Cato Snapshot
The Cato Corporation caters to fashion-minded Southerners on a budget. The retailer operates about 1,285 apparel stores in 30 states (primarily in the Southeast) under the names Cato, Cato Fashions, Cato Plus, It's Fashion, and It's Fashion Metro. Its mostly private-label merchandise selection includes misses', juniors', girls', and plus-sized casualwear, career clothing, coats, shoes, and accessories geared to low- and middle-income customers, mostly females aged 18 to 50. Cato's stores are typically located in shopping centers anchored by a Wal-Mart store or another major discounter or supermarket. Founded in 1946, the company is led by chairman John Cato, the third generation of Catos in the family business.
