Dollar General (NYSE:DG) announced its third-quarter earnings that surpassed average analyst expectations.

The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $1.26 and revenue of $9.69 billion, ahead of analyst expectations of $1.20 for Q3 EPS and a revenue forecast of $9.65 billion. This represents a 2.4% increase in revenue compared to the same period last year.

However, comparable store sales showed a decline of 1.3% year-over-year, which was less than anticipated. The reported gross margin was 29%, a decrease of 150 basis points from the previous year and slightly below the expected 29.2%.

Looking ahead, Dollar General maintains its financial outlook, expecting net sales growth in the range of 1.5% to 2.5%. The company forecasts same-store sales to range from a decline of approximately 1.0% to flat. Diluted earnings per share are anticipated to be in the range of approximately $7.10 to $7.60, indicating a decline of 34% to 29%.