Shoe Carnival Inc. is changing its name.

On Thursday, the Fort Mill, S.C.-based footwear retailer said that its board of directors unanimously voted to change the corporate name to Shoe Station Group, Inc. The change is subject to approval by the company’s shareholders at its annual meeting in June 2026.

The retailer noted that the name change reflects the “winning” performance of its Shoe Station banner, which the company acquired in 2021 for $67 million.

With its new name, the company said that it expects over 90 percent of its fleet to operate as Shoe Station by the end of fiscal 2028, with the remaining locations being evaluated for rebannering, outlet repositioning, or closure.

So far, the company has completed 100 store rebanners during fiscal 2025 and is on track for 51 percent of its fleet to operate as Shoe Station by the back-to-school season in 2026.

Mark Worden, president and chief executive officer of the newly renamed Shoe Station Group, said in a statement that this change marks a “pivotal moment” for the company.

“Shoe Station is winning – growing comps, expanding margins and capturing new customers,” Worden said. “The board of directors’ decision to approve the corporate name change to Shoe Station Group reflects our confidence in this banner’s potential and establishes our foundation for becoming the nation’s leading family footwear retailer.”

The company also gave a peek into its preliminary third quarter 2025 earnings results, which it said helped drive the decision to change its name. In the period, Shoe Station net sales grew 5.3 percent, while Shoe Carnival net sales declined 5.2 percent. The company noted that Shoe Carnival’s performance reflected “continued pressure on lower-income consumers.”

In Q3, the company noted that net sales were $297.2 million, exceeding consensus expectations. Third quarter diluted earnings per share was 53 cents, also exceeding consensus expectations. The company’s full third quarter results will be released on Nov. 20.

Looking ahead, Shoe Station Group added that it expects to see $20 million in annual cost savings and operating efficiencies expected by the end of fiscal 2027, as well as “significant reduction” in dual-brand operational complexity across merchandising, marketing, systems, supply chain and back office.

Other benefits include harmonized processes enabling faster decision making and improved execution; a 20 percent to 25 percent reduction in inventory investment anticipated by the end of fiscal 2027, as Shoe Station’s premium assortment, customer centric layout and efficient unit economics free up working capital; and annual comparable sales growth expected starting in fiscal 2027 as Shoe Station becomes the dominant banner.

“We are building a simpler, more efficient company with one team, one infrastructure, and one P&L that is expected to generate millions in annual cost savings, sharply reduce our inventory investment, and create a balance sheet built for both organic growth and strategic acquisitions,” Worden added.