vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of CATO CORP (CATO) and MACERICH CO (MAC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MACERICH CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($261.7M vs $155.4M, roughly 1.7× CATO CORP). CATO CORP runs the higher net margin — -3.3% vs -7.2%, a 3.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CATO CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.3% vs -4.4%). Over the past eight quarters, MACERICH CO's revenue compounded faster (12.0% CAGR vs -5.7%).

The Cato Corporation is an American retailer of women's fashions and accessories. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. As of January 2016, the company operated 1,372 stores under the names Cato, Cato Plus, It's Fashion, It's Fashion Metro and Versona.

The Macerich Company is a real estate investment trust that invests in shopping centers. It is the third-largest owner and operator of shopping centers in the United States. As of December 31, 2024, the company owned interests in 43 properties comprising 43 million square feet of leasable area. The company name is a portmanteau of its founders, Mace Siegel and Richard Cohen.

CATO vs MAC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MAC
MAC
1.7× larger
MAC
$261.7M
$155.4M
CATO
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CATO
CATO
+10.7% gap
CATO
6.3%
-4.4%
MAC
Higher net margin
CATO
CATO
3.8% more per $
CATO
-3.3%
-7.2%
MAC
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MAC
MAC
Annualised
MAC
12.0%
-5.7%
CATO

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Revenue
$155.4M
$261.7M
Net Profit
$-5.2M
$-18.8M
Gross Margin
32.7%
Operating Margin
-5.3%
Net Margin
-3.3%
-7.2%
Revenue YoY
6.3%
-4.4%
Net Profit YoY
65.6%
91.1%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.28
$-0.08

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
$155.4M
$261.7M
Q3 25
$176.5M
$253.3M
Q2 25
$170.2M
$249.8M
Q1 25
$157.9M
$249.2M
Q4 24
$146.2M
$273.7M
Q3 24
$168.6M
$220.2M
Q2 24
$177.1M
$215.5M
Q1 24
$174.9M
$208.8M
Net Profit
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
$-5.2M
$-18.8M
Q3 25
$6.8M
$-87.4M
Q2 25
$3.3M
$-40.9M
Q1 25
$-14.1M
$-50.1M
Q4 24
$-15.1M
$-211.2M
Q3 24
$95.0K
$-108.2M
Q2 24
$11.0M
$252.0M
Q1 24
$-126.7M
Gross Margin
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
32.7%
Q3 25
36.8%
Q2 25
35.8%
Q1 25
29.2%
Q4 24
29.6%
Q3 24
35.3%
Q2 24
36.5%
Q1 24
32.1%
Operating Margin
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
-5.3%
Q3 25
3.1%
Q2 25
2.0%
Q1 25
-15.2%
Q4 24
-11.6%
Q3 24
-0.4%
Q2 24
3.5%
Q1 24
-9.5%
Net Margin
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
-3.3%
-7.2%
Q3 25
3.9%
-34.5%
Q2 25
1.9%
-16.4%
Q1 25
-8.9%
-20.1%
Q4 24
-10.3%
-77.2%
Q3 24
0.1%
-49.1%
Q2 24
6.2%
116.9%
Q1 24
-60.7%
EPS (diluted)
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
$-0.28
$-0.08
Q3 25
$0.35
$-0.34
Q2 25
$0.17
$-0.16
Q1 25
$-0.73
$-0.20
Q4 24
$-0.79
$-0.95
Q3 24
$0.01
$-0.50
Q2 24
$0.54
$1.16
Q1 24
$-1.15
$-0.59

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$79.0M
$280.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$5.1B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$167.6M
$2.4B
Total Assets
$450.2M
$8.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
2.07×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
$79.0M
$280.2M
Q3 25
$90.8M
$290.2M
Q2 25
$80.0M
$131.1M
Q1 25
$77.7M
$253.2M
Q4 24
$86.2M
$89.9M
Q3 24
$104.7M
$116.5M
Q2 24
$105.4M
$70.7M
Q1 24
$103.0M
$120.1M
Total Debt
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
$5.1B
Q3 25
$5.1B
Q2 25
$5.2B
Q1 25
$5.2B
Q4 24
$4.9B
Q3 24
$4.3B
Q2 24
$4.4B
Q1 24
$4.1B
Stockholders' Equity
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
$167.6M
$2.4B
Q3 25
$172.2M
$2.5B
Q2 25
$164.9M
$2.6B
Q1 25
$162.3M
$2.7B
Q4 24
$177.1M
$2.8B
Q3 24
$195.1M
$2.5B
Q2 24
$196.9M
$2.5B
Q1 24
$192.3M
$2.3B
Total Assets
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
$450.2M
$8.4B
Q3 25
$436.9M
$8.4B
Q2 25
$440.8M
$8.7B
Q1 25
$452.4M
$8.7B
Q4 24
$424.4M
$8.6B
Q3 24
$455.6M
$7.6B
Q2 24
$477.1M
$7.8B
Q1 24
$486.8M
$7.4B
Debt / Equity
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
2.07×
Q3 25
2.02×
Q2 25
2.02×
Q1 25
1.96×
Q4 24
1.78×
Q3 24
1.73×
Q2 24
1.75×
Q1 24
1.79×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-12.4M
$50.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-12.9M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-8.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-7.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
$-12.4M
$50.2M
Q3 25
$11.8M
$112.4M
Q2 25
$3.9M
$70.5M
Q1 25
$-6.5M
$88.5M
Q4 24
$-22.1M
$54.9M
Q3 24
$3.1M
$100.0M
Q2 24
$5.7M
$67.4M
Q1 24
$-11.2M
$61.1M
Free Cash Flow
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
$-12.9M
Q3 25
$10.4M
Q2 25
$2.8M
Q1 25
$-7.8M
Q4 24
$-23.8M
Q3 24
$1.6M
Q2 24
$2.4M
Q1 24
$-13.5M
FCF Margin
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
-8.3%
Q3 25
5.9%
Q2 25
1.7%
Q1 25
-5.0%
Q4 24
-16.3%
Q3 24
0.9%
Q2 24
1.4%
Q1 24
-7.7%
Capex Intensity
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
0.3%
Q3 25
0.8%
Q2 25
0.6%
Q1 25
0.9%
Q4 24
1.2%
Q3 24
0.9%
Q2 24
1.8%
Q1 24
1.3%
Cash Conversion
CATO
CATO
MAC
MAC
Q4 25
Q3 25
1.72×
Q2 25
1.17×
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
32.95×
Q2 24
0.52×
0.27×
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CATO
CATO

Retail Segment$154.7M100%
Credit Card$5.3M3%

MAC
MAC

Segment breakdown not available.

Related Comparisons