📊 CAL Key Takeaways
Investment Thesis
Caleres exhibits severe operational distress with negative free cash flow despite massive revenue growth that appears anomalous (19,607% YoY), suggesting potential accounting irregularities or one-time events rather than sustainable business growth. The company's profitability margins have collapsed to near-zero levels with only 1.6% operating margin and 0.8% net margin, while liquidity metrics are strained with a quick ratio of 0.33x and interest coverage of just 1.8x, indicating insufficient operational efficiency and cash generation to support the business.
CAL Strengths
- Zero long-term debt providing financial flexibility
- Gross margin of 43.4% indicates retained pricing power despite operational challenges
- Positive operating cash flow of $40.5M suggests some underlying cash generation capability
CAL Risks
- Negative free cash flow of -$3.6M indicates capital expenditures exceed operating cash generation, threatening sustainability
- Alarmingly low profitability margins (1.6% operating, 0.8% net) demonstrate severe operational inefficiency and margin compression
- Weak liquidity position with quick ratio of 0.33x and current ratio of only 1.06x raises solvency concerns
- Anomalous revenue growth of 19,607% YoY is unexplainable by normal business operations and warrants investigation for accounting quality
- Diluted EPS declined 35.6% YoY despite claimed revenue growth, indicating severe shareholder value destruction
- Return metrics critically low (ROE 2.6%, ROA 0.8%) demonstrate poor capital efficiency
Key Metrics to Watch
- Free cash flow trend and path to positive FCF generation
- Operating margin expansion and revenue quality verification
- Quick ratio improvement and working capital management
- Debt covenant compliance given strained liquidity metrics
CAL Financial Metrics
💡 AI Analyst Insight
CALERES INC presents a mixed fundamental picture. Review the detailed metrics above to form your own investment thesis.
CAL Profitability Ratios
CAL vs Default Sector
How CALERES INC compares to Default sector averages
Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.
CAL Balance Sheet & Liquidity
CAL 5-Year Financial Trend
5-Year Trend Summary: CALERES INC's revenue has shown modest growth of 2% over the 5-year period. The most recent EPS of $4.92 reflects profitable operations.
CAL Growth Metrics (YoY)
CAL Quarterly Performance
| Quarter | Revenue | Net Income | EPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $740.9M | $2.4M | $0.07 |
| Q2 2026 | $658.5M | $6.7M | $0.20 |
| Q1 2025 | $614.2M | $6.9M | $0.21 |
| Q3 2024 | $740.9M | $41.4M | $1.19 |
| Q2 2024 | $683.3M | $30.0M | $0.85 |
| Q1 2024 | $659.2M | $30.9M | $0.88 |
| Q3 2023 | $761.9M | $39.2M | $1.08 |
| Q2 2023 | $695.5M | $33.9M | $0.95 |
Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.
CAL Capital Allocation
CAL SEC Filings
Access official SEC EDGAR filings for CALERES INC (CIK: 0000014707)
📋 Recent SEC Filings
❓ Frequently Asked Questions about CAL
What is the AI rating for CAL?
CALERES INC (CAL) has an AI rating of SELL with 75% confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.
What are CAL's key strengths?
Zero long-term debt providing financial flexibility. Gross margin of 43.4% indicates retained pricing power despite operational challenges.
What are the risks of investing in CAL?
Negative free cash flow of -$3.6M indicates capital expenditures exceed operating cash generation, threatening sustainability. Alarmingly low profitability margins (1.6% operating, 0.8% net) demonstrate severe operational inefficiency and margin compression.
What is CAL's revenue and growth?
CALERES INC reported revenue of $2.1B.
Does CAL pay dividends?
CALERES INC pays dividends, with $7.1M distributed to shareholders in the trailing twelve months.
Where can I find CAL SEC filings?
Official SEC filings for CALERES INC (CIK: 0000014707) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.
What is CAL's EPS?
CALERES INC has a diluted EPS of $0.47.
How is the AI analysis conducted?
Our AI (Claude) analyzes publicly available SEC EDGAR filings including 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports to evaluate financial health, profitability ratios, balance sheet strength, and growth metrics.