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Side-by-side financial comparison of Designer Brands Inc. (DBI) and ZIFF DAVIS, INC. (ZD). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Designer Brands Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($752.4M vs $406.7M, roughly 1.8× ZIFF DAVIS, INC.). Designer Brands Inc. runs the higher net margin — 2.4% vs 0.1%, a 2.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ZIFF DAVIS, INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-1.5% vs -3.2%). ZIFF DAVIS, INC. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($157.8M vs $57.5M). Over the past eight quarters, ZIFF DAVIS, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (13.7% 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.

Ziff Davis, Inc. is an American digital media and Internet company. Founded in 1927 by William Bernard Ziff Sr. and Bernard George Davis, the company primarily owns technology- and health-oriented media websites, online shopping-related services, Internet connectivity services, gaming and entertainment brands, and cybersecurity and martech tools. Previously, the company was predominantly a publisher of hobbyist magazines.

DBI vs ZD — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
DBI
DBI
1.8× larger
DBI
$752.4M
$406.7M
ZD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ZD
ZD
+1.7% gap
ZD
-1.5%
-3.2%
DBI
Higher net margin
DBI
DBI
2.3% more per $
DBI
2.4%
0.1%
ZD
More free cash flow
ZD
ZD
$100.3M more FCF
ZD
$157.8M
$57.5M
DBI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ZD
ZD
Annualised
ZD
13.7%
-0.1%
DBI

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Revenue
$752.4M
$406.7M
Net Profit
$18.2M
$370.0K
Gross Margin
45.1%
85.9%
Operating Margin
5.7%
21.2%
Net Margin
2.4%
0.1%
Revenue YoY
-3.2%
-1.5%
Net Profit YoY
40.0%
-99.4%
EPS (diluted)
$0.35
$0.06

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
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
$752.4M
$406.7M
Q3 25
$739.8M
$363.7M
Q2 25
$686.9M
$352.2M
Q1 25
$713.6M
$328.6M
Q4 24
$777.2M
$412.8M
Q3 24
$771.9M
$353.6M
Q2 24
$746.6M
$320.8M
Q1 24
$754.3M
$314.5M
Net Profit
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
$18.2M
$370.0K
Q3 25
$10.8M
$-3.6M
Q2 25
$-17.4M
$26.3M
Q1 25
$-38.2M
$24.2M
Q4 24
$13.0M
$64.1M
Q3 24
$13.8M
$-48.6M
Q2 24
$783.0K
$36.9M
Q1 24
$-29.6M
$10.6M
Gross Margin
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
45.1%
85.9%
Q3 25
43.7%
85.4%
Q2 25
43.0%
86.1%
Q1 25
75.7%
85.6%
Q4 24
43.0%
87.1%
Q3 24
44.0%
85.5%
Q2 24
44.2%
84.4%
Q1 24
38.8%
85.4%
Operating Margin
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
5.7%
21.2%
Q3 25
3.6%
7.8%
Q2 25
-1.1%
9.5%
Q1 25
-3.6%
10.7%
Q4 24
2.9%
19.0%
Q3 24
3.7%
-8.3%
Q2 24
1.3%
8.9%
Q1 24
-4.8%
11.4%
Net Margin
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
2.4%
0.1%
Q3 25
1.5%
-1.0%
Q2 25
-2.5%
7.5%
Q1 25
-5.3%
7.4%
Q4 24
1.7%
15.5%
Q3 24
1.8%
-13.7%
Q2 24
0.1%
11.5%
Q1 24
-3.9%
3.4%
EPS (diluted)
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
$0.35
$0.06
Q3 25
$0.22
$-0.09
Q2 25
$-0.36
$0.62
Q1 25
$-0.69
$0.56
Q4 24
$0.24
$1.53
Q3 24
$0.24
$-1.11
Q2 24
$0.01
$0.77
Q1 24
$-899.54
$0.23

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$51.4M
$607.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$463.1M
$866.5M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$298.6M
$1.8B
Total Assets
$2.1B
$3.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.55×
0.49×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
$51.4M
$607.0M
Q3 25
$44.9M
$503.4M
Q2 25
$46.0M
$457.3M
Q1 25
$44.8M
$431.0M
Q4 24
$36.2M
$505.9M
Q3 24
$38.8M
$386.1M
Q2 24
$43.4M
$687.2M
Q1 24
$49.2M
$751.2M
Total Debt
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
$463.1M
$866.5M
Q3 25
$509.6M
Q2 25
$516.2M
Q1 25
$484.3M
Q4 24
$529.6M
$864.3M
Q3 24
$459.0M
Q2 24
$469.3M
Q1 24
$420.3M
Stockholders' Equity
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
$298.6M
$1.8B
Q3 25
$280.8M
$1.8B
Q2 25
$266.9M
$1.8B
Q1 25
$278.5M
$1.8B
Q4 24
$318.5M
$1.8B
Q3 24
$355.5M
$1.8B
Q2 24
$358.5M
$1.9B
Q1 24
$359.2M
$1.9B
Total Assets
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
$2.1B
$3.7B
Q3 25
$2.1B
$3.5B
Q2 25
$2.1B
$3.5B
Q1 25
$2.0B
$3.5B
Q4 24
$2.1B
$3.7B
Q3 24
$2.1B
$3.4B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$3.7B
Q1 24
$2.1B
$3.7B
Debt / Equity
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
1.55×
0.49×
Q3 25
1.81×
Q2 25
1.93×
Q1 25
1.74×
Q4 24
1.66×
0.48×
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
ZD
ZD
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$66.5M
$191.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$57.5M
$157.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.6%
38.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.2%
8.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.65×
516.44×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$99.9M
$287.9M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
$66.5M
$191.1M
Q3 25
$21.4M
$138.3M
Q2 25
$-20.4M
$57.1M
Q1 25
$70.1M
$20.6M
Q4 24
$-9.8M
$158.2M
Q3 24
$41.6M
$106.0M
Q2 24
$-19.7M
$50.6M
Q1 24
$-40.1M
$75.6M
Free Cash Flow
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
$57.5M
$157.8M
Q3 25
$11.9M
$108.2M
Q2 25
$-27.6M
$26.9M
Q1 25
$58.1M
$-5.0M
Q4 24
$-19.2M
$131.1M
Q3 24
$28.0M
$80.1M
Q2 24
$-35.6M
$25.1M
Q1 24
$-52.8M
$47.4M
FCF Margin
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
7.6%
38.8%
Q3 25
1.6%
29.7%
Q2 25
-4.0%
7.6%
Q1 25
8.1%
-1.5%
Q4 24
-2.5%
31.8%
Q3 24
3.6%
22.7%
Q2 24
-4.8%
7.8%
Q1 24
-7.0%
15.1%
Capex Intensity
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
1.2%
8.2%
Q3 25
1.3%
8.3%
Q2 25
1.1%
8.6%
Q1 25
1.7%
7.8%
Q4 24
1.2%
6.6%
Q3 24
1.8%
7.3%
Q2 24
2.1%
8.0%
Q1 24
1.7%
8.9%
Cash Conversion
DBI
DBI
ZD
ZD
Q4 25
3.65×
516.44×
Q3 25
1.98×
Q2 25
2.17×
Q1 25
0.85×
Q4 24
-0.75×
2.47×
Q3 24
3.01×
Q2 24
-25.13×
1.37×
Q1 24
7.11×

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%

ZD
ZD

Health And Wellness$114.8M28%
Technology And Shopping$108.9M27%
Cybersecurity And Martech Segment$70.9M17%
Connectivity$60.3M15%
Gaming And Entertainment$51.7M13%
Subscription And Licensing$2.9M1%

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