WEYS vs DBI

For growth investors, Designer Brands Inc.

(DBI) is the stronger pick with -2. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 9% for Weyco Group, Inc. (WEYS). Weyco Group, Inc. (WEYS) offers the better valuation at 14. 2x trailing P/E (13. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Weyco Group, Inc. (WEYS) a "Hold" — based on 2 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, Weyco Group, Inc.

(WEYS) delivered a total return of +108. 7%, compared to -59. 5% for Designer Brands Inc. (DBI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WEYS returned +80. 7% 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), Weyco Group, Inc.

(WEYS) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 23β versus Designer Brands Inc. 's 2. 66β — meaning DBI is approximately 115% more volatile than WEYS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Weyco Group, Inc. (WEYS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 5% for Designer Brands Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Designer Brands Inc.

(DBI) is pulling ahead at -2. 1% versus -4. 9% for Weyco Group, Inc. (WEYS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Weyco Group, Inc. grew EPS -23. 7% 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.

Weyco Group, Inc.

(WEYS) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 4% net margin versus -0. 4% for Designer Brands Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WEYS leads at 10. 6% versus 1. 2% for DBI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WEYS leads at 43. 2%, 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.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Designer Brands Inc. (DBI) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 2. 4% for Weyco Group, Inc. (WEYS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Weyco Group, Inc.

(WEYS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 23), 2. 4% 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 (WEYS: +80. 7%, 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: WEYS is a small-cap deep-value stock; DBI 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.