DLTR vs FIVE Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
DLTR is a much larger discount retail chain serving broad consumer value needs but navigating Family Dollar challenges, while FIVE is a smaller, still-expanding specialty value retailer with a highly focused teen demographic and experiential shopping model. Both serve discount consumers but with very different customer bases and growth profiles.
DLTR vs FIVE compares a large, complex multi-banner discount retailer working through strategic restructuring against a smaller, more focused teen-oriented value retailer still in an active store expansion phase.
FIVE holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. FIVE has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+57.54% vs +13.52%), though DLTR trades at the lower forward P/E (14.91x vs 19.94x). Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for FIVE (+34.33%) than for DLTR (+9.65%).
- →Want large-scale discount retail exposure and see value in potential Family Dollar separation unlocking hidden value
- →Believe Dollar Tree banner will benefit from consumer trade-down during economic softness
- →See Dollar Tree's massive store footprint as a durable distribution and purchasing advantage
- →Want exposure to a still-expanding specialty value retailer with a distinct teen demographic focus
- →See meaningful store whitespace remaining for Five Below's next growth phase
- →Value the experiential, trend-driven shopping model as a differentiator versus general discount retailers
| Metric | DLTR | FIVE |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 41.1 | 50.7 |
| AI rank | #991 | #422 |
| Latest close | $111.65 | $194.06 |
| 1M return | +23.22% | -9.48% |
| 6M return | -13.01% | +8.69% |
| 1Y return | +13.52% | +57.54% |
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | DLTR | FIVE |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $11.45K (+14.5%) started 2025-06-18 | $15.75K (+57.5%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $11.03K (+10.3%) started 2021-06-21 | $10.59K (+5.9%) started 2021-06-18 |
| 10Y ago | $12.07K (+20.7%) started 2016-06-20 | $42.21K (+322.1%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | DLTR | FIVE |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $21.91B | $10.73B |
| Trailing P/E | 18.33 | 24.47 |
| Forward P/E | 14.91 | 19.94 |
| Price/Sales | N/A | 2.11 |
| EV/Revenue | 1.44 | 2.24 |
| Analyst target | $125.00 | $260.68 |
| Target upside | +9.65% | +34.33% |
| Metric | DLTR | FIVE |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 7.20% | 32.50% |
| Earnings growth | 9.50% | 195.60% |
| EPS growth | +9.50% | +195.60% |
| FCF margin | +7.31% | +8.41% |
| Operating margin | 9.09% | N/A |
| Profit margin | 6.51% | 8.67% |
| ROIC proxy | 33.98% | 21.13% |
| Return on equity | 33.98% | 21.13% |
| Dividend yield | N/A | 0.00% |
| Beta | 0.66 | 0.97 |
| Debt/equity | 216.52 | 86.43 |
| Current ratio | 1.16 | 2.10 |
| Quick ratio | 0.32 | 1.13 |
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | DLTR | FIVE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +14.48% | +57.54% |
| CAGR | +14.50% | +57.59% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.42 | 1.25 | |
| Max drawdown | 38.53% | 24.71% | |
| Max daily drop | 8.37% | 13.78% | |
| Max wkly drop | 13.52% | 17.56% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +10.34% | +5.92% |
| CAGR | +1.99% | +1.16% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.14 | 0.18 | |
| Max drawdown | 64.84% | 76.40% | |
| Max daily drop | 22.16% | 27.81% | |
| Max wkly drop | 33.38% | 27.32% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +20.73% | +322.14% |
| CAGR | +1.90% | +15.50% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.12 | 0.45 | |
| Max drawdown | 64.84% | 76.40% | |
| Max daily drop | 22.16% | 27.81% | |
| Max wkly drop | 33.38% | 41.16% |
| Category | DLTR | FIVE |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Dollar Tree, Inc. | Five Below, Inc. |
| Sector | Consumer Defensive | Consumer Discretionary - Discount Retail |
| Industry | N/A | N/A |
| Core business | Dollar Tree operates the Dollar Tree (mostly $1.25 price point items) and Family Dollar (multi-price value retail) banners, serving price-sensitive consumers across the U.S. with household supplies, food, health and beauty, and seasonal products. | Five Below is a specialty value retailer focused on teen and pre-teen customers, selling trendy merchandise across categories like tech accessories, beauty, toys, sports, and party goods — historically at price points predominantly between $1 and $5, now extending to $10 and beyond. |
| Investor focus | Investors track Dollar Tree's same-store sales performance across both banners, the ongoing strategic review of Family Dollar (with potential for a sale or spin-off), and traffic trends from value-seeking consumers. | Investors track Five Below's comparable sales growth, new store openings (a major growth driver in its expansion phase), traffic trends among its target teen and pre-teen demographic, and merchandise category hit rates. |
- →Dollar Tree banner benefits as inflation drives more consumers toward value-priced essentials
- →Nationwide footprint of thousands of stores provides scale in purchasing and distribution
- →Family Dollar separation could unlock value by allowing each banner to focus on its distinct customer and format
- →Unique focus on teen and pre-teen consumers creates a defensible, trend-driven shopping experience not easily replicated by mass merchants
- →Highly experiential, treasure-hunt retail model drives repeat visit frequency among core customers
- →Still in an active store expansion phase with significant white space remaining in the U.S.
- →Family Dollar has been a persistent underperformer — profitability, store quality, and customer satisfaction have lagged Dollar Tree
- →Dollar Tree raised its price point from $1.00 to $1.25, which reduced some of its psychological value appeal
- →Shoplifting and shrinkage have been significant cost headwinds across the discount retail segment
- →Teen and pre-teen consumer trends are inherently volatile — missed merchandise trends can sharply affect traffic
- →Price point creep above $5 risks diluting the core value proposition that built the brand
- →Same-store sales have softened as the company manages merchandise execution and macro consumer pressures
Want deeper AI forecasts?
This comparison page is public and free forever. Subscribers can unlock saved watchlists, full AI rankings, detailed forecasts, and interactive analysis tools.