Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving in the U.S., has long been synonymous with early mornings, long lines, and determined shoppers searching for the best deals on clothes, electronics, and countless other items. This year, however, the more compelling bargains may not be found in crowded stores but rather in the stocks of some of the nation’s strongest retailers. As consumers flood malls and websites in pursuit of Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts, investors can participate in the season by seeking out high-quality retail names that offer attractive value of their own.
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This article highlights three standout retail stocks that have defied industry headwinds and delivered strong performance throughout the year: TJX Companies (TJX), Dollar Tree (DLTR), and Dollar General (DG).
Despite pressures ranging from tariff impacts to a strained consumer environment, each of these companies has built a durable market position and continues to offer compelling value to its shoppers. Their operational resilience and strategic focus have translated into noteworthy share-price gains—and all three remain appealing opportunities for investors today.
TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX)
TJX is the parent company of retail stores, including TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods. The stock has shrugged off macroeconomic challenges, posting a 26.4% gain over the past year. Last week, the Massachusetts-based company reported excellent Q3 results. TJX reported strong same-store sales growth of 5%, at a time when many companies are struggling with declining same-store sales. Meanwhile, revenue grew 7.5% year-over-year.
What is TJX’s secret? Its mission is to “deliver great value to our customers every day,” and that’s exactly what it is doing. The company is an off-price retailer but creates a ‘treasure hunt’ experience for its customers, who never know what discounted merchandise from desirable brands they may find at its stores, making for a fun and exciting shopping experience. TJX typically sells these goods for 20 to 60% below regular prices. It achieves this by serving as an outlet where its vendors can move excess inventory through its 5,200 locations, creating a mutually beneficial relationship between the company and its vendors. CEO Ernie Herrman says that this flow of fashionable, branded goods makes TJX stand out and appeals to shoppers who see a new assortment of merchandise each time they visit.
The company also reports that it is off to a strong start to the fourth quarter and expects to be a top destination for value-conscious customers this holiday season.
After this strong performance, TJX stock isn’t quite what one would call cheap, but its valuation isn’t unreasonable either. The stock trades for 32.5x January 2026 earnings estimates and 29.5x 2027 estimates. This is a bit of a premium to the S&P 500 (SPX), which trades for 21.5x forward earnings estimates, but not unreasonable for a company performing well and posting substantial growth numbers like TJX.
TJX is also a dividend payer. While its dividend yield of 1.1% is relatively low (slightly trailing the S&P 500’s average yield of 1.2%), there is a lot to like about TJX as a dividend stock. It has a long and proud history of dividend growth — TJX is a Dividend Aristocrat that has increased its dividend payment for the last 28 years in a row (and paid a dividend for 35 years in a row). Furthermore, the company has been growing its dividend at an impressive clip — over the past five years, TJX has grown its dividend at a 48.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Not only does TJX pay a dividend, but it also rewards investors through share buybacks. During the first three quarters of its fiscal 2026, the company has repurchased 13.4 million shares of its own stock for $1.7 billion. Its buyback schedule is expected to continue and ramp up going forward, as management has earmarked $2.5 billion for buybacks in 2025.
I’m bullish on TJX stock based on its impressive same-store sales growth, reasonable (though not cheap) valuation, history of dividend growth and remarkable dividend growth rate, and its steady cadence of share buybacks.
Is TJX Stock a Buy, According to Analysts?
Turning to Wall Street, TJX earns a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 15 Buys, one Hold, and zero Sell ratings assigned in the past three months. The average TJX stock price target of $164.14 implies 10% upside potential from current levels.
Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:DLTR)
With a 55% gain, shares of discount retailer Dollar Tree are outperforming even TJX over the past year.
Dollar Tree appeals to customers in many ways, but primarily, it stands out for offering bargains with a low average selling price of $1.40 (compared to what it reports is an industry average of $3.00), and 85% of the products sold in Dollar Tree cost less than $2.
While the prices are low, the stores are far from dingy. Dollar Tree has long prided itself on maintaining a fleet of “clean, bright, and inviting stores” that deliver a “consistent customer experience.” Dollar Tree also lays out its stores in a manner designed to get customers in and out in 10 minutes or less, making it a convenient option for busy shoppers.
Like TJX, Dollar Tree also strives to offer a treasure hunt experience for customers. While shoppers come in for low-priced necessities, the company explains that “surprise and delight items around every corner turn an everyday errand into a treasure hunt.”
Despite the stock’s torrid performance over the past year, shares of Dollar Tree are still fairly inexpensive. In fact, the stock is cheaper than both TJX stock and the S&P 500, trading for a very reasonable 18.6x January 2026 earnings estimates.
Unlike TJX, Dollar Tree is not a dividend stock, but it does return capital to shareholders via share buybacks. Since 2023, Dollar Tree has repurchased $2.1 billion worth of its shares; a significant amount for a company with a market cap of just over $20 billion.
Overall, I’m bullish on Dollar Tree stock based on its strong momentum, attractive valuation, differentiated customer experience, and its returns to shareholders.
Is DLTR Stock a Buy, According to Analysts?
Turning to Wall Street, DLTR earns a Hold consensus rating based on eight Buys, 11 Holds, and four Sell ratings assigned in the past three months. The average DLTR stock price target of $109.47 implies 9% upside potential.
Dollar General (NYSE:DG)
Like its peers listed above, Dollar General is having a banner year, with shares up 37.6% over the past 12 months.
Dollar General is a low-cost retailer with over 20,000 locations spanning 48 states. It has honed in on a solid niche: 80% of its current locations serve communities with 20,000 or fewer residents, areas sometimes overlooked by big-box stores.
Dollar General may not offer the same ‘treasure hunt’ experience as TJX (or even Dollar Tree, for that matter), as it takes a more simple, “no-frills” approach, but it has a strong focus on providing low-priced essentials to its base of lower-income consumers who are often underserved by big-box stores. As Dollar General itself explains, the company creates a convenient, hassle-free customer experience by “staying focused on household essentials including paper and cleaning products, foods, over-the-counter medicines, health and beauty products, seasonal items, baby needs and more.”
Despite the strong performance, shares of Dollar General are still notably cheap, trading at just 16.5x January 2026 earnings estimates, making the stock far more affordable than the broader market and the cheapest stock in this comparison.
Dollar General is a dividend stock with a yield of 2.3%, which is double that of the S&P 500 and TJX. That said, Dollar General doesn’t have the same long history of dividend growth as TJX.
Dollar General will next report earnings on December 4th. However, when it last published results in August, the company was performing well with 5.1% revenue growth, 2.8% same-store sales growth, and a 9.4% gain in diluted earnings per share (EPS), and I expect to see continued strong performance going forward.
I’m bullish on Dollar General based on its momentum, its strong niche, and its attractive valuation and yield.
Is DG Stock a Buy, According to Analysts?
Turning to Wall Street, DG earns a Hold consensus rating based on seven Buys, 13 Holds, and zero Sell ratings assigned in the past three months. The average DG stock price target of $123.63 implies 21% upside potential.
Three Bargain Black Friday Deals
I’m a strong supporter of all three stocks, each of which has navigated difficult macro conditions and still delivered impressive returns over the past year. Their ability to carve out distinct niches and offer compelling value to consumers demonstrates that well-positioned retailers can remain highly attractive investments even in a challenging market.
I’m bullish on all three names, but if one stands out today, it’s Dollar General. Its combination of the lowest valuation and the highest yield provides meaningful downside protection along with substantial potential for additional upside.