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
Q3.10
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Q3.23
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Q1.24
Q2.24
Q3.24
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Q1.25
Q2.25
Q3.25
Q4.25
Q1.26
| Fiscal quarter | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | YoY growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | $3.4M | — | −5.05% |
| Q3 2024 | 2024-11-02 | −$23.8M | −$9.8M | — | −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 | −$11.2M | −$253,000 | — | −6.52% |
| Q3 2023 | 2023-10-28 | −$14.0M | −$12.3M | — | −8.94% |
| 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 | — | −4.81% |
| 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% | +0.39% |
| 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 | — | +2.57% |
| 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 | — | −2.25% |
| 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% | +10.71% |
| 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% | +8.05% |
| 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 | $9.0M | — | +1.82% |
| Q3 2011 | 2011-10-29 | −$10.3M | — | — | −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, Q1 2026, generated $7.0M in free cash flow, an increase of 145.07% 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 SEC-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 filings at SEC.gov ↗