Designer Brands (DBI) vs Forward Industries (FWDI)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Designer Brands (DBI) has outperformed Forward Industries (FWDI) over the past year, gaining 65.9% versus a loss of 70.8%. Over five years, DBI leads with a -55.9% price change compared with -67.2% for FWDI. Forward Industries is the larger company by market cap ($567.6 million vs $290.4 million), about 2.0 times the size.
On valuation, Designer Brands trades at a lower forward P/E (8.1x vs 28.6x for Forward Industries). Designer Brands pays a dividend yielding 3.52%, while Forward Industries does not currently pay one.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | DBI | FWDI |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $5.68 | $7.44 |
| Market cap | $290.38M | $567.58M |
| 1-day change | -1.90% | +3.62% |
| YTD return | -22.07% | +8.62% |
| 1-year return | +65.90% | -70.81% |
| 5-year return | -55.90% | -67.21% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 19.59 | — |
| Forward P/E | 8.12 | 28.62 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.29 | $-30.27 |
| Dividend yield | 3.52% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.20 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $9.17 | $25.50 |
| 52-week low | $3.11 | $3.48 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -38.06% | -70.82% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +18.84% | +59.01% |
| Average volume | 572.72K | 1.76M |
| Shares outstanding | 43.39M | 76.29M |
| Employees | 13,000 | 60 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Finance |
| Industry | Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores | Finance: Consumer Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- DBI has outperformed FWDI by 136.7 percentage points over the past year.
- Designer Brands offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.52% vs 0.00%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Designer Brands in Consumer Discretionary and Forward Industries in Finance.
About Designer Brands
DBI stock →Designer Brands Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, production, and retailing of footwear and accessories in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through two segments: Retail and Brand Portfolio.
Consumer Discretionary · Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores · 13,000 employees
About Forward Industries
FWDI stock →Forward Industries, Inc. operates as a Solana (SOL) focused digital asset treasury company.
Finance · Finance: Consumer Services · 60 employees
DBI vs FWDI FAQ
Which is bigger, Designer Brands or Forward Industries?
Forward Industries (FWDI) is larger, with a market capitalization of $567.58M compared with $290.38M for Designer Brands (DBI).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, DBI or FWDI?
DBI returned +65.90% over the past 12 months, compared with -70.81% for FWDI (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Designer Brands or Forward Industries?
Designer Brands pays a dividend yielding 3.52%, while Forward Industries does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Designer Brands and Forward Industries in the same industry?
No. Designer Brands is in the Consumer Discretionary sector, while Forward Industries is in Finance.