Dollar General Corporation: Dollar General is a public discount retailer headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. Founded in 1939 by James Luther Turner and Cal Turner Sr., the company operated 20,959 stores across 48 U.S. states and Mexico as of February 27, 2026, reported $42.724 billion in fiscal 2025 net sales, and is led by CEO Todd Vasos.
Dollar General Corporation: Key Facts
| Company Name | Dollar General Corporation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1939 |
| Founder(s) | James Luther Turner, Cal Turner Sr. |
| Headquarters | Goodlettsville, Tennessee |
| Industry | Discount Retail |
| CEO | Todd Vasos |
| Employees | Approximately 194,000 |
| Market Cap | $27.3B |
| Revenue (FY2025) | $42.7B |
| Net Income (FY2025) | $1.5B |
| Stock Symbol | DG (NYSE) |
- Revenue and employee count sourced to Dollar General's fiscal 2025 Form 10-K.
- Market capitalization reflects a July 2026 public-market snapshot.
- For informational purposes only - not financial advice.
What Does Dollar General Do?
Dollar General operates small-format discount stores focused on consumables, household products, seasonal merchandise, health and beauty items, and basic apparel. The chain is built for convenience in rural towns, small cities, and lower-density suburbs where a full big-box trip may be inconvenient. Its store base is larger than many iconic U.S. retail and restaurant chains, giving it unusual reach into communities that larger formats often bypass.
The company's fiscal 2025 results show the scale of that model: $42.724 billion in net sales, $1.512 billion in net income, and 20,959 stores across 48 U.S. states and Mexico as of February 27, 2026. Dollar General also operates a large distribution network that includes dry, cold-storage, and combination facilities supporting its consumables-heavy assortment.
How Did Dollar General Start?
The company traces its roots to J.L. Turner and Son, a Kentucky dry-goods business founded in 1939. Cal Turner Sr. introduced the Dollar General name and the original dollar-price-point concept in 1955. Over time, inflation pushed the company beyond a strict one-dollar promise, but the brand kept its core identity around low prices, small stores, and everyday needs.
Dollar General went public in 1968, expanded through the Turner family era, was taken private by KKR in 2007, and returned to public markets in 2009. Since then it has become one of the most geographically pervasive retailers in the United States.
How Does Dollar General Make Money?
Dollar General earns revenue by selling high-turn consumables and general merchandise through a dense store network. Its economics depend on low build-out costs, disciplined real estate selection, private-label penetration, distribution efficiency, and frequent trips from customers who value proximity and price. DG Fresh, the company's self-distribution program for refrigerated and frozen products, is an important margin and supply-chain initiative.
Under returning CEO Todd Vasos, Dollar General has emphasized operational execution through its Back to Basics agenda. The focus is on in-stock availability, store standards, labor investment, shrink reduction, and better customer experience rather than simply maximizing new-store openings.
What Are Dollar General's Biggest Risks?
The main risks are wage pressure, shrink, store execution, food and freight inflation, regulatory scrutiny, and competition from Walmart, Dollar Tree, grocery chains, and local convenience retailers. Dollar General's advantage is reach, but that reach requires consistent execution across a very large store base.
