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Designer Brands (D9W) Risk Analysis

Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning. Designer Brands disclosed 22 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Designer Brands reported the most risks in the “Ability to Sell” category.

Risk Overview Q3, 2026

Risk Distribution
22Risks
Sector Avg.Finance & CorporateTech & InnovationLegal & RegulatoryProductionAbility to SellMacro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

Risk Change Over Time

Designer Brands disclosed risks per quarterNo. of Risks182022242628Q3Q4Q12023Q2Q12024Q2Q3Q4Q12025Q2Q4Q2Q3Showing: Q4, 2025
Risks removedRisks addedRisks changedDesigner Brands Risk Factors
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Risk Highlights Q3, 2026

Main Risk Category
Ability to Sell
With 6 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
22
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 32
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Aug 2026
Number of Risk Changed
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 1

Risk Word Cloud

our amended and restated articles of incorporation, amended and restated code of regulations, and ohio state law contain provisions that may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of the company. this could adversely affect the value of our class a common shares.restated articles of incorporationwe are dependent on our retail customer reward programs and marketing to drive traffic, sales, and loyalty, and any decrease in membership or purchases from members could have a material adverse effect on our business.marketing to drive trafficfuture acquisitions of and investments in new businesses and brands and other growth strategies could disrupt our ongoing business and adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations.adversely impact our financial conditiona downturn in global economic conditions or a decline in consumer confidence in the economy has adversely affected discretionary consumer spending and may continue to do so, which has impacted, and likely will continue to impact, our business.adversely affected discretionary consumer spendingentities owned by or controlled by jay l. schottenstein, the executive chairman of our board, and members of his family (the "schottenstein affiliates") directly control or substantially influence the outcome of matters submitted for shareholder votes, and their interests may differ from other shareholders.executive chairman of our boardwe are subject to customer payment-related risks that could decrease our net sales, increase our operating costs, expose us to fraud or theft, subject us to potential liability, and potentially disrupt our business.subject to customer payment-related riskswe are dependent on our retail customer reward programs and marketing to drive traffic, sales, and loyalty, and any decrease in membership or purchases from members could have a material adverse effect on our business.our retail customer reward programswe are subject to customer payment-related risks that could decrease our net sales, increase our operating costs, expose us to fraud or theft, subject us to potential liability, and potentially disrupt our business.subject us to potential liabilityour failure to retain existing and secure new store locations under acceptable lease terms could have a material adverse effect on our business.our failure to retain existingwe rely on our strong relationships with our suppliers. if these relationships were to be impaired, we may be unable to obtain a sufficient assortment of merchandise at attractive prices or respond promptly to rapidly changing trends, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial performance.sufficient assortment of merchandise

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 22

Competition1 | 4.5%
  • Competition - Risk 1
    We may be unable to compete in the highly competitive footwear market, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

    The footwear market is highly competitive with few barriers to entry. We compete against a diverse group of manufacturers and retailers, including online retailers, single-brand specialty retailers, multi-channel specialty retailers, brand suppliers, department stores, mall-based shoe stores, national chains, independent shoe retailers, and brand-oriented discounters. In addition, our wholesale retailer customers sell shoes purchased from competing footwear suppliers with brands that are well known. Our success depends on our ability to remain competitive with respect to assortment, fashion trends, quality, convenience, and value. The performance of our competitors, as well as a change in their promotional and pricing approaches as a result of the current economic environment, marketing activities, and other business strategies, could have a material adverse effect on our business. E-commerce networks have rapidly evolved and consumer receptiveness to shopping online has substantially increased. Competition from e-commerce players has significantly increased due to their ability to provide improved user experiences, greater ease of buying goods, low or no shipping fees, faster shipping times, broader assortment, and more favorable return policies. Businesses, including our suppliers, can easily launch e-commerce websites and mobile platforms at nominal costs by using commercially available software or partnering with various successful digital marketplace providers. Some of our suppliers use such platforms to compete with us by allowing consumers to purchase products directly from them. Competitors with other revenue sources may also devote more resources to marketing and promotional campaigns, adopt more aggressive pricing policies, and devote more resources to websites, mobile platforms and applications, and systems development.

Demand1 | 4.5%
Sales & Marketing3 | 13.6%
Brand / Reputation1 | 4.5%

See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment. They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result. It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process. Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”. Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report. According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing. You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector. Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements. A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below. 1. Financial & Corporate Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results. Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing. Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments. Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances. 2. Legal & Regulatory Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company. Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation. Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy. Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives. 3. Production Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory. Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers. Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls. Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation. 4. Technology & Innovation Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development. Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology. Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks. Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying. 5. Ability to Sell Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers. Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes. Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration. Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation. 6. Macro & Political Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions. Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19. International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company. Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.