Dollar General 2009 Annual Report Download - page 5

3
successfully cultivated an
engaged workforce, as
Dollar General placed in the
top quartile in the retail
industry. Additionally, our
improved resources and
training programs enabled
us to reduce store manager
turnover to its lowest level
in 16 years. We also main-
tained our commitment to
helping our associates grow within Dollar General. In 2009,
46 percent of available store manager opportunities were
filled by internal promotions.
Our employees are Dollar General’s most important
asset. Across the Company, associates in our more than
8,800 stores nationwide work tirelessly every day to deliver
our value and convenience proposition to our customers.
With about one billion customer transactions a year, these
associates strive to exceed the expectations of each and
every one of our customers. It is because of the commit-
ment and dedication of our 80,000 associates that we were
able to accomplish such great things in 2009, and I have
confidence that their engagement will lead to an even
better 2010.
Dollar General’s Future is Bright
It’s evident that consumers have made significant behav-
ioral changes during the current recession, and most have
reset their spending norm. As we work to enhance the
Dollar General experience and maintain an intense focus on
our customer service standards, we are confident that
consumers will continue to turn to Dollar General for their
everyday needs, even as the economy begins to recover.
As a result of our fine-tuned strategic direction as well
as the operating improvements that we have made over the
recent timeframe, we are now better positioned than ever
to meet customers’ needs. And while we have made a
great deal of progress toward meeting new and evolving
consumer needs, opportunities to improve our business
remain. We believe we have the right strategy and
execution capabilities in place to do so and to capitalize
on the considerable growth opportunities afforded by our
business model.
In 2010 we will stay focused on the four key operating
priorities that have been instrumental in our success over
the past two years:
• Driving productive sales growth;
• Increasing gross margin;
• Leveraging process improvements and information
technology to reduce costs; and
• Strengthening and expanding Dollar General’s culture
of serving others.
We are very excited about the future of Dollar General, as
we believe that we have significant opportunities for stable
and consistent growth going forward. Notably, we believe
that we still have significant store growth potential and are
accelerating new stores, relocations and remodels in 2010.
Importantly, we occupy an ideal position in the marketplace
that we expect will continue to make us a compelling
investment proposition going forward.
I am confident about the prospects for Dollar General
in 2010, and I think it is fair to say that in some ways the
Dollar General story is just beginning. We have tremendous
opportunities in front of us and will pursue these opportuni-
ties with every available resource.
We are grateful for our customers, partners, employees
and shareholders, and we want to thank all of you for your
support. As Dollar General embarks on its first full year as a
public company, there is much to look forward to, and we
are excited about continuing the journey with you.
Sincerely,
Richard W. Dreiling
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
April 16, 2010
$195
$180
$165
07 08 09
8,828
8,362
8,194
07 08 09
9.5%
9.0%
2.1%
07 08 09
07 08
$11.8
09
$10.5
$9.5
Net Sales
(in billions)
Same-Store Sales Growth Ending Store Count Sales Per Square Foot