Designer Brands (NYSE: DBI) grants director 1,358 stock units tied to board service

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Designer Brands Inc. director Joanne Zaiac received a grant/award acquisition of 1,358 stock units on July 8, 2026. Each stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one Class A common share and becomes vested on the grant date, converting into an equal number of shares upon her termination of service from the Board of Directors. These units represent dividend equivalent rights accrued on previously awarded stock units, bringing her total direct holdings to 152,106 stock units, including accrued dividend equivalent rights.

Insights

Corporate governance and compensation analyst

Routine stock-unit award to a Designer Brands director, tied to board service.

Director Joanne Zaiac received an award of 1,358 stock units, each representing a contingent right to one share of Class A common stock. The units vest immediately on the grant date but settle only when her service on the Board of Directors ends, aligning compensation timing with her tenure.

The grant reflects dividend equivalent rights accrued on previously awarded stock units, indicating ongoing participation in shareholder dividend streams. Following this award, she holds 152,106 stock units, including accrued dividend equivalents, which points to a meaningful, long-term equity alignment but does not reflect an open-market purchase or sale.

Insider Trade Summary

1 transaction reported

Mixed 1 txn

Insider Zaiac Joanne

Role Director

Type	Security	Shares	Price	Value
Grant/Award	Stock Unit	1,358	$0.00	--

Holdings After Transaction: Stock Unit — 152,106 shares (Direct)

Footnotes (1)

1. Each stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of the Issuer's Class A common stock. Shares represent dividend equivalent rights accrued on previously awarded stock units. 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. Total includes accrued dividend equivalent rights.

Key Figures

Stock units awarded: 1,358 stock units Total stock units after transaction: 152,106 stock units Conversion ratio: 1 stock unit = 1 Class A common share

3 metrics

Stock units awarded 1,358 stock units Grant/award acquisition to director Joanne Zaiac on July 8, 2026

Total stock units after transaction 152,106 stock units Director’s direct holdings including accrued dividend equivalent rights after the award

Conversion ratio 1 stock unit = 1 Class A common share Each stock unit is a contingent right to one share of Class A common stock

Key Terms

stock unit, dividend equivalent rights, Class A common stock, termination of service

4 terms

stock unit financial

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

dividend equivalent rights financial

"Shares represent dividend equivalent rights accrued on previously awarded stock units"

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.

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.

termination of service financial

"converted to an equal number of shares ... upon Insider's termination of service"

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Available on EDGAR 07/10/2026 - 03:05 PM Accepted by SEC EDGAR 07/10/2026 - 03:05 PM Learn about SEC filing dates

FAQ

What transaction did Designer Brands (DBI) director Joanne Zaiac report?

Director Joanne Zaiac reported an award of 1,358 stock units of Designer Brands Inc. Each unit is a contingent right to one Class A common share, vesting on grant and settling at board service termination.

How many shares does each stock unit for DBI represent for Joanne Zaiac?

Each stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Designer Brands’ Class A common stock. These units vest on the grant date but convert into shares only when her board service ends.

What is Joanne Zaiac’s total stock unit holding in Designer Brands (DBI) after this award?

After the reported award, Joanne Zaiac holds 152,106 stock units of Designer Brands Inc. This total includes accrued dividend equivalent rights on previously awarded stock units, as disclosed in the filing footnotes.

Are the 1,358 Designer Brands (DBI) stock units an open-market purchase or sale?

The 1,358 stock units are a grant/award acquisition, not an open-market purchase or sale. They reflect dividend equivalent rights accrued on prior awards, granted as part of director equity compensation.

When will Joanne Zaiac receive Class A shares for her DBI stock units?

The stock units will be converted into an equal number of Class A shares upon Joanne Zaiac’s termination of service from the Board of Directors, despite vesting on the grant date.

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^*

Zaiac Joanne

(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)
07/08/2026

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)	07/08/2026		A		1,358(2)		(3)	(3)	Class A Common Shares	1,358	$0.0000	152,106(4)	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. Shares represent dividend equivalent rights accrued on previously awarded stock units.

3. 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.

4. Total includes accrued dividend equivalent rights.

	Katherine Alfano, Attorney-in-Fact	07/10/2026
	** 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)