MATTHEWS, N.C. (AP) — Family Dollar Stores Inc. said Wednesday that a proxy advisory firm recommends shareholders vote for a buyout offer from Dollar Tree Inc.

A special shareholder meeting is scheduled for next week to vote on the issue. The vote has already been pushed back twice, with shareholders giving another discount retail rival, Dollar General, more time to persuade the company to accept its higher bid.

Family Dollar has rejected numerous approaches from Dollar General, the latest worth $9.1 billion in cash, in favor of an $8.5 billion cash-and-stock offer from Dollar Tree. It has cited risks that the Dollar General deal would be blocked because of anti-monopoly rules.

Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder recommends a vote for the Dollar Tree deal, saying it "offers significant value and near certainty of closure."

This comes after Family Dollar announced earlier this week that the FTC may require the company to divest itself of between 3,500 and 4,000 stores for a deal with Dollar General to go through.

Family Dollar, based in Matthews, N.C., said it believes a combination with Dollar Tree would create the leading discount retailer in North America.

Representatives for Dollar Tree, based in Norfolk, Va., and Dollar General, based in Goodlettsville, could not be reached immediately for comment.