Designer Brands (NYSE: DBI) officer awarded 5,119 dividend equivalent rights

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Ferree Deborah L reported acquisition or exercise transactions in this Form 4 filing.

Designer Brands Inc. director and officer Deborah L. Ferree received an award of 5,119 Dividend Equivalent Rights tied to previously granted restricted stock units. Each right is economically equal to one Class A common share. Following this grant, she holds 41,028 derivative rights directly as part of her compensation.

Insider Trade Summary

1 transaction reported

Mixed 1 txn

Insider Ferree Deborah L

Role V. Chair; Ch Product Off

Type	Security	Shares	Price	Value
Grant/Award	Dividend Equivalent Rights	5,119	$0.00	--

Holdings After Transaction: Dividend Equivalent Rights — 41,028 shares (Direct)

Footnotes (1)

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Key Figures

Dividend Equivalent Rights granted: 5,119 rights Total rights after transaction: 41,028 rights Price per right: $0.00 +1 more

4 metrics

Dividend Equivalent Rights granted 5,119 rights Award on underlying restricted stock units as of 2026-04-10

Total rights after transaction 41,028 rights Total Dividend Equivalent Rights held directly after grant

Price per right $0.00 Grant price for Dividend Equivalent Rights

Underlying security Class A common shares Each right equals one Class A common share economically

Key Terms

Dividend Equivalent Rights, restricted stock units, 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 financial

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

Restricted stock units are a type of company reward where employees are promised shares of stock, but they only fully own these shares after meeting certain conditions, like staying with the company for a set time. They matter because they can become valuable assets and are often used to motivate employees to help the company succeed.

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.

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^*

Ferree Deborah L

(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)
	V. Chair; Ch Product Off

2a. Foreign Trading Symbol

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
04/10/2026

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)	04/10/2026		A		5,119		(1)	(1)	Class A Common Shares	5,119	$0.0000	41,028	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	04/14/2026
	** 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 DBI director Deborah Ferree report in this Form 4 filing?

Deborah L. Ferree reported receiving 5,119 Dividend Equivalent Rights linked to existing restricted stock units. These rights are part of her equity compensation and increase her total derivative holdings to 41,028 rights, all directly tied to Designer Brands Class A common shares.

What are Dividend Equivalent Rights in the DBI Form 4 filing?

Dividend Equivalent Rights give the holder economic value equal to dividends on one common share. For DBI, each of the 5,119 rights awarded to Deborah Ferree equals one Class A common share and accrues on previously granted restricted stock units as those units vest over time.

How many Dividend Equivalent Rights does Deborah Ferree hold after this DBI transaction?

After the reported grant, Deborah Ferree holds a total of 41,028 Dividend Equivalent Rights. This figure reflects her derivative equity position following the 5,119 rights awarded, all associated with Designer Brands’ Class A common shares under prior restricted stock unit grants.

Is the DBI Form 4 transaction a purchase or a compensation award?

The DBI Form 4 shows a compensation-related award, not a market purchase. The transaction code “A” and description confirm it is a grant or award of 5,119 Dividend Equivalent Rights accruing on previously granted restricted stock units, with no cash price per right reported.

How are the DBI Dividend Equivalent Rights expected to vest or become exercisable?

The Dividend Equivalent Rights become exercisable proportionately with the underlying restricted stock units. As each RSU tranche vests, the corresponding Dividend Equivalent Rights tied to that tranche also become exercisable, providing economic value equivalent to Designer Brands’ Class A common stock dividends.