DOLLAR GENERAL CORP (DG)

Dollar General is the largest discount retailer in the United States by number of stores, with 20,959 stores in 48 U.S. states and Mexico as of February 27, 2026. Stores are most concentrated in the southern, southwestern, midwestern and eastern United States. The company offers everyday necessities and general merchandise at everyday low prices, typically $10 or less, in convenient small-box stores. It was founded in 1939 as J.L. Turner and Son, Wholesale, opened its first Dollar General store in 1955, and has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "DG" since November 2009. It was previously taken private in 2007 by investment funds affiliated with KKR, which sold its remaining shares in December 2013.

Merchandise falls into four categories, with fiscal 2025 shares of net sales shown. Consumables made up 82.0% and include paper and cleaning products, packaged food, perishables, snacks, health and beauty, pet items and tobacco. Seasonal products made up 10.1% and include holiday items, toys, batteries, small electronics, stationery, prepaid phones, gardening, hardware and automotive supplies. Home products made up 5.2% and include kitchen supplies, cookware, small appliances, storage and soft goods. Apparel made up 2.7% and covers basic clothing, shoes and accessories. Seasonal and home products typically carry the highest gross margins, and consumables the lowest. The company sells national brands alongside private brands such as Clover Valley and trueliving, often at substantial discounts. Its store concepts include Dollar General, pOpshelf (a small-box concept focused on non-consumables, with expansion paused since 2025) and Mi Súper Dollar General in Mexico, first opened in 2023. Home delivery and other digital tools supplement the stores.

Core customers are low and fixed income households often underserved by other retailers, including grocers, though shoppers come from a wide range of income levels. Reliance on the stores ranges from fill-in trips to weekly shopping for essential needs. Stores average about 7,500 square feet of selling space, and about 80% are in towns of 20,000 or fewer people. The primary new store format averages about 8,500 square feet. About 75% of the U.S. population lives within five miles of a store. The store base grew from 19,986 at the start of 2024 to 20,893 at the end of 2025, with 589 openings and 290 closings in 2025. Remodel programs include Project Renovate and Project Elevate.

The company buys from a wide variety of suppliers and has direct buying relationships with many national brand producers. Its two largest suppliers accounted for about 11% and 8% of 2025 purchases, and about 4% of purchases were directly imported. Distribution centers placed throughout its footprint support the stores, including temperature-controlled facilities for self-distribution of frozen and refrigerated goods. Merchandise reaches stores by a private fleet and third-party trucking firms, and some items are delivered directly by vendors. The business is somewhat seasonal, with operating profit usually highest in the fourth quarter. Primary direct competitors are Walmart, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree, and it also competes with mass merchandise, convenience, drug, grocery, warehouse club and online retailers. The company is incorporated in Tennessee.