Designer Brands (DBI) CEO awarded 20,527 dividend equivalent rights linked to RSUs

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

HOWE DOUGLAS M. reported acquisition or exercise transactions in this Form 4 filing.

Designer Brands Inc. CEO and director Douglas M. Howe received a grant of 20,527 Dividend Equivalent Rights linked to previously awarded restricted stock units. Each right is the economic equivalent of one Class A common share and becomes exercisable proportionately with the related RSUs. Following this award, Howe holds 114,904 derivative rights directly.

Insights

Equity Compensation Analyst

Routine equity-comp grant tied to existing RSUs, not an open-market buy.

Designer Brands Inc. CEO Douglas M. Howe was granted 20,527 Dividend Equivalent Rights on July 8, 2026. These rights accrue on previously awarded restricted stock units and mirror the economic value of the company’s Class A common stock.

The rights become exercisable proportionately with the underlying RSUs, so their value will track both future dividends and vesting of those RSUs. This is standard equity compensation rather than a discretionary market purchase, and the grant price is shown as $0.0000 per right.

After this award, Howe holds 114,904 such derivative rights directly. The filing does not show any sales, tax withholding, or option exercises, indicating a straightforward compensation-related acquisition with neutral implications for existing shareholders.

Insider Trade Summary

1 transaction reported

Mixed 1 txn

Insider HOWE DOUGLAS M.

Role CEO

Type	Security	Shares	Price	Value
Grant/Award	Dividend Equivalent Rights	20,527	$0.00	--

Holdings After Transaction: Dividend Equivalent Rights — 114,904 shares (Direct, null)

Footnotes (1)

1. [object Object]

Key Figures

Dividend Equivalent Rights granted: 20,527 Derivative rights after transaction: 114,904 Grant price per right: $0.0000 +3 more

6 metrics

Dividend Equivalent Rights granted 20,527 Grant of Dividend Equivalent Rights on July 8, 2026

Derivative rights after transaction 114,904 Total Dividend Equivalent Rights held directly by Douglas M. Howe following the grant

Grant price per right $0.0000 Reported transaction price per Dividend Equivalent Right

Underlying Class A common shares 20,527 Each Dividend Equivalent Right is the economic equivalent of one Class A common share

Acquire-type transactions in filing 1 One grant/award acquisition (code A) reported for derivative securities

Derivative transactions in filing 1 Total derivative-type transaction records in this Form 4

Key Terms

Dividend Equivalent Rights, restricted stock units (RSUs), Class A common stock

3 terms

Dividend Equivalent Rights financial

"The dividend equivalent rights accrued on previously awarded restricted stock units (RSUs)"

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.

restricted stock units (RSUs) financial

"The dividend equivalent rights accrued on previously awarded restricted stock units (RSUs)"

Restricted stock units (RSUs) are a type of company promise to give employees shares of stock in the future, usually after certain conditions like working for a set time. They are like a gift promised today that you receive later, which can become valuable if the company's stock price goes up. RSUs matter because they are a way companies reward employees and can be a significant part of compensation.

Class A common stock financial

"Each dividend equivalent right is the economic equivalent of 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.

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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) CEO Douglas M. Howe report?

Douglas M. Howe reported a grant of 20,527 Dividend Equivalent Rights on July 8, 2026. These rights are tied to previously awarded RSUs and represent the economic equivalent of Class A common shares.

How many Dividend Equivalent Rights did the DBI CEO receive in this Form 4?

Douglas M. Howe received 20,527 Dividend Equivalent Rights. Each right is the economic equivalent of one share of Designer Brands’ Class A common stock and vests proportionately with the underlying restricted stock units.

What are Dividend Equivalent Rights as disclosed by Designer Brands (DBI)?

Dividend Equivalent Rights are described as accruing on previously awarded RSUs and becoming exercisable proportionately with those RSUs. Each right is the economic equivalent of one share of Designer Brands’ Class A common stock.

Did the DBI CEO buy or sell stock on the open market in this filing?

No open-market trades are reported. The Form 4 shows a grant/award acquisition (code A) of Dividend Equivalent Rights, which is compensation-related and not a market purchase or sale of shares.

What is Douglas M. Howe’s reported derivative holdings after this DBI Form 4?

Following the reported grant, Douglas M. Howe holds 114,904 Dividend Equivalent Rights directly. These derivative rights are linked to restricted stock units and track the economic value of Class A common shares over time.

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)
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
Dividend Equivalent Rights	(1)	07/08/2026		A		20,527		(1)	(1)	Class A Common Shares	20,527	$0.0000	114,904	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. The dividend equivalent rights accrued on previously awarded restricted stock units (RSUs) and become exercisable proportionately with the RSUs to which they relate. Each dividend equivalent right is the economic equivalent of one share of Issuer's Class A common stock.

	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)