Zacks Research Forecasts Weaker Earnings for Dollar General

Key Points

• Zacks Research cut its Q1 2027 EPS estimate for Dollar General to $1.90 (from $1.94) and issued multi‑year EPS forecasts including $7.31 for FY2027, $8.12 for FY2028 and $9.07 for FY2029.
• Dollar General beat Q4 expectations with $1.93 EPS (vs. $1.57 expected) and $10.91B revenue, but management set FY2026 guidance at $7.10–7.35 and flagged a higher effective tax rate and the expiration of a tax credit as near‑term headwinds.
• Analyst views are mixed (14 Buys, 15 Holds, 1 Sell) with an average price target of $145.33 versus a recent share price near $119, and the company pays a $0.59 quarterly dividend (about a 2.0% yield).

Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG - Free Report) - Research analysts at Zacks Research cut their Q1 2027 EPS estimates for shares of Dollar General in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, March 25th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the company will post earnings of $1.90 per share for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $1.94. The consensus estimate for Dollar General's current full-year earnings is $5.75 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Dollar General's Q2 2027 earnings at $1.98 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $1.40 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $7.31 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $2.10 EPS, Q2 2028 earnings at $2.19 EPS, Q3 2028 earnings at $1.58 EPS, FY2028 earnings at $8.12 EPS and FY2029 earnings at $9.07 EPS.

Dollar General (NYSE:DG - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The company reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.57 by $0.36. Dollar General had a return on equity of 18.66% and a net margin of 3.54%.The business had revenue of $10.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.78 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.87 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 5.9% on a year-over-year basis. Dollar General has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.100-7.35 EPS.

Other equities analysts have also issued reports about the company. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on Dollar General from $145.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Dollar General in a report on Friday, March 13th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Dollar General from $160.00 to $150.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 13th. Raymond James Financial reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $135.00 price objective on shares of Dollar General in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their price objective on shares of Dollar General from $132.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, March 13th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $145.33.

Dollar General Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:DG opened at $119.44 on Thursday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $144.45 and a two-hundred day moving average of $124.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.30 billion, a PE ratio of 17.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 0.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 0.22. Dollar General has a 12 month low of $81.75 and a 12 month high of $158.23.

Dollar General Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 21st. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 7th will be given a dividend of $0.59 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 7th. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. Dollar General's payout ratio is 34.45%.

Institutional Trading of Dollar General

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its stake in shares of Dollar General by 4,550.0% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 186 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the period. Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac acquired a new stake in Dollar General during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC increased its stake in Dollar General by 69.3% during the 4th quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC now owns 193 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the period. Reflection Asset Management purchased a new stake in Dollar General during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Caldwell Trust Co acquired a new position in Dollar General in the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.77% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Dollar General

Here are the key news stories impacting Dollar General this week:

• Positive Sentiment: New store format described as a “treasure hunt” could drive higher traffic and margin upside if it boosts discretionary purchases; BofA calls the rollout a catalyst and remains bullish with a $175 target. Dollar General Unveils New Store Format, Analyst Calls It 'Treasure Hunt' Experience
• Neutral Sentiment: Dollar General announced Jerry W. “JJ” Fleeman Jr. (Ahold Delhaize U.S. head) will become CEO effective Jan. 1, 2027 — his grocery experience could help assortment and fresh/grocery execution but the delayed start leaves a leadership gap and transition risk to monitor. Dollar General taps Ahold US head as new CEO replacing veteran Vasos
• Neutral Sentiment: Piper Sandler maintained a Neutral rating (slightly raised PT to $133) and warns Dollar General’s 2026 growth setup is “less straightforward,” reflecting sensitivity to inflation, margin pressure and execution risk. Why Piper Sandler Sees Dollar General (DG)’s 2026 Growth Setup as Less Straightforward Than It Looks
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain concerned about fiscal‑2026 guidance: management trimmed the near‑term profit setup (EPS guidance ~$7.10–7.35), flagged a higher effective tax rate and the expiration of a tax credit as an EPS headwind — these items drove a pullback after the Q4 beat. Dollar General slides as investors digest cautious FY2026 outlook despite Q4 beat

Dollar General Company Profile

Dollar General Corporation is a U.S.-based variety and discount retailer operating a large network of small-format stores that serve primarily rural and suburban communities. The company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DG and is headquartered in the Nashville/Goodlettsville, Tennessee area. Founded in 1939, Dollar General has grown from a regional operation into one of the nation's prominent low-price retailers focused on convenience and value.

Dollar General's stores offer a wide assortment of everyday consumables and household goods, including food and beverage items, cleaning supplies, health and beauty products, paper goods, apparel basics, seasonal merchandise and small household items.

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