Designer Brands director granted 26,527 stock units

Designer Brands Inc. director Joanna T. Lau received a grant of 26,527 stock units, each representing a contingent right to one Class A common share.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Designer Brands Inc. director Joanna T. Lau received a grant of 26,527 stock units, each representing a contingent right to one Class A common share. The units vest on the grant date and will convert into an equal number of shares when she leaves the Board of Directors.

After this grant and related adjustments for a special dividend and dividend equivalent rights, Lau holds a total of 156,811 stock units directly, highlighting her ongoing equity-based compensation and alignment with shareholder interests.

Insider Trade Summary

Grant/Award: 26,527 shares

Grant/Award 1 txn

Insider LAU JOANNA T

Role Director

Type	Security	Shares	Price	Value
Grant/Award	Stock Unit	26,527	$0.00	$0.00

Holdings After Transaction: Stock Unit — 156,811 contracts (Direct)

Footnotes (3)

1. F1. Each stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of the Issuer's Class A common stock.
2. F2. The stock unit becomes vested upon the date of grant and will be converted to an equal number of shares of Issuer's Class A common stock upon Insider's termination of service from the Board of Directors.
3. F3. Total includes stock units acquired pursuant to a special dividend and accrued dividend equivalent rights.

Key Figures

Stock units granted: 26,527 stock units Total stock units after grant: 156,811 stock units Conversion ratio: 1 unit : 1 share +1 more

4 metrics

Stock units granted 26,527 stock units Grant of stock units to Joanna T. Lau

Total stock units after grant 156,811 stock units Total stock units held following the transaction

Conversion ratio 1 unit : 1 share Each stock unit converts to one Class A common share

Grant price $0.00 per unit Stock unit grant as compensation, no cash paid

Key Terms

Stock Unit, Class A common stock, dividend equivalent rights, special dividend

4 terms

Stock Unit financial

"Each stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share"

Class A common stock financial

"receive one share of the Issuer's Class A common stock"

Class A common stock is a category of a company’s shares that carries a specific set of ownership rights—most commonly defined voting power and claims on dividends—set out in the company’s charter. For investors it matters because the class determines how much influence you have over corporate decisions, the share’s likely dividend and trading behavior, and how it compares in value to other share classes, like choosing a particular seat with different privileges at the company’s decision-making table.

dividend equivalent rights financial

"includes stock units acquired pursuant to a special dividend and accrued dividend equivalent rights"

Dividend equivalent rights are promises that mirror the cash payments shareholders get from a company’s profits, but they are paid to holders of certain awards (like stock options or restricted stock units) rather than to actual shares. Think of them as a paycheck top‑up that matches dividends while the award is not yet a real stock, and they matter to investors because they add to employee compensation costs and potential share dilution, affecting company profitability and per‑share value.

special dividend financial

"includes stock units acquired pursuant to a special dividend and accrued dividend equivalent rights"

A special dividend is a one-time payment made by a company to its shareholders, usually when it has accumulated excess profits or cash. It is like a bonus or a reward for investors, often signaling that the company has extra funds available. This type of dividend matters because it can indicate a company's financial health or a significant change in its cash situation.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Accepted by SEC EDGAR 06/22/2026 - 04:02 PM EDT Learn about SEC filing dates

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:			3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:			0.5

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

LAU JOANNA T

(Last) (First) (Middle)

810 DSW DRIVE

(Street)

COLUMBUS OHIO 43219

(City) (State) (Zip)

UNITED STATES

(Country)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Designer Brands Inc. [ DBI ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director		10% Owner
	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)

2a. Foreign Trading Symbol

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
06/17/2026

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Unit	(1)	06/17/2026		A		26,527		(2)	(2)	Class A Common Shares	26,527	$0.0000	156,811(3)	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Each stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of the Issuer's Class A common stock.

2. The stock unit becomes vested upon the date of grant and will be converted to an equal number of shares of Issuer's Class A common stock upon Insider's termination of service from the Board of Directors.

3. Total includes stock units acquired pursuant to a special dividend and accrued dividend equivalent rights.

	Katherine Alfano, Attorney-in-Fact	06/22/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.
* Form 4: SEC 1474 (03-26)