THE CATO CORPORATION ANNOUNCES REGULAR QUARTERLY DIVIDEND AND INCREASED SHARE REPURCHASE AUTHORIZATION

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of The Cato Corporation (NYSE: CATO) declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.17 per share.  The dividend will be payable on April 4, 2022 to shareholders of record on March 22, 2022. 

The $0.17 dividend, or $0.68 on an annualized basis, represents an annualized yield of 4.0% at the closing market price on February 24, 2022.

The Company also announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a 1,000,000 share increase in the Company's share repurchase program.  Prior to this authorization, the Company had approximately 379,000 shares remaining in open authorizations.  Purchases under the share repurchase program will be made from time to time on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions and will be subject to market conditions and applicable SEC rules. The board's last authorization was in 2020.

John Cato, the Company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented that, "We believe the increase in our stock repurchase program will be beneficial to Cato and continues our focus on enhancing the value of our long-term shareholders' investment.  The Company's substantial cash reserves enable the Company to opportunistically repurchase these shares and maintain the financial flexibility to pay regular dividends, while also allowing investments in infrastructure and growth initiatives."

The Cato Corporation is a leading specialty retailer of value-priced fashion apparel and accessories operating three concepts, "Cato," "Versona" and "It's Fashion."  The Company's Cato stores offer exclusive merchandise with fashion and quality comparable to mall specialty stores at low prices every day.  The Company also offers exclusive merchandise found in its Cato stores at www.catofashions.com.  Versona is a unique fashion destination offering apparel and accessories including jewelry, handbags and shoes at exceptional prices every day.  Select Versona merchandise can also be found at www.shopversona.com.  It's Fashion offers fashion with a focus on the latest trendy styles for the entire family at low prices every day.

Statements in this press release that express a belief, expectation or intention, as well as those that are not a historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's expected or estimated operational financial results, activities or opportunities, and potential impacts and effects of the coronavirus are considered "forward-looking" within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements.  Such factors include, but are not limited to, any actual or perceived deterioration in the conditions that drive consumer confidence and spending, including, but not limited to, prevailing social, economic, political and public health conditions and uncertainties, levels of unemployment, fuel, energy and food costs, wage rates, tax rates, interest rates, home values, consumer net worth and the availability of credit; changes in laws or regulations affecting our business including but not limited to tariffs; uncertainties regarding the impact of any governmental action regarding, or responses to, to the foregoing conditions; competitive factors and pricing pressures; our ability to predict and respond to rapidly changing fashion trends and consumer demands; our ability to successfully implement our new store development strategy to increase new store openings and the  ability of any such new stores to grow and perform as expected; adverse weather, public health threats (including the global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak) or similar conditions that may affect our sales or operations; inventory risks due to shifts in market demand, including the ability to liquidate excess inventory at anticipated margins; and other factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A  of the Company's most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports the Company files with or furnishes to the SEC from time to time.  The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise the forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that the projected results expressed or implied therein will not be realized. The Company is not responsible for any changes made to this press release by wire or Internet services.

SOURCE The Cato Corporation