DBI (Designer Brands) Moat Score: 5/10 (As of Aug. 10, 2026)

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DBI Designer Brands Inc DBI
71 GF Score
Price $6.57
GF Value $6.75
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 6 Warning Signs
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What is Designer Brands Moat Score?

Designer Brands DBI +0.31% 71 Moat Score is 5 as of Aug. 10, 2026. GuruFocus rates DBI with a GF Score™ of 71/100 and a GF Value™ of $6.75 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,137 Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories companies, Designer Brands ranks better than 97.98% on this metric.

Designer Brands has the Moat Score of 5, which implies that the company might have Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat.

Designer Brands has Narrow Moat: Designer Brands has a solid narrow moat due to its strong brand presence and customer loyalty in the footwear retail sector. It benefits from economies of scale and a robust distribution network, but faces intense competition limiting its pricing power.

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 - Solid narrow moat.


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

Designer Brands Moat Score Related Terms


DBI vs FWDI, RCKY, FOSL: Moat Score Comparison

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 Moat Score vs 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.


DBI
71GF Score
Designer Brands Inc DBI
Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Moat Score →
What does a Moat Score of 5 mean?
Designer Brands (DBI) has a Moat Score of 5 as of Aug. 10, 2026. 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. According to the industry distribution chart, Designer Brands ranks #23 out of 1137 companies in the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry, placing it in the top 2%.
Is Designer Brands' Moat Score too high?
Designer Brands' current Moat Score is 5. Based on the distribution chart, Designer Brands ranks #23 out of 1137 companies in the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Designer Brands has a GF Score™ of 71/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Designer Brands' Moat Score compare to FWDI and RCKY?
According to the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry distribution chart, Designer Brands ranks #23 out of 1137 companies for Moat Score. This places Designer Brands in the top 2% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Moat Score for a Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories company?
A good Moat Score depends on the Manufacturing - Apparel & Accessories industry context. However, Moat Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Moat Score mean?
A high Moat Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. 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. Designer Brands's current Moat Score is 5. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Designer Brands stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Designer Brands (DBI) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $6.75, compared to a current price of $6.57 — trading 2.7% below its estimated fair value. The current Moat Score is 5. Designer Brands' overall GF Score™ is 71/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Moat Score calculated?
Moat Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Designer Brands (DBI), the current Moat Score is 5 as of Aug. 10, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Designer Brands (DBI) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Designer Brands stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $6.57 is trading 2.7% below its estimated GF Value™ of $6.75. GuruFocus considers Designer Brands to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for DBI:

  • Moat Score: 5
  • GF Value™: $6.75 vs. price of $6.57 (2.7% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 71/100 with 6 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the DBI stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Designer Brands Business Description

Address 810 DSW Drive, Columbus, OH, USA, 43219
Designer Brands Inc is a designer, producer, and retailer of footwear and accessories. The company operates in two reportable segments: the Retail segment and the Brand Portfolio segment. The Retail segment, which derives key revenue, operates the DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse ("DSW") banner through its direct-to-consumer stores and e-commerce sites in the United States ("U.S.") and Canada, and the Shoe Co. and Rubino banners through its direct-to-consumer stores and e-commerce sites in Canada. The Brand Portfolio segment principally earns revenue from the wholesale of its exclusive and licensed brands to retailers, its Retail segment, and international distributors, and the sale of its Vince Camuto, Keds, and Topo brands through direct-to-consumer e-commerce sites.
71GF Score

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Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$6.57
Price
$6.75
GF Value