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Side-by-side financial comparison of CATO CORP (CATO) and NICOLET BANKSHARES INC (NIC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CATO CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($155.4M vs $104.0M, roughly 1.5× NICOLET BANKSHARES INC). NICOLET BANKSHARES INC runs the higher net margin — 38.8% vs -3.3%, a 42.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, NICOLET BANKSHARES INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.5% vs 6.3%). NICOLET BANKSHARES INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($149.4M vs $-12.9M). Over the past eight quarters, NICOLET BANKSHARES INC's revenue compounded faster (12.5% 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.

Nicolet Bankshares, Inc. is a U.S. regional bank holding company based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are the parent company of Nicolet National Bank, the second largest Wisconsin-based bank.

CATO vs NIC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CATO
CATO
1.5× larger
CATO
$155.4M
$104.0M
NIC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NIC
NIC
+6.2% gap
NIC
12.5%
6.3%
CATO
Higher net margin
NIC
NIC
42.1% more per $
NIC
38.8%
-3.3%
CATO
More free cash flow
NIC
NIC
$162.4M more FCF
NIC
$149.4M
$-12.9M
CATO
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NIC
NIC
Annualised
NIC
12.5%
-5.7%
CATO

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Revenue
$155.4M
$104.0M
Net Profit
$-5.2M
$40.3M
Gross Margin
32.7%
Operating Margin
-5.3%
48.3%
Net Margin
-3.3%
38.8%
Revenue YoY
6.3%
12.5%
Net Profit YoY
65.6%
16.9%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.28
$2.63

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
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
$155.4M
$104.0M
Q3 25
$176.5M
$102.9M
Q2 25
$170.2M
$95.7M
Q1 25
$157.9M
$89.4M
Q4 24
$146.2M
$92.4M
Q3 24
$168.6M
$90.7M
Q2 24
$177.1M
$85.0M
Q1 24
$174.9M
$82.2M
Net Profit
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
$-5.2M
$40.3M
Q3 25
$6.8M
$41.7M
Q2 25
$3.3M
$36.0M
Q1 25
$-14.1M
$32.6M
Q4 24
$-15.1M
$34.5M
Q3 24
$95.0K
$32.5M
Q2 24
$11.0M
$29.3M
Q1 24
$27.8M
Gross Margin
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
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
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
-5.3%
48.3%
Q3 25
3.1%
50.4%
Q2 25
2.0%
46.8%
Q1 25
-15.2%
44.9%
Q4 24
-11.6%
46.8%
Q3 24
-0.4%
45.0%
Q2 24
3.5%
43.3%
Q1 24
-9.5%
41.8%
Net Margin
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
-3.3%
38.8%
Q3 25
3.9%
40.6%
Q2 25
1.9%
37.6%
Q1 25
-8.9%
36.4%
Q4 24
-10.3%
37.3%
Q3 24
0.1%
35.8%
Q2 24
6.2%
34.5%
Q1 24
33.8%
EPS (diluted)
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
$-0.28
$2.63
Q3 25
$0.35
$2.73
Q2 25
$0.17
$2.34
Q1 25
$-0.73
$2.08
Q4 24
$-0.79
$2.21
Q3 24
$0.01
$2.10
Q2 24
$0.54
$1.92
Q1 24
$-1.15
$1.82

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$79.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$134.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$167.6M
$1.3B
Total Assets
$450.2M
$9.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.11×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
$79.0M
Q3 25
$90.8M
Q2 25
$80.0M
Q1 25
$77.7M
Q4 24
$86.2M
Q3 24
$104.7M
Q2 24
$105.4M
Q1 24
$103.0M
Total Debt
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
$134.9M
Q3 25
$134.6M
Q2 25
$134.3M
Q1 25
$156.6M
Q4 24
$161.4M
Q3 24
$161.2M
Q2 24
$162.4M
Q1 24
$162.3M
Stockholders' Equity
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
$167.6M
$1.3B
Q3 25
$172.2M
$1.2B
Q2 25
$164.9M
$1.2B
Q1 25
$162.3M
$1.2B
Q4 24
$177.1M
$1.2B
Q3 24
$195.1M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$196.9M
$1.1B
Q1 24
$192.3M
$1.1B
Total Assets
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
$450.2M
$9.2B
Q3 25
$436.9M
$9.0B
Q2 25
$440.8M
$8.9B
Q1 25
$452.4M
$9.0B
Q4 24
$424.4M
$8.8B
Q3 24
$455.6M
$8.6B
Q2 24
$477.1M
$8.6B
Q1 24
$486.8M
$8.4B
Debt / Equity
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
0.11×
Q3 25
0.11×
Q2 25
0.11×
Q1 25
0.13×
Q4 24
0.14×
Q3 24
0.14×
Q2 24
0.15×
Q1 24
0.15×

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
NIC
NIC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-12.4M
$153.5M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-12.9M
$149.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-8.3%
143.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.3%
3.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.81×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-7.5M
$275.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
$-12.4M
$153.5M
Q3 25
$11.8M
$45.9M
Q2 25
$3.9M
$38.9M
Q1 25
$-6.5M
$41.8M
Q4 24
$-22.1M
$133.7M
Q3 24
$3.1M
$39.6M
Q2 24
$5.7M
$37.3M
Q1 24
$-11.2M
$23.4M
Free Cash Flow
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
$-12.9M
$149.4M
Q3 25
$10.4M
$45.9M
Q2 25
$2.8M
$38.4M
Q1 25
$-7.8M
$41.3M
Q4 24
$-23.8M
$116.8M
Q3 24
$1.6M
$34.7M
Q2 24
$2.4M
$34.4M
Q1 24
$-13.5M
$20.1M
FCF Margin
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
-8.3%
143.7%
Q3 25
5.9%
44.6%
Q2 25
1.7%
40.1%
Q1 25
-5.0%
46.2%
Q4 24
-16.3%
126.4%
Q3 24
0.9%
38.3%
Q2 24
1.4%
40.5%
Q1 24
-7.7%
24.4%
Capex Intensity
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
0.3%
3.9%
Q3 25
0.8%
0.0%
Q2 25
0.6%
0.6%
Q1 25
0.9%
0.5%
Q4 24
1.2%
18.3%
Q3 24
0.9%
5.4%
Q2 24
1.8%
3.5%
Q1 24
1.3%
4.0%
Cash Conversion
CATO
CATO
NIC
NIC
Q4 25
3.81×
Q3 25
1.72×
1.10×
Q2 25
1.17×
1.08×
Q1 25
1.28×
Q4 24
3.88×
Q3 24
32.95×
1.22×
Q2 24
0.52×
1.28×
Q1 24
0.84×

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%

NIC
NIC

Segment breakdown not available.

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