DBI (Designer Brands) Moat Score : 4/10 (As of Jul. 10, 2025)

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What is Designer Brands Moat Score?

Designer Brands has the Moat Score of 4, which implies that the company might have Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat.

Designer Brands has Narrow Moat: Designer Brands Inc has a modest moat due to its brand strength and customer loyalty in the footwear retail sector. However, it faces significant competition and lacks strong network effects or significant switching costs, limiting its moat to a narrow category.

Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more.

The company's Moat Score is based on these criteria:

1. Market leadership and sustainable market share
2. Network effects and significant customer switching costs
3. Valuable intellectual property and patents
4. Strong brand strength and deep customer loyalty
5. Durable cost advantages (e.g., economies of scale, proprietary technology)
6. Significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses
7. Superior distribution network
8. Strong and sustainable pricing power
9. Consistent and impactful innovation and R&D capabilities

Based on the research, GuruFocus believes Designer Brands might have Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat.

Competitive Comparison of Designer Brands's Moat Score

For the Footwear & Accessories subindustry, Designer Brands's Moat Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Moat Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.

Designer Brands's Moat Score Distribution in the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories Industry

For the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Designer Brands's Moat Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Designer Brands's Moat Score falls into.

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Designer Brands (NYSE:DBI) Moat Score Explanation

The Moat Score ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 as the highest. GuruFocus divided Moat Score into following 8 categories:

Moat Score	Moat Level
10	Wide Moat - Exceptionally dominant and durable wide moat
8 - 9	Wide Moat - Clear and robust wide moat
7	Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages
6	Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide
5	Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat
4	Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat
1 - 3	No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages
0	No Moat - No discernible moat

Designer Brands Moat Score Related Terms

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Designer Brands Business Description

Industry

GURUFOCUS.COM » STOCK LIST » Consumer Cyclical » Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories » Designer Brands Inc (NYSE:DBI) » Definitions » Moat Score

Comparable Companies

Traded in Other Exchanges

D9W:Germany D9W:Germany

Address

810 DSW Drive, Columbus, OH, USA, 43219

Website

https://www.designerbrands.com

Designer Brands Inc is a designer, producer, and retailer of footwear and accessories. The company operates in three reportable segments: the U.S. Retail segment, the Canada Retail segment and the Brand Portfolio segment. The U.S. Retail segment operates the DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse banner through its direct-to-consumer U.S. stores and e-commerce site. The Canada Retail segment operates The Shoe Company and DSW banners through its direct-to-consumer Canada stores and e-commerce sites. The Brand Portfolio segment earns revenue from the sale of wholesale products to retailers, commissions for serving retailers as the design and buying agent for products under private labels, and the sale of branded products through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce sites.

Executives

Mary Turner	officer: EVP; President, Shoe Company	810 DSW DRIVE, COLUMBUS OH 43219
Mark Haley	officer: SVP, Controller & PAO	4055 TECHNOLOGY FOREST BLVD., STE. 210, THE WOODLANDS TX 77381
Harvey L Sonnenberg	other: Director Nominee	399 THORNALL STREET, EDISON NJ 08837
Jared A. Poff	officer: SVP, Finance & Interim CFO	DSW INC., 810 DSW DRIVE, COLUMBUS OH 43219
Deborah L Ferree	officer: Pres. & Chief Mdsing Officer	4150 EAST FIFTH AVE., COLUMBUS OH 43219
William L Jordan	officer: SVP, General Counsel	810 DSW DRIVE, COLUMBUS OH 43219
James S. Weinberg	officer: EVP; Chief Merchandising Ofcr	810 DSW DR,, COLUMBUS OH 43219
Laura Denk	officer: EVP;Pres DSW Designer ShoeWhse	810 DSW DRIVE, COLUMBUS OH 43219
Tami Fersko	director	810 DSW DRIVE, COLUMBUS OH 43219
Richard A. Paul	director	80 PINE STREET, SUITE 3202, NEW YORK NY 10005
Joanne Zaiac	director	DSW INC., 810 DSW DRIVE, COLUMBUS OH 43219
Joanna T Lau	director	30 MONUMENT SQUARE, SUITE 220, CONCORD MA 01742
Douglas M. Howe	officer: EVP, President of DSW	N56 W17000 RIDGEWOOD DRIVE, MENOMONEE FALLS WI 53051-5660
Jay L Schottenstein	director, 10 percent owner, officer: Chairman and CEO	1800 MOLER ROAD, COLUMBUS OH 43207
Joseph A. Schottenstein	director	4300 EAST FIFTH AVENUE, COLUMBUS OH 43219