FAST Fastenal Company - Fundamental Analysis
At a glance
Key valuation, profitability, growth, and risk metrics.
AI Analysis
Powered by advanced machine learning algorithms
Key Strengths
Key Risks
Performance Snowflake
Multi-dimensional analysis across 5 key categories
Valuation metrics place FAST among the most expensive names in the industrials sector, with only CARR trading at a higher P/E (33.81), yet FAST delivers stronger growth and ROE, partially justifying the spread.
- Forward P/E of 18.47 suggests some de-rating from current 38.16 multiple may already be priced in
- Price/Sales of 5.85 is in line with high-margin industrial distributors
- Current P/E of 38.16 is significantly above sector average of 31.89 and peers like PCAR (18.74) and NSC (21.64)
- Price/Book of 11.93 indicates extreme premium to tangible assets
While FAST maintains above-trend growth in a slowing industrial environment, price momentum has weakened (-3.7% over 1M), lagging peers like NSC that have seen strong rebounds, suggesting investor rotation away from richly valued names.
- Revenue and earnings growing at 11.7% and 11.5% YoY, outpacing sector average growth of 6.05%
- Q/Q earnings growth of 12.5% shows sequential momentum
- Most recent Q/Q EPS growth is flat at +0.0%, raising concerns about near-term inflection
- Analyst target implies only 7.4% upside, signaling limited conviction in re-rating
FAST has delivered strong long-term returns and stable margins, but recent quarters show diminishing earnings beat frequency and size, contrasting with earlier consistency seen in 2020–2022.
- Consistent profitability with operating margin above 20% and ROA of 20.50% over time
- Long-term share performance strong: +89.3% over 5Y and +68.9% over 3Y
- Only 2 of last 4 quarters beat estimates, with two misses including a -3.7% surprise
- Earnings surprises have trended lower in magnitude, from double-digit beats in 2020 to single digits recently
FAST’s balance sheet is among the strongest in the sector, with minimal leverage compared to peers like NSC (1.16) and sector average (1.44), enabling resilience in downturns and strategic agility.
- Exceptionally low Debt/Equity of 0.13 provides significant financial flexibility
- Current ratio of 4.26 and quick ratio of 1.96 indicate robust short-term liquidity
- Missing Total Cash and Total Debt figures limit full liquidity runway assessment
- High ROIC dependency not confirmed due to missing ROIC data
The dividend provides a modest yield and income anchor, but the high payout ratio near 80% suggests limited room for increases without earnings acceleration, especially in a cyclical sector.
- Dividend yield of 2.18% is attractive in current rate environment
- Consistent annual payout supports income-oriented investors
- Payout ratio of 79.81% is high for an industrial firm, limiting reinvestment capacity
- No data on dividend growth history or streak, raising sustainability questions
Stock Price & Analyst Targets
Real-time price movements and analyst price targets
Multi-Horizon Performance vs Peers
Price momentum across 5Y → 1W horizons for FAST and closest competitors.
| Company | 5Y | 3Y | 1Y | 6M | 1M | 1W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
FAST
Fastenal Company
Primary
|
+89.3% | +68.9% | +0.6% | -1.6% | -3.7% | -1.0% |
|
CARR
Carrier Global Corporation
Peer
|
+43.0% | +27.2% | -26.9% | -28.0% | -5.1% | -5.9% |
|
DAL
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Peer
|
+79.6% | +89.2% | +7.7% | +25.9% | +1.0% | -2.6% |
|
AXON
Axon Enterprise, Inc.
Peer
|
+251.3% | +224.5% | -0.0% | -16.6% | +3.7% | -3.6% |
|
GWW
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Peer
|
+136.1% | +63.6% | -20.5% | -15.5% | -3.1% | -2.8% |
Positive values indicate cumulative gains over the specified period. Comparables pulled from the same sector to highlight whether momentum is stock-specific or industry-wide.
Historical Performance Trends
Long-term financial metrics and growth patterns
Revenue & Net Income
Profit & Operating Margins
Return on Equity (ROE)
Quarterly Revenue Growth
Valuation Metrics
Key valuation ratios and pricing indicators
Profitability
Profit margins and return metrics
Growth
Revenue and earnings growth rates
Financial Health
Balance sheet strength and liquidity metrics
Quarterly Earnings History
EPS performance vs analyst estimates
Industrials Sector Comparison
Similar Companies
Peer comparison within the same industry
| Company | AI Rating | Market Cap | P/E | ROE | Profit Margin | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
FAST
Fastenal Company
|
NEUTRAL | $46.78B | 38.16 | 32.7% | 15.3% | $40.45 | |
|
CARR
Carrier Global Corporation
|
NEUTRAL | $46.46B | 33.81 | 10.0% | 18.1% | $54.1 | |
|
DAL
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $45.99B | 9.19 | 27.8% | 7.9% | $70.43 | |
|
AXON
Axon Enterprise, Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $48.71B | 192.21 | 10.0% | 10.1% | $613.14 | |
|
GWW
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $44.46B | 25.97 | 46.7% | 9.7% | $926.21 |
Recent Insider Trading
Insider buy and sell transactions from the last 6 months
| Date | Insider | Position | Transaction | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-12 | EASTMAN STEPHEN L | Director | Purchase | 1,000 | $40,816 |
| 2025-10-16 | HSU HSENGHUNG SAM | Director | Purchase | 1,000 | $42,450 |
| 2025-10-14 | ANCIUS MICHAEL J | Director | Option Exercise | 2,000 | $86,390 |
| 2025-08-15 | DRAZKOWSKI WILLIAM JOSEPH | Officer | Sale | 6,842 | $333,012 |
| 2025-08-15 | DRAZKOWSKI WILLIAM JOSEPH | Officer | Option Exercise | 6,842 | $129,998 |
| 2025-08-12 | FLORNESS DANIEL LARS | Chief Executive Officer | Sale | 84,612 | $4,098,673 |
| 2025-08-12 | FLORNESS DANIEL LARS | Chief Executive Officer | Option Exercise | 84,612 | $1,099,956 |
| 2025-08-08 | SODERBERG JOHN LEWIS | Officer | Sale | 34,612 | $1,662,421 |
| 2025-08-08 | WATTS JEFFERY MICHAEL | President | Sale | 48,724 | $2,341,202 |
| 2025-08-08 | SODERBERG JOHN LEWIS | Officer | Option Exercise | 34,612 | $449,956 |
| 2025-08-08 | WATTS JEFFERY MICHAEL | President | Option Exercise | 48,724 | $657,955 |
| 2025-07-24 | BROERSMA ANTHONY PAUL | Officer | Sale | 13,582 | $650,931 |
| 2025-07-24 | BROERSMA ANTHONY PAUL | Officer | Option Exercise | 13,582 | $206,170 |
| 2025-07-17 | LISOWSKI SHERYL ANN | Chief Financial Officer | Sale | 21,052 | $951,832 |
| 2025-07-17 | LISOWSKI SHERYL ANN | Chief Financial Officer | Option Exercise | 21,052 | $479,988 |
Wall Street Analysts
Professional analyst ratings and price targets
Past News Coverage
Recent headlines mentioning FAST from our newsroom.