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CTRNCiti Trends, Inc.Hold5.5·$45.39
HoldModerate Confidence
Investment thesis

Citi Trends shows recovering revenue and mostly beating earnings with a large gap to the analyst target, but weak cash conversion, a 26% short interest and a market cap below the $400M minimum keep it speculative.

Thesis pillars

  • Analyst Target Asymmetry→Stable
  • Consistent Earnings Beats→Stable
  • Revenue Recovery Trend→Stable
  • +2 more pillars — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Pillars as of Oct 24, 2026, based on the 10-K filed Apr 15, 2026

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Citi Trends, Inc. (CTRN) Stock Analysis

Oversold Bounce setup

HoldVALUE-TRAP 2/5GrowthShortModerate Confidence

Consumer Cyclical · Apparel Retail

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $45.39, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: Market cap $379M below $400M minimum; Value-trap signals (2/5): Margin compression (op margin -2.4%), High leverage (D/E 8.9).

We are the leading off-price retailer specifically focused on Black customers, delivering the styles, brands, and trends at amazing prices that resonate with our primary and secondary customers. Our product offering is Women's, Men's and Children's apparel, family footwear,... Read more

$45.39+70.4% A.UpsideScore 5.5/10#13 of 15 Apparel Retail
QualityF-score7 / 9FCF yield0.77%
Stop $42.27Analyst target $77.35(−15% haircut)A.R:R 6.6:1
Analyst consensus$91.00+100.5%2 analysts
$77.35Analyst target
$45.39price
$91.00mean
$101

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $45.39, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: Market cap $379M below $400M minimum; Value-trap signals (2/5): Margin compression (op margin -2.4%), High leverage (D/E 8.9). Chart setup: Oversold RSI 30, near Bollinger lower, volume surge. Market cap $379M below $400M minimum. Not in investable universe. Score 5.5/10, moderate confidence.

Passes 6/8 gates (positive momentum, favorable risk/reward ratio, news events none recent, earnings proximity 32d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Suitability: speculative.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-10-29
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Tue, Dec 1, 202632d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
No bull case signals
Risks
Market cap $379M below $400M minimum
Value-trap signals (2/5): Margin compression (op margin -2.4%), High leverage (D/E 8.9)

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)54.0
P/E (Fwd)16.2
Mkt Cap$379M
EV/EBITDA21.3
Profit Mgn0.8%
ROE6.2%
Rev Growth10.9%
Beta1.82
DividendNone
Rating analysts8

Quality Signals

Piotroski F7/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

IV220%elevated

Material Events(8-K, last 90d)

  • 2026-09-11Item 5.02MEDIUM
    On September 10, 2026, Heather Plutino, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer of Citi Trends, Inc. (the "Company"), notified the Company of her decision to step down for personal reasons. Ms.
    SEC filing →

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results. How we score · Editorial policy

Show full disclosure ▾

About TrendMatrix. TrendMatrix is a publisher of general securities research and market commentary. We publish on a regular schedule. All content is the same for every subscriber in a tier — we do not provide personalized investment advice and we do not take into account any individual subscriber's financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, tax situation, or holdings.

Not investment advice. TrendMatrix is not a registered investment adviser. Our content is for informational and educational purposes only. Consult your own licensed investment adviser, broker, or tax professional before making any investment decision.

Conflicts and positions. People who build TrendMatrix, or entities they control, may hold positions, long or short, in securities it covers, and may trade them at any time. Positions are not disclosed individually. Verdicts are generated by an automated model applied by the same rules to every covered stock, and are not adjusted for any position held by the people who build TrendMatrix. We do not accept payment from issuers for coverage.

No paid promotion. TrendMatrix does not accept payment from any issuer, broker, or third party in exchange for coverage of any security.

No fiduciary duty. No fiduciary, advisory, or agency relationship is created between you and TrendMatrix by reading our content or subscribing to our service.

Performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance figures reflect the published model only and do not reflect any individual subscriber's actual results.

Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

3 floor-breakers

Volatile — 5.3% daily ATR makes tight stops impractical. Position-size conservatively.static

Short Interest
0.0
Volatility
0.0
Implied Vol
0.0
Days To Cover
3.3
Debt Equity
3.4
Beta
3.9
High short interest: 25%High IV: 220%

Quality below the gate floor. Component breakdown shows what dragged the score down.static

Operating Margin
0.0
Net Margin
0.4
Roa
0.5
Roe
2.1
Fcf Quality
3.2
Gross Margin
4.0
Current Ratio
4.4
Moat
5.6
Piotroski F
7.8
Earnings quality RED FLAG: 40% FCF/NIStrong Piotroski F-Score: 7/9

Ranks in the bottom of its industry peers on the composite signal. Better names in the same sector exist.static

Quality Rank
0.0
Value Rank
4.3
Growth Rank
6.7
GatesINSIDER 0.19%=MODERATEExecutive change: officer departure/appointmentMomentum 6.6>=5.5A.R:R 6.6 ≥ 1.5NEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 32d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEAROversold BounceSuitability: Speculative
RSI
30 · Oversold
↓ 20D MA↓ 50D MA↓ 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $43.58Resistance $52.03

Price Targets

$42
$77
A.Upside+70.4%
A.R:R6.6:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0%
Max %0%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! Market cap $379M below $400M minimum
! Value-trap signals (2/5): Margin compression (op margin -2.4%), High leverage (D/E 8.9)

Earnings

B
B
B
M
3/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-12-01 (32d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CTRN stock a buy right now?

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $45.39, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: Market cap $379M below $400M minimum; Value-trap signals (2/5): Margin compression (op margin -2.4%), High leverage (D/E 8.9). Chart setup: Oversold RSI 30, near Bollinger lower, volume surge. Market cap $379M below $400M minimum. Not in investable universe. Analyst target $77.35 (+70.4%), stop $42.27 (−7.4%), A.R:R 6.6:1. Score 5.5/10, moderate confidence.

What is the CTRN stock price target?

Analyst target: $77.35 (+70.4% upside). Analyst target $77.35 (+70.4%), stop $42.27 (−7.4%), A.R:R 6.6:1. Stop-loss: $42.27.

What are the risks of investing in CTRN?

Market cap $379M below $400M minimum; Value-trap signals (2/5): Margin compression (op margin -2.4%), High leverage (D/E 8.9).

Is CTRN overvalued or undervalued?

Citi Trends, Inc. trades at a P/E of 54.0 (forward 16.2). TrendMatrix value score: 6.9/10. Verdict: Hold.

What do analysts say about CTRN?

8 analysts cover CTRN with a consensus score of 4.1/5. Average price target: $91.

What does Citi Trends, Inc. do?We are the leading off-price retailer specifically focused on Black customers, delivering the styles, brands, and...

We are the leading off-price retailer specifically focused on Black customers, delivering the styles, brands, and trends at amazing prices that resonate with our primary and secondary customers. Our product offering is Women's, Men's and Children's apparel, family footwear, accessories and products for the home, with a three-tiered mix of product. At the opening price point, we offer value-focused basics for our most budget-conscious customers. The core of our business is our 'better

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