operations after capital expenditures. Positive FCF can fund dividends, buybacks, debt repayment, or reinvestment; negative FCF means capital spending exceeded operating cash flow for that period.
Calculation and source
How free cash flow is calculated
TickerStat calculates free cash flow as reported operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. FCF margin equals free cash flow divided by revenue. Fiscal periods can differ from calendar years, so the tables include exact period-end dates.
Review Cato source filings ↗Community posts
Cato plans 70 additional store closures and discloses exit costs
Cato ($CATO) plans to close another 70 stores during the third and fourth quarters, bringing its expected total closures for the financial year to 120. The retailer estimates the additional actions will cost approximately $1 million to $1.3 ...
