Designer Brands (DBI) CEO receives 675,675 restricted stock units award

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Designer Brands Inc. CEO Douglas M. Howe received a grant of 675,675 restricted stock units on April 2, 2026. Each unit represents a contingent right to receive one Class A common share, aligning his compensation with future company performance rather than an immediate cash transaction.

The award was reported at an exercise and conversion price of $0.00 per unit, reflecting its nature as equity-based compensation rather than an open-market purchase. Following this grant, Howe directly holds 675,675 restricted stock units tied to Class A common shares.

Insider Trade Summary

1 transaction reported

Mixed 1 txn

Insider HOWE DOUGLAS M.

Role CEO

Type	Security	Shares	Price	Value
Grant/Award	Restricted Stock Unit	675,675	$0.00	--

Holdings After Transaction: Restricted Stock Unit — 675,675 shares (Direct)

Footnotes (1)

1. [object Object]

Key Figures

RSUs granted: 675,675 units Underlying shares: 675,675 Class A shares Transaction price: $0.00 per unit +2 more

5 metrics

RSUs granted 675,675 units Restricted Stock Unit grant on April 2, 2026

Underlying shares 675,675 Class A shares Each RSU represents one Class A common share

Transaction price $0.00 per unit Grant/award acquisition price for RSUs

Expiration date April 2, 2029 Exercise and expiration date for the RSU award

Holdings after grant 675,675 units Total restricted stock units directly held following transaction

Key Terms

Restricted Stock Unit, Class A common stock, Grant, award, or other acquisition, derivative

4 terms

Restricted Stock Unit financial

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

A restricted stock unit is a promise from a company to give an employee shares of stock after certain conditions are met, like staying with the company for a set amount of time. It’s like earning a bonus that turns into company stock once you’ve proven your commitment, making it a way to motivate and reward employees.

Class A common stock financial

"receive one share of 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.

Grant, award, or other acquisition financial

"transaction_code_description": "Grant, award, or other acquisition""

derivative financial

""transaction_type": "derivative""

A derivative is a financial contract whose value depends on the price or performance of another asset or measure — for example a stock, index, interest rate, commodity, or currency. Investors use derivatives like insurance or leveraged bets to hedge risk, speculate, or gain exposure without owning the underlying asset; they can protect portfolios but also amplify losses and introduce counterparty and market risk.

Form 4 Insider Transactions: What Each Field Means →

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^*

HOWE DOUGLAS M.

(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
X	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)
	CEO

2a. Foreign Trading Symbol

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
04/02/2026

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
Restricted Stock Unit	(1)	04/02/2026		A		675,675		04/02/2029	04/02/2029	Class A Common Shares	675,675	$0.0000	675,675	D

Explanation of Responses:

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

	Katherine Alfano, Attorney-in-Fact	04/06/2026
	** 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)

FAQ

What did Designer Brands (DBI) CEO Douglas Howe report in this Form 4?

Douglas Howe reported receiving a grant of 675,675 restricted stock units tied to Designer Brands Class A common shares. These equity awards are part of his compensation and do not involve an open-market stock purchase or sale at the time of grant.

How many shares are linked to Douglas Howe’s new RSU grant at Designer Brands (DBI)?

The grant covers 675,675 restricted stock units, each representing a contingent right to one Class A common share. If vesting conditions are met, this could result in the same number of Class A shares being delivered to Howe in the future.

What is the price associated with the RSU grant to Designer Brands (DBI) CEO Howe?

The RSU grant shows a transaction and exercise price of $0.00 per unit, which is typical for equity awards. This indicates the units were granted as compensation, not purchased in the market at a set share price.

When do Douglas Howe’s Designer Brands (DBI) restricted stock units expire or settle?

The filing lists an exercise and expiration date of April 2, 2029 for the RSUs. This date reflects the outer limit for settlement of the contingent rights, subject to vesting and other conditions specified in the company’s equity plans.

Does this Designer Brands (DBI) Form 4 show insider buying or selling in the market?

No open-market buying or selling is shown. The Form 4 reports a grant/award acquisition of restricted stock units, categorized under transaction code “A,” which reflects compensation-based equity awards rather than discretionary trades in Designer Brands shares.