Dollar General (DG, Financial) reported increased sales of consumables and essentials in Q3, surpassing revenue expectations. However, rising costs and shrinking margins impacted its earnings. Challenges included a cash-strapped customer base, a competitive retail environment, and $32.7 million in hurricane-related expenses from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, leading to a 29% year-over-year drop in EPS to $0.89.
- Q4 is also expected to incur $10 million in hurricane-related costs, affecting DG's FY25 EPS guidance. The company revised its EPS outlook to $5.50-$5.90, down from the previous $6.80-$7.55. The reduction is not solely due to hurricane impacts.
- Competition from Walmart (WMT, Financial), thriving in tough economic conditions, has intensified the promotional retail environment, pressuring DG's gross margin, which declined by 120 basis points to 28.8%. DG anticipates this trend to continue through the year.
- Despite challenges, DG is pushing forward with a growth strategy focused on remodeling stores. Q3 same-store sales growth improved to 1.3% from 0.5% in the prior quarter. CEO Todd Vasos attributes this partly to remodeling efforts that enhance store cleanliness and convenience. DG plans to remodel about 2,000 stores in FY26 and 2,250 stores through Project Elevate.
- Project Elevate targets mature stores for significant updates, including product assortment changes, the addition of produce, and planogram optimizations. The aim is to boost sales growth, though it's a costly initiative. DG maintains its FY25 capital expenditure guidance at $1.3-$1.4 billion, supporting 2,435 real estate projects, with a total target of 4,885 projects in FY26.
Overall, DG's Q3 earnings report was mixed, showing some top-line stabilization. However, margin pressures and rising costs continue to be concerns as the company pursues an ambitious store remodeling plan.
