Dollar General up after annual profit forecast raise

Shares of discount retailer Dollar General DG.N up 3.3% at $113.50 premarket

Co raises annual profit forecast on resilient demand at its discount stores for its affordable essentials from middle- and lower-income customers in the U.S.

Now expects annual earnings per share in the range of $6.30 to $6.50, compared with its earlier target of $5.80 to $6.30

Sees annual same-store sales to grow in the range of 2.5% to 2.7% vs prior forecast of 2.1% to 2.6% growth

Reports Q3 net sales of $10.65 billion, above analysts' estimates of $10.64 billion - as per data compiled by LSEG

Also logs quarterly adjusted EPS of $1.28 vs estimates of 95 cents

Up to last close, stock up ~51% YTD