I’m not saying Dollar Tree’s CEO pulled a Bill Gates on a company intern, but I’m definitely not saying he didn’t. In short, Dollar Tree has announced that CEO and Chairman, Rick Dreiling, is officially stepping down for *double checks notes* “personal reasons”. Aaaaand just like that, once the news of the man who has lit nearly 50% of his company’s market cap on fire was indeed gone, Dollar Tree shares popped 6% after hours LOL. 

(Source: Yahoo Finance) 

Now sure, Dreiling cited health issues as the reason for his departure, but it’s clear that Dreilling wasn’t great for Dollar Trees health either - especially since the discount chain has been pummeled by Walmart and economic pressures this year. 

Which on the surface, is actually crazy to think about. You’d think that discount chains like Dollar Tree would thrive during tough economic times. After all, when wallets tighten, people flock to places where they can stretch a buck… right? Not exactly. Turns out, even dollar stores aren’t immune to inflation-induced consumer fatigue. Dollar Tree’s core customers—low- to middle-income shoppers—are feeling the pinch and cutting back on spending. And it’s showing up in the numbers.

(Source: IBD) 

For instance, back in September,  Dollar Tree slashed its full-year outlook, citing “immense pressures” on its customer base. Translation: People are broke, and even a $1.25 price tag isn’t enough to lure them in. Meanwhile, Walmart is over here eating Dollar Tree’s lunch, proving that you can still dominate the low-price game if you’ve got the scale to back it up. And scale is something Dollar Tree just doesn’t have compared to Wally World. 

(Source: Giphy) 

Additionally, Dollar Tree’s $8.5 billion problem child, Family Dollar, is still modeling the same degeneracy as the towns they are located in.  Back in 2015, Dollar Tree bought Family Dollar, thinking it would help them compete with the likes of Walmart and Target. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. Fast forward to 2024, and Family Dollar is like that of my freeloading cousin who keeps asking to crash on my couch but never pays rent. 

In the last year alone, more than 600 Family Dollar stores have closed, and there’s talk of a potential sale or spinoff. Because why not cut your losses when your acquisition strategy ages like milk? So yeah, there’s that issue to deal with. 

(Source: CBS) 

Looking onward though, Dreiling is out, and COO Michael Creedon has officially been handed the keys to the Dollar Tree kingdom as interim CEO. The good part is that this isn’t Creedon’s first “casting couch”. Before joining Dollar Tree in 2022, Creedon spent nearly nine years at Advance Auto Parts where he helped oversee a 150% increase in share value during his tenure. 

For this reason, Wall Street seems cautiously optimistic. When the news of Dreiling’s departure dropped, shares actually rose 6.3%. Maybe investors are betting that a new CEO (who doesn’t have health issues) could be the catalyst for a turnaround. Or maybe they’re just relieved that someone else is steering the ship. Who knows… 

(Source: Bloomberg) 

With that said though, Dollar Tree has reaffirmed its third-quarter outlook, expecting net sales between $7.4 billion and $7.6 billion. But with 600+ Family Dollar stores closing and competition ramping up, they’ve got an uphill battle ahead. Still, Creedon seems optimistic about the future, saying the company is “focused on delivering a successful holiday season.” Translation: Please, for the love of all that is dollar-driven, buy our stuff.

(Source: Giphy) 

As for Dreiling though? He’s off to focus on his health and family,  leaving behind a company that’s very much in need of a turnaround. Whether Creedon is the guy to do it or not, only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: it’s going to be interesting. 

In the meantime, do what you will with this information and as always, stay safe and stay frosty, friends! Until next time…

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Stocks.News does not hold positions in any companies mentioned in the article.