Latest news with #Cato
NZ Herald
4 hours ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
King's Birthday Honours list celebrates Kiwi achievers
Their achievements are elevated and are on par with sporting heroes and politicians, sometimes more deservedly. For some, the honours are less about keeping in step with British tradition and more about giving Kiwis the recognition they deserve. The debate goes back and forth over the honours system, with knight and damehoods having been famously scrapped in 2000 by Helen Clark's Labour Government, then reintroduced as the New Zealand honours system nine years later by Sir John Key. Next door, Australia's knight and damehoods became almost a tug of war within the Liberal Party. Prime Minister Tony Abbott reintroduced them in 2014, puzzlingly knighted Prince Philip, and they were removed again just over a year and a half later by the next Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and have been absent ever since. It's noted that both Clark's and Turnbull's decisions were approved by the Queen, who rarely got involved with government policy. More recently, the New Zealand Republicans have called for honours to be announced at Matariki, saying that recognising the King's birthday (which is not his real birthday) was not a relevant public holiday for the country. This year, however, it's status quo and today's list of recipients are all nominated by their communities and recommended to the King by the Government. Ranjna Patel, a prominent figure in the Auckland community, receives the New Zealand Order of Merit and becomes a Dame for services to ethnic communities, health and family violence prevention. Patel's CV reads like a veritable alphabet soup: ONZM, QSM and now DNZM. Her contributions to the Auckland health community are far too great to list. Millennials will recognise Suzy Cato on today's list. She is being made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to music, television and education. Cato's melodic voice coached children through the Covid-19 lockdowns, producing online content such as storytelling, science experiments and musical activities for children. Cato's show You And Me was staple children's TV viewing in many Kiwi households. She was known by her trademark blonde hair and colourful selection of jumpers. No doubt her grown-up fans can still sing the theme tune It's Our Time by heart. BMX champion Sarah Walker, comedian Dai Henwood, TV personality and historian Jude Dobson, Louise Wallace, Black Fern Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and former All Black and rugby commentator Murray Mexted are other recognisable names on the list. But whether they have name recognition or not, we must take the time to honour and thank our high achievers for their invaluable contributions to society and their local communities – however we choose to celebrate them.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
U.S. deported 50 Venezuelans with legal status to El Salvador: study
At least 50 Venezuelans who were deported and sent to a maximum security prison in El Salvador came to the United States legally and never violated immigration law, according to a new analysis from the libertarian Cato Institute. The report compiled family accounts, along with entry documents and witness testimony, to determine how they crossed into the United States and what likely led to their detention. 'The government calls them all 'illegal aliens.' But of the 90 cases where the method of crossing is known, 50 men report that they came legally to the United States, with advanced U.S. government permission, at an official border crossing point,' the report stated. More than 200 Venezuelans were deported to El Salvador in March following a wave of detentions and executive orders on immigration. Since then, they have had no access to lawyers or the ability to communicate with their families. The records reviewed includes a temporary visa holder and four men who were authorized to travel through the U.S. refugee program. At least 45 scheduled appointments using the CBP One app, through which they were permitted to seek entry. Among those with appointments, 24 were given a permit to enter the U.S. and to stay for up to two years, while the other 21 were detained at the port of entry, according to the study. The Venezuelans were held at the Terrorism Confinement Center, a maximum security prison that can hold up to 40,000 people. They were construction laborers, pipe installers, cooks, delivery drivers, a soccer coach, a makeup artist, a mechanic, a veterinarian, a musician and an entrepreneur, the study found. David Bier, director of Immigration Studies at Cato and author of the analysis, said the findings underscore a broader goal not simply to target illegal immigration, but to reduce immigration overall. 'It reveals a grave threat to the rights of noncitizens in the United States,' Bier said. 'And it may permanently change how people around the world view the United States: not as the land of freedom and rule of law, but a land of arbitrary detention at the whims of its leader like Russia or North Korea.' The Venezuelans were deported under the authority of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century wartime declaration. The detentions are tied to suspicions of gang affiliation, but how those suspicions are formed raises concerns. Immigration officials flagged them as suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang based on tattoos and a point-based system, according to a lawsuit the American Civil Liberties Union filed against the Donald Trump administration. The Cato report found that 42 were labeled as gang members primarily based on their tattoos, 'which Venezuelan gangs do not use to identify members and are not reliable indicators of gang membership.' 'All these legal immigrants denied gang membership, and only two appear to have had a U.S. criminal conviction of any kind, both for minor drug offenses,' Cato wrote in its report. J. Tony Lopez, an immigration attorney in Tampa, said that once a deportation takes place, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement typically refuses to share further details, leaving families without clarity on their relatives' whereabouts or status. Two women in Tampa have been unable to get information about their deported Venezuelan partners. One of them, Liyanara Sánchez, recognized her husband, Frengel Reyes Mota, in a video aired two weeks ago by One America News Network. It's her only proof he's alive. The other woman, Angela Leal, has not received any news about her boyfriend, Luis Carlos Jose Marcano.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cato Stock Gains 12% Despite Q1 Earnings Down Y/Y on Tariff Headwinds
Shares of The Cato Corporation CATO have climbed 11.5% since the retailer released its earnings results for the quarter ended May 3, 2025, significantly outpacing the S&P 500 index's 1.4% growth over the same period. On a broader basis, CATO shares are up 12% over the past month, again outperforming the S&P 500's 6.5% rise. This relative strength suggests renewed investor optimism despite the company posting a noticeable year-over-year earnings decline. Cato reported first-quarter 2025 net income of 17 cents per share compared with 54 cents per share in the same period last year, a decline of approximately 69%. (See the Zacks Earnings Calendar to stay ahead of market-making news.) Total revenues dropped 3.9% to $170.2 million from $177.1 million a year ago, with retail sales comprising the majority at $168.4 million. Notably, same-store sales were flat, reflecting challenges in driving organic growth amid a cautious consumer environment. Cato's net income fell sharply to $3.3 million compared to $11 million in the same period last year. The Cato Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | The Cato Corporation Quote Gross margin declined slightly to 35.1% of sales from 35.8% in the prior year quarter. This was attributed to a lower merchandise contribution driven by increased markdown activity, partially offset by reduced buying costs. Operating expenses were somewhat managed, as Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses declined 2.5% year over year to $55.3 million. However, as a percentage of sales, SG&A rose to 32.8% from 32.4%, reflecting the pressure of declining revenue on fixed costs. Depreciation costs rose to $2.6 million from $2 million, while interest and other income fell significantly to $1.2 million from $5.8 million. The previous year's figure included a $3.2 million gain from land sales and income from equity securities, which did not recur this year. The resulting income before taxes declined 63.5% year over year to $4.2 million. Income tax expense rose to $0.9 million from $0.6 million, largely due to changes in state and foreign tax rates. Cato's leadership emphasized the impact of a cautious consumer spending environment, with Chairman and CEO John Cato citing 'general uncertainty regarding the economy and the potential impact of the proposed tariffs' as contributing factors to a restrained outlook. While sales trends improved later in the quarter, the executive tone remained measured, indicating hesitancy in projecting a recovery for the remainder of the year. During the quarter, Cato did not open any new locations and permanently closed eight stores, bringing its total store count to 1,109 across 31 states, down from 1,171 stores a year ago. This continued contraction reflects the company's adaptation to shifting consumer behaviors and efforts to right-size its physical footprint in favor of more efficient operations. The company's retail concepts — Cato, Versona, and It's Fashion — continue to target value-conscious consumers with trend-driven merchandise offered at everyday low prices. In terms of capital allocation, the company repurchased 294,036 shares during the quarter, signaling confidence in its valuation and a commitment to returning capital to shareholders. On the balance sheet, Cato's financial position remained stable, with cash and cash equivalents rising to $31.3 million from $20.3 million as of Feb. 1, 2025. However, short-term investments fell to $48.6 million from $57.4 million, reflecting potential liquidity redeployment. Inventories remained essentially flat, suggesting disciplined merchandise planning amid fluctuating demand. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Cato Corporation (The) (CATO) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cato First Quarter 2026 Earnings: EPS: US$0.17 (vs US$0.54 in 1Q 2025)
Revenue: US$170.2m (down 3.9% from 1Q 2025). Net income: US$3.31m (down 68% from 1Q 2025). Profit margin: 1.9% (down from 5.9% in 1Q 2025). EPS: US$0.17 (down from US$0.54 in 1Q 2025). We've discovered 3 warning signs about Cato. View them for free. All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Cato shares are up 2.8% from a week ago. Be aware that Cato is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis and 1 of those doesn't sit too well with us... Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cato First Quarter 2026 Earnings: EPS: US$0.17 (vs US$0.54 in 1Q 2025)
Revenue: US$170.2m (down 3.9% from 1Q 2025). Net income: US$3.31m (down 68% from 1Q 2025). Profit margin: 1.9% (down from 5.9% in 1Q 2025). EPS: US$0.17 (down from US$0.54 in 1Q 2025). We've discovered 3 warning signs about Cato. View them for free. All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Cato shares are up 2.8% from a week ago. Be aware that Cato is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis and 1 of those doesn't sit too well with us... Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
