DBI vs SCVL

For growth investors, Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is the stronger pick with 2. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 1% for Designer Brands Inc. (DBI). Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL) offers the better valuation at 6. 6x trailing P/E (9. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Designer Brands Inc. (DBI) a "Hold" — based on 29 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

Over the past 5 years, Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) delivered a total return of -38. 5%, compared to -59. 5% for Designer Brands Inc. (DBI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SCVL returned +62. 2% versus DBI's -52. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 45β versus Designer Brands Inc. 's 2. 66β — meaning DBI is approximately 83% more volatile than SCVL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 57% versus 5% for Designer Brands Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is pulling ahead at 2. 3% versus -2. 1% for Designer Brands Inc. (DBI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Shoe Carnival, Inc. grew EPS 0. 0% year-over-year, compared to -143. 5% for Designer Brands Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, DBI leads at -2. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is the more profitable company, earning 6. 1% net margin versus -0. 4% for Designer Brands Inc. — meaning it keeps 6. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SCVL leads at 7. 6% versus 1. 2% for DBI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DBI leads at 42. 7%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SCVL: 23.

6% to $22. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL) offers the highest yield at 3. 0%, versus 2. 8% for Designer Brands Inc. (DBI).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (3. 0% yield). Designer Brands Inc. (DBI) carries a higher beta of 2. 66 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (SCVL: +62. 2%, DBI: -52. 6%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: DBI is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SCVL is a small-cap deep-value stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.