Dollar General reports 3Q sales increase of 10.5%

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General on Thursday reported $4.4 billion in sales, up 10.5%, for the company's third quarter ended Nov. 1. Same-store sales increased 4.4%, with increases in both customer traffic and average transaction value, the dollar store operator reported.

"Dollar General once again delivered strong results in the third quarter, even in the face of an ongoing challenging consumer environment," Rick Dreiling, Dollar General's chairman and CEO said. "Our merchandising initiatives have continued to be successful in driving traffic and sales," he said. "Looking ahead, while we are cautious on the current macroeconomic trends, we remain excited about the long-term growth prospects for our business."

Consumables sales continued to increase at a higher rate than non-consumables in the 2013 third quarter, with the most significant growth due to strong sales of tobacco products, perishables and candy and snacks. Same-store sales growth was solid in seasonal and home products, while apparel sales were affected by a planned merchandising initiative that reduced apparel inventories in more than 4,000 stores during the 2013 third quarter, Dollar General stated.