Which companies are considered dollar store stocks?

Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Five Below are generally considered to be the Big Three of dollar stores that are publicly traded.

How do dollar stores generate revenue?

The biggest factor in driving revenue for dollar stores is the sale of low-priced items in high volumes. They also bring in more revenue by stocking private label products that provide high margins and consumables such as food, beverage, and hygiene items that generate return business.

Are dollar store stocks suitable for long-term or short-term investing?

Dollar store stocks are best utilized as a defense against an economic downturn. While there may be some value-oriented opportunities, dollar stores generally profit from a weak economy.

Are dollar stores resilient during economic downturns?

Like most consumer staples stocks, dollar stores do quite well when times are tough.

Best Dollar Store Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

By Frank Bass – Updated Feb 4, 2026 at 3:56 PM EST | Fact-checked by Robin Hartill, CFP

Key Points

Three top dollar store stocks are Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Five Below.
The dollar-store industry has historically shown steady growth and good margins, with some weakness during high-inflation periods.
Five Below is the smallest and youngest of the three dollar store stocks, but has shown more consistent business performance.

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Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Market cap	Current price	Dividend yield
Dollar General (NYSE:DG)	$26.3 billion	$119.04	1.97%
Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:DLTR)	$21.0 billion	$105.89	0.00%
Five Below (NASDAQ:FIVE)	$12.9 billion	$226.72	0.00%

Data as of Mar 26, 2026. Showing 3 of 3 tickers.

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NYSE: DG

Dollar General

Today's Change

(-0.43%) $-0.51

Current Price

$119.04

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$26B

Day's Range

$118.75 - $121.65

52wk Range

$84.70 - $158.23

Volume

127K

Avg Vol

3.2M

Gross Margin

28.21%

Dividend Yield

1.97%

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Dollar General (DG -0.43%) is the largest dollar store operator by annual sales and total store count.

The company also has the longest history of its competitors. Dollar General opened its first store in 1955 after founder Cal Turner was inspired by department store "dollar days" promotions. Thirteen years later, Dollar General went public on the New York Stock Exchange for $16.50 per share. Today, the company operates more than 20,000 stores around the U.S.

Financial performance

Dollar General has a long track record of revenue growth. In 2015, the company produced sales of about $18 billion. By fiscal year 2024, net sales had risen to $40.6 billion. The growth has come primarily from its expanding store footprint. During the same time, the chain added roughly 8,000 stores.

More recent periods have been challenging, involving budget-constrained customers who are feeling the impact of inflation, inventory management issues, and weather events that have increased selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses.

Stock price performance

It's been a slow but steady recovery for Dollar General share prices. Between early 2023 and early 2025, the stock price plunged from more than $250 to about $75. In early 2026, however, prices had rebounded to around $150.

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NASDAQ: DLTR

Dollar Tree

Today's Change

(-0.70%) $-0.75

Current Price

$105.89

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$21B

Day's Range

$105.15 - $108.29

52wk Range

$61.87 - $142.40

Volume

97K

Avg Vol

3.1M

Gross Margin

36.40%

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Dollar Tree (DLTR -0.70%) is Dollar General's closest competitor by store footprint and annual sales. Dollar Tree acquired Family Dollar in 2015 and 170 stores from the 99 Cents Only chain in 2024. Today, Dollar Tree operates more than 16,000 stores in the United States and Canada. It generated about $17.5 billion in revenue during 2025 fiscal year, which ended Jan. 31, 2025.

Financial performance

Like Dollar General, Dollar Tree has produced good sales growth over the long term. Same-store sales rose 4.2% in its third quarter for 2025, and the company noted that an increasing number of its customers made $100,000 or more. Of the 3 million new households shopping at its store, the company estimated that 60% earned at least six figures.

Stock price performance

Like Dollar General shares, Dollar Tree stock was moving in the right direction in early 2026. After falling into the mid-$60s in late 2024, share prices had rebounded to roughly $140 by early 2026.

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NASDAQ: FIVE

Five Below

Today's Change

(-2.97%) $-6.93

Current Price

$226.72

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$13B

Day's Range

$226.51 - $234.61

52wk Range

$52.38 - $237.50

Volume

43K

Avg Vol

1.1M

Gross Margin

31.96%

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Five Below (FIVE -2.97%) opened its first store in 2002, which makes it a relative newcomer in the retail industry. The company targets young shoppers with an assortment of toys, party supplies, and other household basics -- many priced below $5.

Five Below trails its peers in store footprint and sales. The company has about 1,900 stores in the U.S. and generates about $3.9 billion in annual revenue.

Financial performance

Five Below has largely been a growth story since its 2012 initial public offering. Between fiscal years 2015 and 2019, the company delivered 20%-plus annual sales growth. By fiscal year 2024, the rate had leveled off somewhat to about 15%.

The company has the best operating margins of the three dollar stores, delivering more than 10% on this metric in most years. Although the figure had sagged to around 9% by Q3 2025, the company expected strong holiday sales to boost third-quarter margins to almost 16%, raising its margin for the full year.

Stock price performance

Five Below stock dove in mid-2023, dropping from more than $200 for a share to the mid-$60s in early 2025. By early 2026, however, share prices had rebounded to almost $150.

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Dollar store stock FAQ

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About the Author

Frank Bass is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst and editor covering energy, healthcare, consumer, and financial sectors. Frank has decades of experience in financial journalism, holding reporting and editing roles at The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and Bloomberg. He also currently edits research on the global energy transition. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas Tech University and is a graduate student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Fun Facts: Frank has hiked The Long Trail in Vermont from end to end, and currently lives in a semi-dry cabin in Interior Alaska.

TMFEditFool

Frank Bass has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Five Below. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Best Dollar Store Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

Key Points

NYSE: DG

Key Data Points

Financial performance

Stock price performance

NASDAQ: DLTR

Key Data Points

Financial performance

Stock price performance

NASDAQ: FIVE

Key Data Points

Financial performance

Stock price performance

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Dollar store stock FAQ

Which companies are considered dollar store stocks?

How do dollar stores generate revenue?

Are dollar store stocks suitable for long-term or short-term investing?

Are dollar stores resilient during economic downturns?

1. Dollar General

2. Dollar Tree

3. Five Below

What to consider when investing in dollar store stocks

How to invest in dollar store stocks

Related investing topics

FAQ

Financial performance

Stock price performance

Top dollar store stocks in 2026

NYSE: DG

Key Data Points

NASDAQ: DLTR

Key Data Points

NASDAQ: FIVE

Key Data Points

Financial performance

Stock price performance

Financial performance

Stock price performance

Dollar store competition

Benefits and risks of dollar store stocks