Main category pages have PR0 but subpages have PR3 or 4

[nmottet]

Our website has PR5 and links to 6 main category pages. 5 of these category pages have PR0, but one does have PR4.

The funny thing is that when you click down one level, a large majority of subpages have PR2, 3 or 4 (even if the main category page has PR0).

We redesigned our website back in January, and it's now been 6 months that the website has been up and running with the same site structure.

Any explanations why that is? I just can't find out why that one category page does have PR4 while the others have PR0.

What can we do to get some decent PR back on all these category pages?

Our rankings took a hit in March and we've recovered to some extent, but our rankings were better back in the Dec-February period.

[Receptional Andy]

I would try to verify whether the pages actually have PR, to be sure it isn't just a toolbar problem. A few approaches: do the pages show up in search results? Do they seem to pass benefit to pages they link to? Do they show as having internal links in Webmaster Tools?

[pageoneresults]

Our website has PR5 and links to 6 main category pages. 5 of these category pages have PR0, but one does have PR4.

That's odd. Although these past 6 months have seen quite a few oddities with TBPR.

The first thing I thought...

Maybe someone got smart and included a noindex, follow directive for those top level category pages as they may not be the best pages suited to hold and disperse PR throughout the site?

But then the one cat level page with PR. Have you double checked to make sure you're not doing anything to prevent those pages from being indexed properly?