March 12 (Reuters) - Dollar General ( DG ) forecast annual comparable sales below Wall Street estimates on Thursday, as bargain-hunting customers turn to other discount stores and online retailers for better deals amid economic uncertainty.

Shares of the company were down about 3% in premarket trading. The stock has risen about 10% this year.

Increasing costs of living and signs of deteriorating labor market conditions are making consumers, especially from lower-income groups, hesitant to shop for nice-to-have items, in turn hurting sales at retailers.

The company expects fiscal 2026 same-store sales to grow in the range of 2.2% to 2.7%, compared with analysts' estimates of 2.48%, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The midpoint of its annual profit forecast range of $7.10 to $7.35 per share was largely in line with estimates of $7.21 per share.

(Reporting by Anuja Bharat Mistry and Krisha Bhatt in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)