Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG) reported its first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, revealing net sales of $10.79 billion, slightly missing analysts' expectations of $10.82 billion. The 3.4% sales increase was attributed to new store openings and a 2.0% rise in same-store sales, despite challenges from store closures. CEO Todd Vasos noted that strong operating margin expansion helped counteract the adverse effects of severe winter weather and increased fuel costs. The company's gross profit margin improved to 31.6%, a 65 basis points increase, primarily due to higher inventory markups. Additionally, Dollar General raised its earnings guidance, projecting earnings of $7.20-$7.45 per share for fiscal 2026, surpassing the previous estimate of $7.10-$7.35. The retailer plans to undertake around 4,730 real estate projects in fiscal 2026, including the opening of approximately 450 new stores in the U.S. and remodeling about 2,000 stores.