SHOO vs WWW vs SCVL 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). Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (WWW) offers the better valuation at 0. 2x trailing P/E (12. 8x 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 trailing P/E, Wolverine World Wide, Inc.

(WWW) is the cheapest at 0. 2x versus Steven Madden, Ltd. at 62. 9x. On forward P/E, Shoe Carnival, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Steven Madden, Ltd.

(SHOO) delivered a total return of +1. 3%, compared to -56. 9% for Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (WWW). 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), Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 45β versus Caleres, Inc. 's 2. 34β — meaning CAL is approximately 62% more volatile than SCVL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Steven Madden, Ltd. (SHOO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 54% versus 122% for Wolverine World Wide, 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: Wolverine World Wide, Inc. grew EPS 159. 5% 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.

Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) is the more profitable company, earning 6. 1% net margin versus -0. 3% for Caleres, Inc. — meaning it keeps 6. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WWW leads at 8. 0% versus 1. 0% for CAL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WWW leads at 47. 3%, 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, Shoe Carnival, Inc.

(SCVL) trades at 9. 4x forward P/E versus 25. 0x for Caleres, Inc. — 15. 7x 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.

Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL) offers the highest yield at 3. 0%, versus 2. 2% for Steven Madden, Ltd. (SHOO).

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). 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 (SCVL: +62. 2%, 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.

In terms of investment character: SHOO is a small-cap quality compounder stock; WWW is a small-cap deep-value stock; SCVL is a small-cap deep-value stock; CAL is a small-cap quality compounder 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.