1300 ET - Visits to Dollar General have outpaced those to Dollar Tree for most of this year, according to a recent report from Placer.ai. Rising gas prices in the spring played into Dollar General's strengths, as consumers tightened their belts and pulled back on discretionary spending, the location-analytics firm says. "But as fuel-price pressure eased heading into the summer, Dollar Tree regained momentum--and in July, the chain overtook Dollar General in year-over-year same-store visit growth, with visits up 4.8% YoY compared with 1.9% for Dollar General," the report reads. Placer.ai says several factors likely contributed to Dollar Tree's surge in visits this summer, including pent-up demand following the spring pullback and holiday offerings tied to America's 250th anniversary. "As value remains top of mind, both chains appear poised to continue capturing consumer demand in the months ahead," the report says. Both chains are set to report earnings on Thursday.