Catalyst Bancorp (CLST) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $63.97M
• Dividend Yield: N/A
• Average Volume (3M): 4.74K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 27.6
• Beta (1Y): 0.19
• Revenue Growth: 76.66%
• EPS Growth: N/A
• Country: US
• Employees: 49
• Sector: Financial
• Sector Strength: 70
• Industry: Banks - Regional
• EPS (TTM): 0.13
• Shares Outstanding: 4,113,660
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 6,130
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 4,742
• PEG Ratio: 0.02
• Price to Book (P/B): 0.58
• Price to Sales (P/S): 4.69
• P/FCF Ratio: 16.91
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.23
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 5.14
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 7.00
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 25.02
• 1Y Price Target: N/A
• Price Target Upside: N/A
• Rating Consensus: N/A
• Number of Analyst Covering: 0
• EPS Forecast (FY): N/A
• Revenue Forecast (FY): N/A

• Rating: 65 Neutral
• Price Target: $17.00 ▲(8.01% Upside)

The score is driven primarily by improving financial performance (return to profitability, solid cash conversion, and low leverage), supported by a generally constructive technical backdrop and a positive buyback announcement. These positives are tempered by a relatively high P/E and uneven/volatile revenue and earnings history.

Positive Factors

Low leverage / conservative balance sheet

A low debt-to-equity ratio and a sizable equity base provide financial flexibility and lower default risk. This conservative capital structure supports resilience through economic cycles, enabling continued lending and investment without heavy reliance on volatile external financing.

Strong cash generation and FCF conversion

High free cash flow relative to net income indicates earnings quality and reliable internal funding for operations and growth. Consistent cash generation enhances ability to fund loans, cover expenses, and return capital, supporting sustainable operations over months to years.

Consistent shareholder buyback program

Ongoing, repeatable buybacks signal disciplined capital allocation and priority on shareholder returns. Over time, reducing share count can increase EPS and align management incentives, while buybacks provide flexible, structural support to capital strategy if cash generation persists.

Negative Factors

Uneven revenue and earnings history

Volatile top-line and profit swings reduce confidence in sustainable growth and forecasting. Structural inconsistency complicates strategic planning and capital deployment, making it harder to rely on recurring earnings to fund expansion or absorb shocks over the medium term.

Modest returns on equity and asset efficiency

Low ROE versus asset base signals limited profit extraction from deployed capital, constraining the company’s ability to generate strong shareholder returns. Persistently modest returns can hinder reinvestment, dividend potential, and long-term value creation.

Limited scale; operating cash small relative to assets

Small operating cash relative to total assets implies limited operational scale and sensitivity to earnings shocks. Structural constraints on cash flow generation reduce flexibility for growth initiatives or large provisioning needs during downturns, raising execution risk.

Catalyst Bancorp Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Catalyst Bancorp, Inc. operates as a holding company for St. Landry Homestead Federal Savings Bank that provides banking products and services in the Acadiana region of south-central Louisiana. The company accepts various deposit products, including savings accounts, demand and NOW accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. It also offers one- to four-family residential mortgage, commercial real estate loans and multi-family residential, construction and land, commercial and industrial, and consumer loans. In addition, the company invests in various types of securities comprising mortgage-backed securities, the U.S. treasury obligations, securities of various federal agencies and of state and municipal governments, certificates of deposit at federally insured banks and savings institutions, and federal funds. It operates through six full-service branches located in Carencro, Eunice, Lafayette, Opelousas, and Port Barre. The company was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Opelousas, Louisiana.

How the Company Makes Money

Catalyst Bancorp generates revenue through several key streams. The primary source of income is net interest income, which is the difference between the interest earned on loans and the interest paid on deposits. The bank offers various loan products, including personal loans, commercial loans, and mortgages, which contribute significantly to its interest earnings. Additionally, the company earns non-interest income from fees charged for services such as account maintenance, transaction services, and wealth management advisory fees. Partnerships with local businesses and community organizations also enhance its market presence and client base, further contributing to revenue growth. The bank's focus on digital banking solutions has also expanded its reach, attracting more customers and enhancing overall profitability.

Catalyst Bancorp Financial Statement Overview

Summary

TTM profitability rebounded to $2.2M net income with improved margins (net margin ~14.5%, EBIT margin ~17.8%) and decent cash conversion (FCF ~92% of net income). Balance sheet leverage is low (debt-to-equity ~0.18) supporting stability, but revenue is slightly down in TTM (~-2.9%) and results have been volatile (profit in 2023 to a sizable loss in 2024), limiting confidence in consistency.

Income Statement

Profitability rebounded sharply in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), with net income of $2.2M and a healthy ~14.5% net margin after a loss in 2024 (about -31% margin). Operating profitability also improved (EBIT margin ~17.8% in TTM). However, the revenue trajectory is uneven: TTM revenue declined (~-2.9% growth), and results have been volatile year-to-year (notably a swing from profit in 2023 to a sizeable loss in 2024), which tempers confidence in the durability of the turnaround.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet looks conservatively positioned, with low leverage: debt-to-equity is ~0.18 in TTM (and ~0.12 in 2024), supported by a sizable equity base (~$81.6M TTM) versus total assets (~$283.8M). Return on equity has improved back to positive in TTM (~2.8%) after turning negative in 2024, but overall returns remain modest for the asset base, indicating efficiency/profit generation is still a work in progress.

Cash Flow

Cash generation is solid and relatively consistent: operating cash flow is ~$3.1M in TTM with free cash flow of ~$2.9M, and free cash flow is close to reported earnings (free cash flow about 92% of net income in TTM), suggesting earnings quality is reasonable. Growth in free cash flow is positive in TTM, but cash flow results have fluctuated historically, and operating cash flow relative to the company’s overall asset base remains small, which limits flexibility during weaker earnings periods.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	15.32M	9.88M	11.00M	9.02M	10.10M	9.29M
Gross Profit	11.25M	5.03M	8.92M	8.71M	9.96M	6.60M
EBITDA	3.15M	-3.57M	990.00K	607.00K	2.82M	-830.00K
Net Income	2.22M	-3.09M	526.00K	180.00K	1.92M	-703.00K
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	283.83M	276.70M	270.93M	263.36M	285.61M	224.69M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	82.12M	44.30M	20.65M	93.07M	129.22M	45.98M
Total Debt	14.69M	9.56M	9.38M	9.20M	9.02M	0.00
Total Liabilities	202.25M	196.49M	186.37M	174.85M	187.06M	174.16M
Stockholders Equity	81.58M	80.20M	84.56M	88.51M	98.55M	50.53M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	2.89M	2.74M	1.84M	520.00K	1.92M	310.00K
Operating Cash Flow	3.13M	3.17M	2.01M	772.00K	3.43M	857.00K
Investing Cash Flow	-12.35M	17.82M	-267.00K	-14.14M	-46.59M	-313.00K
Financing Cash Flow	741.00K	4.29M	3.80M	-14.04M	58.80M	6.79M

Catalyst Bancorp Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Positive
• Last Price: 15.74
• 50DMA: Positive
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Positive
• MACD: Positive
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CLST, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 15.74 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 15.59, above the 50-day MA of 15.35, and above the 200-day MA of 13.32, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.09 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 51.75 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 43.02 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for CLST.

Catalyst Bancorp Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
HFBL	78 Outperform	$56.30M	10.67	8.21%	3.21%	0.32%	37.93%
OPHC	73 Outperform	$54.32M	4.10	15.03%	―	14.91%	0.81%
Sector *	68 Neutral	$18.00B	11.42	9.92%	3.81%	9.73%	1.22%
CLST	65 Neutral	$63.97M	27.62	2.72%	―	76.66%	―
TCBS	55 Neutral	$48.50M	19.88	4.74%	1.10%	12.12%	―

Catalyst Bancorp Corporate Events

Catalyst Bancorp Announces Sixth Share Repurchase Program

On November 20, 2025, Catalyst Bancorp, Inc. announced the approval of its sixth share repurchase program, allowing the company to buy back up to 205,000 shares, which is about 5% of its outstanding common stock. This move is part of the company’s ongoing strategy to manage its capital structure, following the repurchase of 1,180,817 shares since January 2023. The new repurchase plan is expected to impact the company’s market presence and shareholder value positively.

The most recent analyst rating on (CLST) stock is a Hold with a $15.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Catalyst Bancorp stock, see the CLST Stock Forecast page.