8100 Denmark Road
(704) 554-8510
effects of the CARES Act resulted in $2.4 million of tax benefit versus expense of $0.8 million last
year.
For 2020, gross margin decreased to 23.7% of sales from 37.6% of sales in 2019 due to a reduction
in merchandise contribution combined with the effects of deleveraging occupancy and buying
expenses.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased to 36.1% of sales compared to
32.3% in the prior year.
The selling, general and administrative rate increase was primarily due to
impairment charges of $13.7 million and the effects of deleveraging corporate expenses, partially
offset by the elimination of incentive compensation and company-wide expense reductions.
Income
tax benefit for the year was $25.1 million compared to an expense of $7.3 million last year.
"2020 was a challenging year for specialty apparel retail.
We made some difficult decisions in an
effort to sustain our business in the wake of the pandemic," Mr.
Cato said.
“Despite the challenges of
the COVID-19 pandemic, Cato continues to maintain a strong balance sheet, with $143.9 million in
unrestricted cash and short-term investments and no debt.
As we begin to regain ground lost during
2020, our priority will continue to be the health and safety of our associates and customers, providing
a safe shopping environment, while offering great value to our customers.”
For the fiscal year ended
January 30, 2021, the Company opened 76 stores, relocated 3 stores and closed 27 stores.
As of
January 30, 2021, the Company operated 1,330 stores in 33 states.
As the effects of the pandemic continue into 2021, there remains a high level of uncertainty about
when these effects will subside, the continued impact they will have on our customers’ buying habits
and the duration of supply chain disruption.
In light of these uncertainties, we are not planning any
store development for 2021, are keeping our capital expenditures to a minimum and not providing a
2021 outlook.
Statements, in this press release that express a belief,
expectation or intention, as well as those that are not historical
fact, including, without limitation, any statements regarding
the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the
Company’s business, under the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We can give no assurance
that actual
results or events will not differ materially from those expressed
or implied in any such forward-looking statements. 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, the following:
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, regulations
or
governmental policies affecting our business, including
but not limited to tariffs; uncertainties regarding the impact
of any
governmental action regarding, or responses 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 our ability of any such new stores
to