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Side-by-side financial comparison of Designer Brands Inc. (DBI) and MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC (MLI). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($962.4M vs $752.4M, roughly 1.3× Designer Brands Inc.). MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC runs the higher net margin — 16.0% vs 2.4%, a 13.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.2% vs -3.2%). MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($121.4M vs $57.5M). Over the past eight quarters, MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC's revenue compounded faster (6.4% CAGR vs -0.1%).

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.

Mueller Industries is an American manufacturing company that specializes in piping, industrial metals and climate machinery. It was founded in 1917 and is included on the Fortune 1000 list in 2022. The head office of the company is located in Memphis, Tennessee. Mueller Industries, Inc. is a multi-billion dollar revenue company that is publicly traded.

DBI vs MLI — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MLI
MLI
1.3× larger
MLI
$962.4M
$752.4M
DBI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MLI
MLI
+7.4% gap
MLI
4.2%
-3.2%
DBI
Higher net margin
MLI
MLI
13.6% more per $
MLI
16.0%
2.4%
DBI
More free cash flow
MLI
MLI
$63.9M more FCF
MLI
$121.4M
$57.5M
DBI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MLI
MLI
Annualised
MLI
6.4%
-0.1%
DBI

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Revenue
$752.4M
$962.4M
Net Profit
$18.2M
$153.7M
Gross Margin
45.1%
Operating Margin
5.7%
17.9%
Net Margin
2.4%
16.0%
Revenue YoY
-3.2%
4.2%
Net Profit YoY
40.0%
11.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.35
$1.37

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
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
$752.4M
$962.4M
Q3 25
$739.8M
$1.1B
Q2 25
$686.9M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$713.6M
$1.0B
Q4 24
$777.2M
$923.5M
Q3 24
$771.9M
$997.8M
Q2 24
$746.6M
$997.7M
Q1 24
$754.3M
$849.7M
Net Profit
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
$18.2M
$153.7M
Q3 25
$10.8M
$208.1M
Q2 25
$-17.4M
$245.9M
Q1 25
$-38.2M
$157.4M
Q4 24
$13.0M
$137.7M
Q3 24
$13.8M
$168.7M
Q2 24
$783.0K
$160.2M
Q1 24
$-29.6M
$138.4M
Gross Margin
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
45.1%
Q3 25
43.7%
Q2 25
43.0%
Q1 25
75.7%
Q4 24
43.0%
Q3 24
44.0%
27.6%
Q2 24
44.2%
27.3%
Q1 24
38.8%
28.4%
Operating Margin
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
5.7%
17.9%
Q3 25
3.6%
25.6%
Q2 25
-1.1%
26.7%
Q1 25
-3.6%
20.6%
Q4 24
2.9%
18.4%
Q3 24
3.7%
20.7%
Q2 24
1.3%
21.0%
Q1 24
-4.8%
21.6%
Net Margin
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
2.4%
16.0%
Q3 25
1.5%
19.3%
Q2 25
-2.5%
21.6%
Q1 25
-5.3%
15.7%
Q4 24
1.7%
14.9%
Q3 24
1.8%
16.9%
Q2 24
0.1%
16.1%
Q1 24
-3.9%
16.3%
EPS (diluted)
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
$0.35
$1.37
Q3 25
$0.22
$1.88
Q2 25
$-0.36
$2.22
Q1 25
$-0.69
$1.39
Q4 24
$0.24
$1.21
Q3 24
$0.24
$1.48
Q2 24
$0.01
$1.41
Q1 24
$-899.54
$1.21

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$51.4M
$1.4B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$463.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$298.6M
$3.2B
Total Assets
$2.1B
$3.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.55×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
$51.4M
$1.4B
Q3 25
$44.9M
$1.3B
Q2 25
$46.0M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$44.8M
$873.6M
Q4 24
$36.2M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$38.8M
$969.6M
Q2 24
$43.4M
$825.7M
Q1 24
$49.2M
$1.4B
Total Debt
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
$463.1M
Q3 25
$509.6M
Q2 25
$516.2M
Q1 25
$484.3M
Q4 24
$529.6M
Q3 24
$459.0M
Q2 24
$469.3M
Q1 24
$420.3M
Stockholders' Equity
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
$298.6M
$3.2B
Q3 25
$280.8M
$3.1B
Q2 25
$266.9M
$2.9B
Q1 25
$278.5M
$2.7B
Q4 24
$318.5M
$2.8B
Q3 24
$355.5M
$2.7B
Q2 24
$358.5M
$2.5B
Q1 24
$359.2M
$2.4B
Total Assets
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
$2.1B
$3.7B
Q3 25
$2.1B
$3.7B
Q2 25
$2.1B
$3.5B
Q1 25
$2.0B
$3.2B
Q4 24
$2.1B
$3.3B
Q3 24
$2.1B
$3.2B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$3.1B
Q1 24
$2.1B
$2.9B
Debt / Equity
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
1.55×
Q3 25
1.81×
Q2 25
1.93×
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
MLI
MLI
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$66.5M
$141.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$57.5M
$121.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.6%
12.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.2%
2.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.65×
0.92×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$99.9M
$686.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
$66.5M
$141.2M
Q3 25
$21.4M
$310.1M
Q2 25
$-20.4M
$190.6M
Q1 25
$70.1M
$113.6M
Q4 24
$-9.8M
$140.1M
Q3 24
$41.6M
$231.4M
Q2 24
$-19.7M
$100.8M
Q1 24
$-40.1M
$173.6M
Free Cash Flow
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
$57.5M
$121.4M
Q3 25
$11.9M
$291.8M
Q2 25
$-27.6M
$176.5M
Q1 25
$58.1M
$97.0M
Q4 24
$-19.2M
$111.2M
Q3 24
$28.0M
$205.7M
Q2 24
$-35.6M
$91.6M
Q1 24
$-52.8M
$157.2M
FCF Margin
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
7.6%
12.6%
Q3 25
1.6%
27.1%
Q2 25
-4.0%
15.5%
Q1 25
8.1%
9.7%
Q4 24
-2.5%
12.0%
Q3 24
3.6%
20.6%
Q2 24
-4.8%
9.2%
Q1 24
-7.0%
18.5%
Capex Intensity
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
1.2%
2.1%
Q3 25
1.3%
1.7%
Q2 25
1.1%
1.2%
Q1 25
1.7%
1.7%
Q4 24
1.2%
3.1%
Q3 24
1.8%
2.6%
Q2 24
2.1%
0.9%
Q1 24
1.7%
1.9%
Cash Conversion
DBI
DBI
MLI
MLI
Q4 25
3.65×
0.92×
Q3 25
1.98×
1.49×
Q2 25
0.78×
Q1 25
0.72×
Q4 24
-0.75×
1.02×
Q3 24
3.01×
1.37×
Q2 24
-25.13×
0.63×
Q1 24
1.25×

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%

MLI
MLI

Tube And Fittings$484.6M50%
Industrial Metals$252.2M26%
Valves And Plumbing Specialties$122.5M13%
Flex Duct And Other HVAC Components$80.8M8%
Other Products$14.9M2%

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