'We Did It, Joe' Update: Dollar General's Earnings Crash, Record Drop in Sales

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

That latest Trump ad was eerily prescient. 

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"Everyday prices are too high. Food, rent, gas, back to school clothes..."

As Harris proudly proclaims throughout, that IS #Bidenomics. And no matter how she now desperately wants to untether herself from the administration of which she is still  the Number Two gal and the economic damage wrought by their policy decisions, she and Joe Biden are the ones who "did it."

The party of the poor and disenfranchised has done a fine job of "opportunity" and "making life affordable" when their inflationary indulgences have crushed lower wage earners and poorer Americans so severely that even Dollar General becomes an extravagance.

This isn't upscale Target complaining about shoplifting in permissive, crime-friendly blue cities and having their profit margins wiped out by retail theft gangs.

Not at all. These people are looking for the everyday necessities of life from a ubiquitous chain built around being affordable, economical, and easily accessible. 

For instance, in our semi-rural redneck of the Florida panhandle, you can find random Dollar Generals within a little over a mile from each other. They're clustered like mushrooms sometimes, so folks can walk to them and carry those groceries and household items home. Those can be pricier, but there's not the distance to travel to a proper grocery store, either.

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They always seem to be busy.

But in the era of Kamala and the ongoing carnage of #Bidenomics, they're apparently not doing as much business, even at their minimal price point. And the company is quite clear why.

Inflationary pressures are eating their customers alive.

Dollar General shares tumbled Thursday after the discount retailer slashed its sales and profit guidance for the full year, suggesting its lower-income customers are struggling in this economy.

Shares of the retailer, which caters to more rural areas, tumbled 25% after the earnings report.

The company now expects fiscal 2024 same-store sales to be up 1.0% to 1.6%, lower than its prior outlook for a 2% to 2.7% increase. Earnings per share for the year are expected to be in the range of just $5.50 to $6.20, versus the prior forecast of $6.80 to $7.55 per share.

“While we believe the softer sales trends are partially attributable to a core customer who feels financially constrained, we know the importance of controlling what we can control,” said CEO Todd Vasos in a statement.

It's not like Dollar General customers lived large, to begin with.

It's also not as if Dollar General has a reputation for gouging its customers - a favorite gaslighting bromide oft spouted by Kamala and Joe when called out on the deleterious effects of their policies. The truth here is quite the opposite, in fact. The chain was already a refuge for the "financially constrained," hello.

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There is also competition for that shrinking pool of retail sales dollars weighing on the company.

...The operator of more than 20,000 stores, Dollar General is working to improve performance under Chief Executive Officer Todd Vasos, who returned to the company last year after shares slumped under the previous leader. He has vowed to boost results by focusing on labor hours, value products and the supply chain. The retailer is also simplifying operations by removing items and slowing new store openings.

...During the earnings season, retailers have said US consumers are prioritizing essentials, and buying new, trendy products when they’re affordable. Amid high inflation and interest rates, they’re selective and remain on the sidelines for larger purchases and projects.

...Lower-income consumers – dollar stores’ core customers – have pulled back spending and are feeling more strain than other groups. Other retailers like Walmart Inc. and Aldi Inc. have ramped up competition with low prices and deals.

In that vein, watch how they spin the GDP revision to ignore what really moved it up a couple of tenths.

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SURVIVING IS DRIVING THE ECONOMY

That would make a great ad slogan right there in the crawl, as a car drove by the Dollar General and didn't stop.

Because they can no longer afford it.

Yup.

You sure did.


 

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David Strom 3:20 PM | November 15, 2024
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David Strom 12:40 PM | November 15, 2024
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