CATO vs. QYLD

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

CATO (The Cato Corporation) is a stock, while QYLD (Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF) is Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the CBOE NASDAQ-100 Buy Write V2. Over the past 10 years, CATO returned -17.66%/yr vs 9.80%/yr for QYLD. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

CATO vs. QYLD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Cato Corporation (CATO) and Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF (QYLD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

Over the past 10 years, CATO has underperformed QYLD with an annualized return of -17.66%, while QYLD has yielded a comparatively higher 9.80% annualized return.

CATO

• 1D: -1.59%
• 1M: 8.04%
• YTD: 0.00%
• 6M: -11.21%
• 1Y: 19.31%
• 3Y*: -23.99%
• 5Y*: -24.18%
• 10Y*: -17.66%

QYLD

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: 1.62%
• YTD: 7.94%
• 6M: 10.09%
• 1Y: 24.45%
• 3Y*: 13.82%
• 5Y*: 8.61%
• 10Y*: 9.80%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

CATO vs. QYLD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CATO The Cato Corporation	0.00%	-20.77%	-39.83%	-16.51%	-42.20%	84.02%	-43.53%	32.97%	-2.99%	-42.89%
QYLD Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF	7.94%	9.28%	19.35%	22.77%	-19.08%	10.41%	8.72%	22.69%	-3.07%	18.79%

Correlation

The correlation between CATO and QYLD is 0.07, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.07
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.11
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.24
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.20
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 13, 2013	0.21

The correlation between CATO and QYLD shifts across timeframes, from 0.07 (1 year) to 0.24 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

CATO vs. QYLD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

CATO

CATO Risk / Return Rank: 51
CATO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 51
CATO Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
CATO Omega Ratio Rank: 51
CATO Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
CATO Martin Ratio Rank: 49

QYLD

QYLD Risk / Return Rank: 90
QYLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
QYLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
QYLD Omega Ratio Rank: 93
QYLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
QYLD Martin Ratio Rank: 95

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

CATO vs. QYLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Cato Corporation (CATO) and Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF (QYLD). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	CATO	QYLD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.30	2.86	-2.57
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.06	3.99	-2.94
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.12	1.64	-0.52
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.47	5.03	-4.55
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.77	29.54	-28.76
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CATO vs. QYLD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CATO Sharpe Ratio is 0.30, which is lower than the QYLD Sharpe Ratio of 2.86. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CATO and QYLD, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CATO	QYLD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.30	2.86	-2.57
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.47	0.59	-1.06
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.35	0.63	-0.98
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.03	0.59	-0.56

Drawdowns

CATO vs. QYLD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CATO drawdown since its inception was -95.29%, which is greater than QYLD's maximum drawdown of -24.75%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CATO and QYLD.

Drawdown Indicators

	CATO	QYLD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-95.29%	-24.75%	-70.54%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-43.64%	-4.97%	-38.67%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-69.43%	-19.06%	-50.37%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-85.17%	-24.61%	-60.56%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-89.73%	-24.75%	-64.98%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-87.27%	0.00%	-87.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-39.67%	-3.84%	-35.83%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	26.81%	0.85%	+25.96%

Volatility

CATO vs. QYLD - Volatility Comparison

The Cato Corporation (CATO) has a higher volatility of 18.59% compared to Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF (QYLD) at 1.85%. This indicates that CATO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QYLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CATO	QYLD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	18.59%	1.85%	+16.74%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	35.11%	7.12%	+27.99%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	65.14%	8.58%	+56.56%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	51.91%	14.70%	+37.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	50.67%	15.50%	+35.17%

Dividends

CATO vs. QYLD - Dividend Comparison

CATO has not paid dividends to shareholders, while QYLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.45%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CATO The Cato Corporation	0.00%	0.00%	13.08%	9.52%	7.29%	2.62%	3.44%	7.59%	9.25%	8.29%	4.29%	3.26%
QYLD Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF	11.45%	11.55%	12.50%	11.78%	13.75%	12.85%	11.16%	9.84%	12.44%	7.69%	9.15%	9.42%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CATO and QYLD in my portfolio?

CATO and QYLD have a correlation of 0.07, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CATO or QYLD?

CATO has higher volatility (18.59%) compared to QYLD (1.85%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CATO dropped -95.29% vs QYLD's -24.75%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QYLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.86 vs 0.30), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.