Designer Brands Unifies US & Canada Operations

0:00It's March 27th. From your city to your ears, this is Toronto News today, powered by AI. Designer Brands, the company behind DSW and other shoe retailers, has merged its US and Canadian operations into one unified retail division. Announced on their fourth quarter 2025 earnings call, this new segment accounts for 88% of total sales and runs 6. 165 stores across brands like DSW, the shoe company, and Rubino. The change creates a single reporting structure, ending separate tracking for each country. It builds on earlier steps like, February 2026 layoffs, to trim shared services and boost accountability. Leaders expect smoother sharing of inventory, marketing, and best practices between the two markets. This integration caps years of growth in Canada, from buying into town shoes over a decade ago, to full ownership in 2018 and adding, Quebec's Rubino in 2024, they closed some older

1:00banners to focus on stronger ones amid mall retail challenges. For fiscal 2025, the retail segment posted $2.66 billion in net sales, with comparable sales down $3.9%. Company-wide sales dipped to $2.9 billion, but adjusted operating income hits $65 million, topping guidance. They also shrank by $36 million. Heading into 2026, sales should stay flat, from a 1% drop to a 1% gain, while earnings per share rise to between $0.28 and $0.38. The streamlined setup lets them react quicker to inflation, high rates, and trade shifts across