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Side-by-side financial comparison of Designer Brands Inc. (DBI) and e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Designer Brands Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($752.4M vs $489.5M, roughly 1.5× e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.). e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 8.0% vs 2.4%, a 5.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (37.8% vs -3.2%). Designer Brands Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($57.5M vs $52.8M).

Designer Brands Inc. is an American company that sells designer and name brand shoes and fashion accessories. It owns the Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) store chain, and operates over 500 stores in the United States and an e-commerce website.

e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. is an American cosmetics brand based in Oakland, California. It was founded by Joseph Shamah and Scott Vincent Borba in 2004. The company sells items include bath and skin-care products, mineral-based makeup, professional tools, eyeliners, lipstick, glosses, blushes, bronzers, brushes and mascara. Its products are sold in 18 countries and in several stores including Target, Kmart, Dollar General and Walmart. Over half the company's sales come from its website, which is als...

DBI vs ELF — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
DBI
DBI
1.5× larger
DBI
$752.4M
$489.5M
ELF
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ELF
ELF
+41.0% gap
ELF
37.8%
-3.2%
DBI
Higher net margin
ELF
ELF
5.6% more per $
ELF
8.0%
2.4%
DBI
More free cash flow
DBI
DBI
$4.7M more FCF
DBI
$57.5M
$52.8M
ELF

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Revenue
$752.4M
$489.5M
Net Profit
$18.2M
$39.4M
Gross Margin
45.1%
71.0%
Operating Margin
5.7%
13.8%
Net Margin
2.4%
8.0%
Revenue YoY
-3.2%
37.8%
Net Profit YoY
40.0%
128.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.35
$0.65

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$752.4M
$489.5M
Q3 25
$739.8M
$343.9M
Q2 25
$686.9M
$353.7M
Q1 25
$713.6M
Q4 24
$777.2M
Q3 24
$771.9M
Q2 24
$746.6M
Q1 24
$754.3M
Net Profit
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$18.2M
$39.4M
Q3 25
$10.8M
$3.0M
Q2 25
$-17.4M
$33.3M
Q1 25
$-38.2M
Q4 24
$13.0M
Q3 24
$13.8M
Q2 24
$783.0K
Q1 24
$-29.6M
Gross Margin
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
45.1%
71.0%
Q3 25
43.7%
69.4%
Q2 25
43.0%
69.1%
Q1 25
75.7%
Q4 24
43.0%
Q3 24
44.0%
Q2 24
44.2%
Q1 24
38.8%
Operating Margin
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
5.7%
13.8%
Q3 25
3.6%
2.2%
Q2 25
-1.1%
13.8%
Q1 25
-3.6%
Q4 24
2.9%
Q3 24
3.7%
Q2 24
1.3%
Q1 24
-4.8%
Net Margin
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
2.4%
8.0%
Q3 25
1.5%
0.9%
Q2 25
-2.5%
9.4%
Q1 25
-5.3%
Q4 24
1.7%
Q3 24
1.8%
Q2 24
0.1%
Q1 24
-3.9%
EPS (diluted)
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$0.35
$0.65
Q3 25
$0.22
$0.05
Q2 25
$-0.36
$0.58
Q1 25
$-0.69
Q4 24
$0.24
Q3 24
$0.24
Q2 24
$0.01
Q1 24
$-899.54

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$51.4M
$196.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$463.1M
$816.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$298.6M
$1.2B
Total Assets
$2.1B
$2.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.55×
0.70×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$51.4M
$196.8M
Q3 25
$44.9M
$194.4M
Q2 25
$46.0M
$170.0M
Q1 25
$44.8M
Q4 24
$36.2M
Q3 24
$38.8M
Q2 24
$43.4M
Q1 24
$49.2M
Total Debt
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$463.1M
$816.7M
Q3 25
$509.6M
$831.6M
Q2 25
$516.2M
$256.7M
Q1 25
$484.3M
Q4 24
$529.6M
Q3 24
$459.0M
Q2 24
$469.3M
Q1 24
$420.3M
Stockholders' Equity
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$298.6M
$1.2B
Q3 25
$280.8M
$1.1B
Q2 25
$266.9M
$804.9M
Q1 25
$278.5M
Q4 24
$318.5M
Q3 24
$355.5M
Q2 24
$358.5M
Q1 24
$359.2M
Total Assets
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$2.1B
$2.3B
Q3 25
$2.1B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$2.1B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$2.0B
Q4 24
$2.1B
Q3 24
$2.1B
Q2 24
$2.2B
Q1 24
$2.1B
Debt / Equity
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
1.55×
0.70×
Q3 25
1.81×
0.73×
Q2 25
1.93×
0.32×
Q1 25
1.74×
Q4 24
1.66×
Q3 24
1.29×
Q2 24
1.31×
Q1 24
1.17×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$66.5M
$59.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$57.5M
$52.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.6%
10.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.2%
1.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.65×
1.51×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$99.9M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$66.5M
$59.4M
Q3 25
$21.4M
$23.4M
Q2 25
$-20.4M
$27.2M
Q1 25
$70.1M
Q4 24
$-9.8M
Q3 24
$41.6M
Q2 24
$-19.7M
Q1 24
$-40.1M
Free Cash Flow
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$57.5M
$52.8M
Q3 25
$11.9M
$16.6M
Q2 25
$-27.6M
$20.1M
Q1 25
$58.1M
Q4 24
$-19.2M
Q3 24
$28.0M
Q2 24
$-35.6M
Q1 24
$-52.8M
FCF Margin
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
7.6%
10.8%
Q3 25
1.6%
4.8%
Q2 25
-4.0%
5.7%
Q1 25
8.1%
Q4 24
-2.5%
Q3 24
3.6%
Q2 24
-4.8%
Q1 24
-7.0%
Capex Intensity
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
1.2%
1.4%
Q3 25
1.3%
2.0%
Q2 25
1.1%
2.0%
Q1 25
1.7%
Q4 24
1.2%
Q3 24
1.8%
Q2 24
2.1%
Q1 24
1.7%
Cash Conversion
DBI
DBI
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
3.65×
1.51×
Q3 25
1.98×
7.82×
Q2 25
0.82×
Q1 25
Q4 24
-0.75×
Q3 24
3.01×
Q2 24
-25.13×
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

DBI
DBI

Womens$280.7M37%
Athletic Footwear$188.6M25%
Wholesale$89.8M12%
Canada Retail Segment$77.3M10%
Mens$76.1M10%
Kids$24.2M3%
Commission Income$10.8M1%
Directto Consumer$1.3M0%

ELF
ELF

Segment breakdown not available.

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