Dollar Tree Inc. has announced significant changes impacting its operations, including the closure of nearly 1,000 Family Dollar stores and layoffs at its corporate headquarters. The company disclosed in its fourth-quarter financial results that it plans to shut down about 600 Family Dollar stores in the first half of fiscal 2024 and an additional 370 Family Dollar and 30 Dollar Tree stores over the next few years as their lease terms expire. This decision comes in the wake of a 1.2% decline in same-store net sales for Family Dollar, contrasting with a 6.3% surge for Dollar Tree, leading to an overall enterprise increase of 3.0%. Despite these closures, Dollar Tree reported a diluted loss per share of $7.85 due to substantial charges, including a portfolio optimization review charge and goodwill and trade name intangible asset impairment charges.
The closures are part of a broader strategy to address underperforming stores and align with the company’s transformation vision. Dollar Tree’s overall financial performance for fiscal 2024 shows a profit increase compared to the previous year, despite the fourth-quarter loss driven by various factors, including elevated shrink, product cost inflation, and higher distribution and markdown costs. CEO Rick Dreiling expressed optimism about the company’s future, highlighting positive traffic trends, market share gains, and adjusted margin improvement across both Dollar Tree and Family Dollar segments.
In addition to store closures, Dollar Tree has announced layoffs at its Chesapeake, Va., headquarters, affecting about 90 employees. These layoffs are primarily attributed to the establishment of an outsourced model for Dollar Tree’s Enterprise Contact Center. The company has committed to providing transition support for the affected employees, including severance pay and outplacement services.
These moves reflect Dollar Tree’s ongoing efforts to streamline operations and focus on growth areas, despite the challenges presented by the current retail landscape and past issues, such as a guilty plea by Family Dollar Stores for storing products in a rodent-infested warehouse. As Dollar Tree navigates these changes, it aims to strengthen its supply chain and improve overall operating efficiency, with the leadership team, including newly hired Chief Supply Chain Officer Mike Kindy, playing a crucial role in driving these efforts forward.