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Dollar GeneralDG +2.15%78 Debt-to-Equity is 1.79 as of Apr. 2026, which is 9% below its 10-year median of 1.97. GuruFocus rates DG with a GF Score™ of 78/100 and a GF Value™ of $122.37 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 280 Retail - Defensive companies, Dollar General ranks worse than 81.07% on this metric.
A high debt to equity ratio generally means that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. This can result in volatile earnings as a result of the additional interest expense.
The historical rank and industry rank for Dollar General's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
DG'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.44 Med: 1.97 Max: 3.19
Current: 1.79
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Dollar General was 3.19. The lowest was 0.44. And the median was 1.97.
DG's Debt-to-Equity is ranked worse than 81.07% of 280
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 0.55
vs DG: 1.79
Dollar General (NYSE:DG) Debt-to-Equity Explanation
Because a company can increase its ROE % by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the leverage ratio when investing in high ROE % companies.
Dollar General Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Dollar General Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Dollar General's Debt-to-Equity can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Discount Stores subindustry, Dollar General's Debt-to-Equity, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-Equity data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Dollar General Debt-to-Equity vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Dollar General's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Dollar General's Debt-to-Equity falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Dollar General (DG) has a Debt-to-Equity of 1.79 as of Apr. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Dollar General and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 1.97. Over the past decade, Dollar General's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.44 to 3.19. According to the industry distribution chart, Dollar General ranks #227 out of 280 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 81.1%.
Is Dollar General's Debt-to-Equity too high?
Dollar General's current Debt-to-Equity of 1.79 is near median its 10-year median of 1.97. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.44 to a high of 3.19. The Retail - Defensive industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.55. Dollar General's value of 1.79 is 225.5% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Dollar General ranks #227 out of 280 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Dollar General has a GF Score™ of 78/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Dollar General's Debt-to-Equity compare to DLTR and BJ?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Dollar General ranks #227 out of 280 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places Dollar General in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.55. Dollar General's value of 1.79 is 225.5% above this benchmark. Historically, Dollar General's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.44 to 3.19 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 1.97 vs. the industry median of 0.55, Dollar General has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Debt-to-Equity for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Retail - Defensive companies is 0.55, based on 280 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-Equity significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-Equity should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Dollar General's current Debt-to-Equity of 1.79 is 225.5% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Debt-to-Equity mean?
A high Debt-to-Equity can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Dollar General and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.55 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Dollar General's current Debt-to-Equity is 1.79, which is near median its own 10-year median of 1.97. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Dollar General stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dollar General (DG) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $122.37, compared to a current price of $128.68 — trading 5.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 1.79, which is near median its 10-year median of 1.97 and 225.5% above the Retail - Defensive industry median of 0.55. Dollar General's overall GF Score™ is 78/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-Equity calculated?
Debt-to-Equity is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Dollar General (DG), the current Debt-to-Equity is 1.79 as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Dollar General (DG) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dollar General stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $128.68 is trading 5.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $122.37.
GuruFocus considers Dollar General to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for DG:
Debt-to-Equity: 1.79 (near median its 10-year median of 1.97)
GF Value™: $122.37 vs. price of $128.68 (5.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 225.5% above the Retail - Defensive median (#227 of 280)
No single metric tells the full story. See the DG stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Since its beginning in 1939, Dollar General has grown to become the largest dollar store operator in the United States, with more than 20,000 small-box discount stores across 48 states. The firm generated over $42 billion in fiscal 2025 sales. The retailer maintains a heavy concentration of stores in rural and low-income markets underserved by big-box retailers. It's 11,000 stock-keeping units, including 2,000 priced at $1 or less, span consumables (82% of sales), seasonal items (10%), home products (5%), and apparel (3%). More than 20% of sales are derived from private label.
78GF Score
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