DLTR vs GAP Stock Comparison
DLTR currently leads GAP in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 58 vs 52. The clearest difference is momentum, while GAP has the stronger value profile.
What is the main difference between DLTR and GAP?
DLTR leads the current stock comparison as Dollar Tree, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Dollar Tree, Inc. vs The Gap, Inc.
DLTR leads
DLTR leads by 6 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience, having only recently taken the lead back from GAP. Wall Street currently favors GAP on target upside.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support DLTR, the lead recently changed hands, and its signal state is cleanly positive.
Dollar Tree, Inc.
The Gap, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors DLTR over GAP, 58 versus 52 as of Oct 31, 2026. DLTR's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience, while GAP holds the stronger value profile. DLTR also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors GAP. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor DLTR today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. DLTR lead: Reversed — GAP led by 12 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; DLTR now leads by 6.
Compare Dollar Tree, Inc. and The Gap, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare DLTR and GAP against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum76 vs 29DLTR +47
- Value52 vs 67GAP +15
- Quality57 vs 61GAP +4
- Risk Resilience44 vs 40DLTR +4
3 of 6 evidence groups favor DLTR. DLTR’s edge is concentrated in momentum and risk resilience; GAP keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-28, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-27.
Largest factor move: Momentum +1, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum +4
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.
DLTR's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — DLTR and GAP both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
DLTR (Dollar Tree, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.
GAP (The Gap, Inc.): the counter-case, on value, quality, fundamentals.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
DLTRDLTR on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
GAPGAP on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
GAPGAP on the peer-relative Value factor, by 15 points.
Momentum
DLTRDLTR on the Momentum factor, by 47 points.
Lower downside
DLTRDLTR on Risk Resilience, by 4 points.
Analyst upside
GAPGAP on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors DLTR, analyst targets favor GAP. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | DLTR | GAP | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | -2.6% | +12.3% | GAP has more room |
| Target dispersion | +57.5% | +87.8% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 15 | 9 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor DLTR. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | DLTR | 58 vs 52 |
| Fundamentals | GAPon balance | revenue growth -1.7% vs 4.4%; EPS growth 53.4% vs 53.3%; TTM ROE 45.6% vs 33.1%; gross margin 38.7% vs 43.3%; operating margin 10.7% vs 11% — GAP takes 2 of 3 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | GAP | Value 52 vs 67 |
| Technicals | DLTR | Price vs 50-day 10% vs 1.4%; vs 200-day 8.9% vs -5% |
| Risk Resilience | DLTR | Risk Resilience 44 vs 40 |
| Analyst expectations | GAP | Target upside -2.6% vs 12.3% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of DLTR and GAP and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 6 points.
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on DLTR.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 29 – Oct 28DLTR lead: Reversed — GAP led by 12 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; DLTR now leads by 6.
- Today
- DLTR +6
- 58 vs 52
- 7 sessions ago
- DLTR +5
- 60 vs 55
- 30 sessions ago
- GAP +12
- 52 vs 64
- 90 sessions ago
- GAP +4
- 53 vs 57
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Oct 19 when DLTR moved ahead of GAP.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
4 bullish / 0 bearish
Only DLTR
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (4.21%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
0 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral
Only GAP
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (5.24%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +1.39%, AIQ 0 points).
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -2.49%, AIQ +1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1GAP closes the Momentum gap — currently 47 points behind, the largest single contributor to DLTR's edge.
- 2GAP's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3DLTR's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
GAP leads on balance| Metric | DLTR | GAP |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -1.7% | 4.4% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 53.4% | 53.3% |
| Gross margin | 38.7% | 43.3% |
| Operating margin | 10.7% | 11% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 45.6% | 33.1% |
| Debt to equity | 2.24 | 1.45 |
Performance
DLTR leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | DLTR | GAP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1.4% | -3% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 11.5% | -3.7% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -1.1% | 7.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 27.6% | -9.3% |
| Year to date | 3.4% | -14.1% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 28.4% | -6.2% |
Technicals
DLTR has the stronger structure| Metric | DLTR | GAP |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 64 | 36.2 |
| ADX (14) | 28.5 | 20 |
| Price vs 50-day | 10% | 1.4% |
| Price vs 200-day | 8.9% | -5% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 34.5% | 30.1% |
Risk
DLTR is the more resilient| Metric | DLTR | GAP |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.66 | 1.08 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.63 | -0.08 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.22 | -0.1 |
| Max drawdown | -38.5% | -37% |
| Current drawdown | -9.9% | -24.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 41.5% | 46.1% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.9% | -3.7% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, DLTR or GAP?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, DLTR is the stronger of the two as of Oct 31, 2026, scoring 58 against GAP's 52. The edge comes from momentum and risk resilience. GAP is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is DLTR or GAP the better buy right now?
DLTR carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 31, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor DLTR over GAP?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. DLTR leads Momentum by 47 points; GAP leads Value by 15 points; GAP leads Quality by 4 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, DLTR or GAP?
Analyst price targets imply -2.6% upside for DLTR and +12.3% for GAP, so the Street currently favors GAP. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors DLTR. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, DLTR or GAP?
GAP is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. GAP on the peer-relative Value factor, by 15 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, DLTR or GAP?
GAP on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, DLTR or GAP?
DLTR on the Momentum factor, by 47 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, DLTR or GAP?
DLTR is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. DLTR on Risk Resilience, by 4 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is DLTR more profitable than GAP?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 38.7% vs 43.3%; operating margin 10.7% vs 11%; ttm roe 45.6% vs 33.1%. Each name leads on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is DLTR's lead over GAP getting stronger or weaker?
DLTR lead: Reversed — GAP led by 12 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; DLTR now leads by 6. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-29 and 2026-10-28. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-19, when DLTR moved ahead of GAP.
What would change the DLTR vs GAP verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: GAP closes the Momentum gap — currently 47 points behind, the largest single contributor to DLTR's edge; GAP's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; DLTR's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about DLTR and GAP?
DLTR: 4 bullish / 0 bearish. GAP: 0 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral. The most decision-relevant rule on DLTR is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On GAP it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare DLTR and GAP with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.