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DBI Stock Analysis - Designer Brands Inc. AI Rating

DBI NYSE Retail-Shoe Stores OH CIK: 0001319947
Recently Updated • Analysis: Mar 23, 2026 • SEC Data: 2025-11-01
SELL
75%
Pending
Analysis scheduled

📊 DBI Key Takeaways

Revenue: $2.2B
Net Margin: 0.5%
Free Cash Flow: $41.8M
Current Ratio: 1.27x
Debt/Equity: 1.55x
EPS: $0.23
AI Rating: SELL with 75% confidence

Investment Thesis

Claude

Designer Brands demonstrates severely deteriorated profitability with a net margin of only 0.5% and operating margin compressed to 2.8%, indicating structural challenges in the retail footwear sector. The company's weak balance sheet with 1.55x debt-to-equity ratio, minimal cash reserves of $51.4M against $463.1M long-term debt, and distressed interest coverage of 1.9x signal financial distress and limited financial flexibility. Despite maintaining adequate gross margins at 43.9%, the company's inability to convert revenue to profits, combined with marginal free cash flow generation, suggests deteriorating business fundamentals.

DBI Strengths

Claude
  • + Stable gross margin at 43.9% indicates maintained pricing power and cost management at the product level
  • + Positive free cash flow of $41.8M provides some liquidity cushion despite profitability pressures
  • + Operating cash flow of $67.6M exceeds net income, suggesting non-cash charges but reasonable operational cash generation

DBI Risks

Claude
  • ! Net margin collapsed to 0.5% with net income declining 5.8% YoY, indicating severe profitability deterioration and negative momentum
  • ! Highly leveraged balance sheet with debt-to-equity of 1.55x and weak interest coverage of 1.9x creates refinancing risk and limited debt servicing capacity
  • ! Quick ratio of only 0.25x combined with $51.4M cash against $1.8B liabilities signals acute liquidity constraints and potential solvency concerns
  • ! Operating margin of just 2.8% leaves minimal buffer for adverse business conditions or increased operational expenses

Key Metrics to Watch

DBI Financial Metrics

Revenue
$2.2B
Net Income
$11.6M
EPS (Diluted)
$0.23
Free Cash Flow
$41.8M
Total Assets
$2.1B
Cash Position
$51.4M

💡 AI Analyst Insight

The relatively thin 1.9% FCF margin may limit capital allocation flexibility.

DBI Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin 43.9%
Operating Margin 2.8%
Net Margin 0.5%
ROE 3.9%
ROA 0.6%
FCF Margin 1.9%

DBI vs Consumer Sector

How Designer Brands Inc. compares to Consumer sector averages

Net Margin
DBI 0.5%
vs
Sector Avg 8.0%
DBI Sector
ROE
DBI 3.9%
vs
Sector Avg 18.0%
DBI Sector
Current Ratio
DBI 1.3x
vs
Sector Avg 1.5x
DBI Sector
Debt/Equity
DBI 1.6x
vs
Sector Avg 0.8x
DBI Sector

Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.

DBI Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
1.27x
Quick Ratio
0.25x
Debt/Equity
1.55x
Debt/Assets
85.2%
Interest Coverage
1.88x
Long-term Debt
$463.1M

DBI 5-Year Financial Trend

DBI 5-year financial data: Year 2020: Revenue $3.5B, Net Income N/A, EPS $-0.26. Year 2021: Revenue $3.5B, Net Income N/A, EPS $1.27. Year 2022: Revenue $3.3B, Net Income -$488.7M, EPS $-6.77. Year 2023: Revenue $3.3B, Net Income $154.5M, EPS $2.00. Year 2024: Revenue $3.3B, Net Income $162.7M, EPS $2.26.
Revenue
Net Income
EPS (right axis)

5-Year Trend Summary: Designer Brands Inc.'s revenue has remained relatively flat over the 5-year period, with a 5% decline. The most recent EPS of $2.26 reflects profitable operations.

DBI Growth Metrics (YoY)

Revenue Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
Net Income Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
EPS Growth
N/A
Earnings per share
FCF Margin
1.9%
Free cash flow / Revenue

DBI Quarterly Performance

Quarterly financial performance data for Designer Brands Inc. including revenue, net income, and earnings per share.
Quarter Revenue Net Income EPS
Q3 2025 $752.4M $11.6M $0.23
Q2 2025 $739.8M -$6.6M $-0.14
Q1 2025 $686.9M $783.0K $0.01
Q3 2024 $777.2M $10.1M $0.17
Q2 2024 $771.9M $13.8M $0.24
Q1 2024 $742.1M $783.0K $0.01
Q3 2023 $786.3M $10.1M $0.17
Q2 2023 $792.2M $37.2M $0.56

Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.

DBI Capital Allocation

Operating Cash Flow
$67.6M
Cash generated from operations
Capital Expenditures
$25.8M
Investment in assets
Dividends Paid
$7.2M
Returned to shareholders

DBI SEC Filings

Access official SEC EDGAR filings for Designer Brands Inc. (CIK: 0001319947)

📋 Recent SEC Filings

Date Form Document Action
Mar 13, 2026 4 xslF345X05/doc4.xml View →
Mar 13, 2026 4 xslF345X05/doc4.xml View →
Mar 13, 2026 4 xslF345X05/doc4.xml View →
Mar 13, 2026 4 xslF345X05/doc4.xml View →
Mar 13, 2026 4 xslF345X05/doc4.xml View →

Frequently Asked Questions about DBI

What is the AI rating for DBI?

Designer Brands Inc. (DBI) has an AI rating of SELL with 75% confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.

What are DBI's key strengths?

Stable gross margin at 43.9% indicates maintained pricing power and cost management at the product level. Positive free cash flow of $41.8M provides some liquidity cushion despite profitability pressures.

What are the risks of investing in DBI?

Net margin collapsed to 0.5% with net income declining 5.8% YoY, indicating severe profitability deterioration and negative momentum. Highly leveraged balance sheet with debt-to-equity of 1.55x and weak interest coverage of 1.9x creates refinancing risk and limited debt servicing capacity.

What is DBI's revenue and growth?

Designer Brands Inc. reported revenue of $2.2B.

Does DBI pay dividends?

Designer Brands Inc. pays dividends, with $7.2M distributed to shareholders in the trailing twelve months.

Where can I find DBI SEC filings?

Official SEC filings for Designer Brands Inc. (CIK: 0001319947) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.

What is DBI's EPS?

Designer Brands Inc. has a diluted EPS of $0.23.

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.

Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by Claude AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: Mar 23, 2026 | Data as of: 2025-11-01 | Powered by Claude AI