Dollar General Corporation (DG) vs The Hershey Company (HSY)
HSY leads on 9 of 15 compared metrics, though DG is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Dollar General Corporation and The Hershey Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 17, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
DG
Dollar General Corporation
$113.75Consumer Defensive
HSY
The Hershey Company
$175.31Consumer Defensive
Total return — DG vs HSY
growth of $100 · last 17yDG +400.4%HSY +379.4%DG compounded faster
DG HSY
DG vs HSY: by the numbers
- •HSY is the larger company ($35.56B vs $25.09B market cap).
- •DG trades at the lower earnings multiple (16.09 vs 32.65 P/E).
- •HSY converts more revenue to profit (9.12% vs 3.63% net margin).
- •HSY grew revenue faster over the past five years (7.65% vs 5.03% CAGR).
- •HSY pays the higher dividend yield (3.22% vs 2.07%).
Which is better, DG or HSY?
Metric tally: DG 6 · HSY 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueDG(lower P/E)
GrowthHSY(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeHSY(higher dividend yield)
QualityHSY(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | DG | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 16.09● | 32.65 |
| Forward P/E | 14.27● | 17.54 |
| P/S ratio | 0.59● | 2.99 |
| P/B ratio | 2.85● | 7.56 |
| PEG ratio | 0.61 | — |
| EV / EBITDA | 11.94● | 18.57 |
| FCF yield | 11.48%● | 6.06% |
Profitability
| Metric | DG | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 30.83% | 34.76%● |
| Operating margin | 5.26% | 14.08%● |
| Net margin | 3.63% | 9.12%● |
| ROE | 17.69% | 23.11%● |
| ROIC | 6.64% | 9.00%● |
Dividends
| Metric | DG | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.07% | 3.22%● |
| Payout ratio | 34.35% | 128.27% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | DG | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 5.03% | 7.65%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -8.48% | -6.42%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 10.79% | 10.95% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -10.19% | 2.71%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, DG or HSY?
- It depends on your goal. value: DG (lower P/E); growth: HSY (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: HSY (higher dividend yield); quality: HSY (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, HSY leads 9 to 6.
- Is DG or HSY cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, DG is cheaper: DG trades at a 16.09 P/E and HSY at 32.65.
- Which has grown faster, DG or HSY?
- Over the past five years, HSY grew revenue faster — DG at a 5.03% CAGR versus HSY at 7.65%.
- Does DG or HSY pay a bigger dividend?
- DG yields 2.07% and HSY yields 3.22% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is DG or HSY more profitable?
- HSY runs the higher net margin — DG at 3.63% versus HSY at 9.12%.
- Which has been the better investment, DG or HSY?
- Over the past 10-year, HSY delivered the higher annualized total return — DG at 3.63% versus HSY at 8.66%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Dollar General P/E ratioHershey P/E ratioDollar General dividend yieldHershey dividend yieldDollar General ROEHershey ROEDollar General operating marginHershey operating marginDollar General revenue growthHershey revenue growthDollar General free cash flowHershey free cash flow
Dollar General & Hershey appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 17, 2026.