SHOO vs CAL

For growth investors, Steven Madden, Ltd.

(SHOO) is the stronger pick with 10. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 3% for Caleres, Inc. (CAL). Steven Madden, Ltd. (SHOO) offers the better valuation at 62. 9x trailing P/E (18. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Steven Madden, Ltd. (SHOO) a "Buy" — based on 31 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.

On forward P/E, Steven Madden, Ltd.

is actually cheaper at 18. 9x.

Over the past 5 years, Steven Madden, Ltd.

(SHOO) delivered a total return of +1. 3%, compared to -44. 9% for Caleres, Inc. (CAL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SHOO returned +98. 0% versus CAL's -34. 9%. 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), Steven Madden, Ltd.

(SHOO) is the lower-risk stock at 2. 10β versus Caleres, Inc. 's 2. 34β — meaning CAL is approximately 12% more volatile than SHOO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Steven Madden, Ltd. (SHOO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 54% versus 77% for Caleres, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Steven Madden, Ltd.

(SHOO) is pulling ahead at 10. 5% versus 1. 3% for Caleres, Inc. (CAL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Steven Madden, Ltd. grew EPS -73. 2% year-over-year, compared to -107. 1% for Caleres, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SHOO leads at 5. 9% 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.

Steven Madden, Ltd.

(SHOO) is the more profitable company, earning 1. 8% net margin versus -0. 3% for Caleres, Inc. — meaning it keeps 1. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SHOO leads at 2. 7% versus 1. 0% for CAL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CAL leads at 43. 0%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Steven Madden, Ltd.

(SHOO) trades at 18. 9x forward P/E versus 25. 0x for Caleres, Inc. — 6. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CAL: 35. 9% to $18. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Caleres, Inc. (CAL) offers the highest yield at 2. 2%, versus 2. 2% for Steven Madden, Ltd. (SHOO).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Steven Madden, Ltd.

(SHOO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (2. 2% yield). Caleres, Inc. (CAL) carries a higher beta of 2. 34 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (SHOO: +98. 0%, CAL: -34. 9%), 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.

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.