Dollar General (DG): analysis in plain words
Is Dollar General cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
Dollar General (DG) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in retail. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against Dollar General according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
Dollar General (DG) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $141.64 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 18.4x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +5.2% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 3.9% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 4.0x | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 1.81% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $31.2 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The Dollar General figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any DG figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How Dollar General makes money
Dollar General runs a large network of small-format discount stores across the United States, mostly in rural towns. It groups sales into consumables, the biggest category, covering food, cleaning supplies and paper products, plus seasonal items, home products and apparel. It also operates the pOpshelf store concept.
Over the last 12 months, Dollar General brought in revenue of $43.6 billion. For every 100 it sells, Dollar General keeps 31.2 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 6.8 after all operating costs (operating margin). With 194,000 full-time employees, that is about $225,000 of revenue per employee.
Dollar General against its sector
To know whether a Dollar General figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares Dollar General with the median of the 18 retail companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | Dollar General | retail median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 18.4x | 26.2x (18) |
| Revenue growth | +5.2% | +7.1% (18) |
| Net margin | 3.9% | 7.2% (18) |
| Dividend yield | 1.81% | 0.78% (18) |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 4.0x | 1.5x (18) |
In short, against the typical retail company, Dollar General trades on a lower P/E, grows more slowly and earns a thinner margin. By size, Dollar General ranks number 16 of 17 retail companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for Dollar General
These are the strengths in the Dollar General figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Dollar General generates real cash: $1.7 billion of free cash flow over 12 months, 5.6% of its stock market value.
- On a P/E basis Dollar General trades cheaper than its sector: 18.4x its annual earnings, against 26.2x for the retail median (18 companies with data).
- Dollar General earns 19.7% a year on its shareholders' money (return on equity).
The main risk for Dollar General
Debt is heavy: Dollar General carries net debt equal to 4.0x its annual EBITDA. With high interest rates or a weak year, interest payments eat into what it can invest or pay out.
And, like the rest of retail, Dollar General is exposed to price competition, which keeps margins thin, and a slowdown in consumer spending.
Frequently asked questions about Dollar General
Is it a good time to buy Dollar General stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell Dollar General, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, Dollar General stock trades at $141.64, 10% below its 52-week high ($158.23) and 49% above its low ($95.11). Its P/E is 18.4x against a retail median of 26.2x, and 17.0x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With Dollar General, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does Dollar General pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, Dollar General pays $2.36 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 1.81%. It uses 31% of its profit to pay it, which leaves room to keep paying it if profit dips. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 1.38%. The retail median on Fintols is 0.78%.
Is Dollar General stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, Dollar General trades at 18.4x its last 12 months of earnings: cheaper than the retail median (26.2x). Including its debt, Dollar General is valued at 12.0x its EBITDA (EV/EBITDA). A high P/E alone does not make Dollar General expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are Dollar General's competitors?
On Fintols we compare Dollar General with GameStop, Ross Stores and Kroger, which are also in retail. As of November 4, 2026, GameStop is worth $12.7 billion and trades on a P/E of 16.5; Ross Stores is worth $78.8 billion and trades on a P/E of 29.7; Kroger is worth $40.7 billion and trades on a P/E of 38.3. Each has a side-by-side comparison with Dollar General below.
Dollar General competitors
- GameStop (GME) analysis · Dollar General vs GameStop comparison
- Ross Stores (ROST) analysis · Dollar General vs Ross Stores comparison
- Kroger (KR) analysis · Dollar General vs Kroger comparison
To understand Dollar General better
More companies like Dollar General: retail stocks and S&P 500 companies. Open the full DG analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about Dollar General, not investment advice.