Dollar General’s Stock is Jumping. Many Of Its Shoppers Are ‘Stretched’

Dollar General’s shares led the S&P 500’s gainers after its latest quarterly results showed that Americans are continuing to hunt for value, benefitting the discount retailer and its competitors.

The company’s shares were recently up some 13%. The retailer said Thursday that it generated $10.65 billion in revenue in the third quarter as same-store sales rose by 2.5%. Both figures were roughly in line with what analysts had forecast. Earnings per share handily topped estimates at $1.28, compared to the $0.93 that analysts had expected, according to Visible Alpha.

The company saw “disproportionate growth” in business from higher income households, CEO Todd Vasos said during a Thursday conference call, per a transcript provided by AlphaSense. The low- and middle-income consumer “continues to be stretched” and is seeking value in both the products and merchants, they choose, he said.

Dollar General (DG) lifted its outlook for sales growth, EPS, and same-store sale growth for the full year. The company affirmed plans to open about 575 new stores in the U.S. this year and 450 next year, and it looks to remodel or renovate thousands of other locations.

On Wednesday morning, rival Dollar Tree (DLTR) topped estimates, and said it was continuing to see its market share among higher-income consumers grow. After the closing bell Wednesday, fellow discount retailer Five Below (FIVE) also beat expectations, with comparable sales jumping 14% year-over-year.

With Thursday’s move, Dollar General shares are up more than 60% since the start of the year and at their highest point since August of 2024.