Dollar General (DG) vs Five Below (FIVE)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Five Below (FIVE) has outperformed Dollar General (DG) over the past year, gaining 37.5% versus a gain of 26.7%. Over five years, FIVE leads with a +7.5% price change compared with -42.6% for DG. Dollar General is the larger company by market cap ($26.95 billion vs $11.24 billion), about 2.4 times the size, while Five Below is growing revenue faster (+22.9% vs +5.2%).
On valuation, Dollar General trades at a lower forward P/E (14.7x vs 18.5x for Five Below). Dollar General pays a dividend yielding 1.93%, while Five Below does not currently pay one. Five Below converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 7.5% versus 3.5%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | DG | FIVE |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $122.14 | $204.24 |
| Market cap | $26.95B | $11.24B |
| 1-day change | -0.92% | -2.71% |
| YTD return | -8.01% | +8.43% |
| 1-year return | +26.74% | +37.53% |
| 5-year return | -42.60% | +7.46% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 16.01 | 18.79 |
| Forward P/E | 14.70 | 18.46 |
| EPS (TTM) | $7.63 | $10.87 |
| Dividend yield | 1.93% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $2.36 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $42.72B | $4.76B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +5.20% | +22.90% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.51B | $358.64M |
| Gross margin | 30.66% | 35.99% |
| Operating margin | 5.16% | 9.60% |
| Net margin | 3.54% | 7.53% |
| 52-week high | $158.23 | $263.88 |
| 52-week low | $95.11 | $137.77 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -22.81% | -22.60% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +15.81% | +52.02% |
| Average volume | 2.40M | 1.12M |
| Shares outstanding | 220.62M | 55.05M |
| Employees | 194,000 | 7,800 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Cyclical |
| Industry | Department/Specialty Retail Stores | Specialty Retail |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Dollar General is about 2.4 times larger than Five Below by market value ($26.95B vs $11.24B).
- FIVE has outperformed DG by 10.8 percentage points over the past year.
- Dollar General offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.93% vs 0.00%).
- Five Below grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+22.90% vs +5.20%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Dollar General in Consumer Discretionary and Five Below in Consumer Cyclical.
About Dollar General
DG stock →Dollar General Corporation, a discount retailer, provides various merchandise products in the southern, southwestern, midwestern, and eastern United States. It offers consumable products, including paper towels, bath tissues, paper dinnerware, trash and storage bags, disinfectants, and laundry products; packaged food, such as cereals, pasta, canned soups, canned meats, fruits and vegetables, condiments, spices, sugar, and flour; and perishables, including milk, eggs, bread, refrigerated and frozen food, beer, wine, and produce; candy, cookies, crackers, salty snacks, and carbonated beverages; over-the-counter medicines and personal care products including soap, body wash, shampoo, cosmetics, dental hygiene and foot care products; pet supplies and pet food; and tobacco products.
Consumer Discretionary · Department/Specialty Retail Stores · 194,000 employees
About Five Below
FIVE stock →Five Below, Inc. operates as a specialty value retailer in the United States.
Consumer Cyclical · Specialty Retail · 7,800 employees
DG vs FIVE FAQ
Which is bigger, Dollar General or Five Below?
Dollar General (DG) is larger, with a market capitalization of $26.95B compared with $11.24B for Five Below (FIVE).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, DG or FIVE?
FIVE returned +37.53% over the past 12 months, compared with +26.74% for DG (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, DG or FIVE?
DG has the lower trailing P/E at 16.0, versus 18.8 for FIVE. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Dollar General or Five Below?
Dollar General pays a dividend yielding 1.93%, while Five Below does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Dollar General and Five Below in the same industry?
No. Dollar General is in the Consumer Discretionary sector, while Five Below is in Consumer Cyclical.