Designer Brands: What Do They Know That Wall Street Doesn’t?
May 14, 2025

When top executives start pouring their own money into company stock, it’s time to sit up and pay attention. 

That’s exactly what’s happening at Designer Brands Inc. (NYSE: DBI), the parent company of DSW, and the move is raising eyebrows across the market. Insiders don’t gamble. 

They buy when they see an opportunity Wall Street is too blind to recognize.

Over the past few months, Stone House Capital Management, a major stakeholder, has been snapping up shares to the tune of $4.23 million. That’s not just a show of confidence—it’s a flashing neon sign that this stock is wildly undervalued. 

And the market is already catching on, with shares popping 6.57% in response.

But if history tells us anything, the biggest gains go to those who act before the herd.

Wall Street analysts are still asleep on DBI, too distracted by the latest AI bubble to notice what’s happening under their noses. The people who actually run the company see value here—and they’re putting serious money behind that belief.

What Do They Know That You Don’t?

Designer Brands has been shaking up its business model in ways that the mainstream market is completely ignoring. Here’s why this stock could be on the verge of a major breakout:

  1. A Power Shift in Retail – DBI isn’t just selling shoes anymore; it’s building a private-label empire, pushing into high-margin brands that will turbocharge profitability.

  2. E-commerce Domination – While other retailers struggle with online sales, DBI has been quietly perfecting its direct-to-consumer game, cutting out middlemen and pumping up margins.

  3. Recession-Proof Positioning – When times get tough, people don’t stop buying shoes—they just look for value. DBI is perfectly placed to capture those customers and steal market share from bloated competitors.

Wall Street Is Sleeping—But Not for Long

Small-cap stocks love to make fools out of lazy investors. When insiders bet big, it’s because they see a shift before the rest of the market does. This isn’t about chasing some overhyped tech fantasy—this is a real company making real money, and its leadership is making a move you’d be foolish to ignore.