Cato (NYSE:CATO) Receives Sell (E+) Rating from Weiss Ratings

Key Points

• Cato's stock received a "sell (e+)" rating from Weiss Ratings, indicating negative outlook from market analysts.
• Despite the negative rating, Cato's stock traded up 0.7% to $4.34 during Wednesday's trading session.
• Institutional investors own 61.10% of Cato's shares, with several firms increasing their stakes significantly in the recent quarter.

Cato (NYSE:CATO - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "sell (e+)" rating reaffirmed by equities researchers at Weiss Ratings in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,Weiss Ratings reports.

Cato Stock Up 0.7%

Shares of NYSE:CATO traded up $0.03 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $4.34. 33,709 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 48,411. Cato has a fifty-two week low of $2.19 and a fifty-two week high of $6.70. The firm has a market cap of $85.63 million, a PE ratio of -4.30 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $3.87 and a 200-day simple moving average of $3.16.

Cato (NYSE:CATO - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 21st. The specialty retailer reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter. Cato had a negative return on equity of 11.23% and a negative net margin of 2.93%.The firm had revenue of $176.51 million for the quarter.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cato

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Cato by 76.2% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 47,437 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $158,000 after buying an additional 20,521 shares during the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Cato in the 1st quarter worth about $174,000. Prescott Group Capital Management L.L.C. boosted its holdings in Cato by 13.7% in the 1st quarter. Prescott Group Capital Management L.L.C. now owns 166,040 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $553,000 after buying an additional 20,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Peapod Lane Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Cato by 13.5% in the 1st quarter. Peapod Lane Capital LLC now owns 656,690 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $2,187,000 after buying an additional 78,058 shares during the last quarter. 61.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Cato Company Profile

The Cato Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty retailer of fashion apparel and accessories primarily in the southeastern United States. It operates through two segments, Retail and Credit. The company's stores and e-commerce websites offer a range of apparel and accessories, including dressy, career, and casual sportswear; and dresses, coats, shoes, lingerie, costume jewelry, and handbags, as well as men's wear, and lines for kids and infants.

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