Dilts became CFO at Dollar General in May 2023. She joined the company in July 2019 as SVP of finance, where she oversaw financial planning, procurement, margin planning, decision science and analytics, and investor relations. Previously, she served as EVP and CFO at Francesca’s Holding Corp. and held senior finance roles at other major retailers.
Dollar General has faced notable challenges, responding to shifting consumer needs, regulatory pressures, and competitive headwinds, along with CEO transitions. In a December 2023 earnings call, Dilts said that “shrink”—an industry term referring primarily to theft—“has been pretty significant for us for a while, and it’s definitely going to carry into 2024.”
Amid tariffs and inflation, Dollar General and other discount retailers have attracted more middle- and higher-income shoppers. After strong Q1 results, Dollar General raised its full-year guidance.
For the rest of the year, Morningstar equity analyst Dan Su expects Dollar General to remain attentive to tariffs, given that about 20% of sales are from imports. Su told me that the company has done a “solid job” in attracting new shoppers, and he anticipates continued investments in merchandising, store renovations, and labor to sustain same-store sales growth.
As Dilts moves on to Nordstrom, she will have the opportunity to once again execute a transformative strategy at another major retailer.
Have a good weekend.