(Reuters) - Dollar General Corp (N:DG), the No.2 U.S. discount retailer by store count, reported lower-than-expected quarterly net sales, saying the retail environment was similar to the preceding quarter when it said consumers were holding back on spending.
The company's same-store sales rose 2.3 percent, also below the 2.7 percent growth expected by analysts polled by research firm Consensus Metrix.
Larger rival Dollar Tree Inc (O:DLTR) reported better-than-expected net sales last week.
Dollar Tree said that higher rents, taxes and healthcare costs were pushing low-income Americans to rein in spending and helping discount retailers to win business.
Dollar General's net income rose to $253.3 million, or 86 cents per share, in the third quarter ended Oct. 30 from $236.3 million, or 78 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding items, the company earned 88 cents per share.
Net sales rose 7.3 percent to $5.07 billion. Analysts on an average had expected earnings of 87 cents per share on revenue of $5.09 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
The company also named interim Chief Financial Officer John Garratt permanently to the post.
Dollar General also increased its share buyback plan by $1 billion, increasing its total buyback authorization to $1.2 billion. The program has no expiration date.