Dollar General announces 450 new US stores opening in 2026

Dollar General announced Thursday it will open hundreds of new U.S. stores in 2026 as the discount retailer continues to expand its footprint, particularly in rural markets. During the company's third-quarter 2025 earnings call, the Tennessee-based retailer said it is planning to open roughly 450 new U.S. stores, along with about 10 new stores in Mexico, as well as around 20 relocations and 4,250 store remodels."Our first priority is investing in the business, including our existing store base, as well as other high-return growth opportunities such as new store expansion, remodels, and other strategic initiatives," Donny Lau, chief financial officer at Dollar General, told investors. Dollar General is planning to open hundreds of new U.S. stores in 2026. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)DOLLAR GENERAL SEES INCREASE IN HIGHER-INCOME SHOPPERS LOOKING TO STRETCH THEIR DOLLARS The retailer also reaffirmed its fiscal year 2025 plans, which include 575 store openings in the U.S., as well as up to 15 new locations in Mexico.Ticker Security Last Change Change % DG DOLLAR GENERAL CORP. 125.21 +15.24 +13.86% Dollar General raised its annual profit forecast after beating third-quarter earnings estimates on Thursday, as value-seeking shoppers across income levels flock to its stores amid economic uncertainty and the discount retailer reins in costs.DOLLAR GENERAL FIGHTS BACK AGAINST THIEVES WITH PLAN TO REMOVE THEFT-PRONE MERCHANDISE, SELF-CHECKOUT LANES A shopper browses the aisles at a Dollar General store in Queens, N.Y. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)The company's shares rose as much as 12.3% to a 15-month-high, set to add to their 45% gain this year.Dollar General and rival Dollar Tree, which raised its annual profit forecast a day earlier, are benefiting from robust demand for everything from groceries to home goods across income groups, a trend highlighted by retail giant Walmart.DOLLAR GENERAL TO PAY $12M TO SETTLE ALLEGED SAFETY VIOLATIONS INCLUDING BLOCKING EXITS A customer shops at a Dollar General store in Chicago. (Scott Olson/Getty Images / Getty Images)During Dollar General's first-quarter earnings call in June, CEO Todd Vasos told analysts that new customers this year were shopping more often and spending more per visit compared with new customers last year. They were also allocating more of their spending to discretionary categories. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE "We believe these behaviors suggest that we are continuing to attract higher-income customers who are looking to maximize value while still shopping for items they want and need," Vasos said at the time.Reuters and FOX Business' Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.