Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.01 EPS

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.34 by $0.01, RTT News reports. Fastenal had a return on equity of 34.03% and a net margin of 15.45%. The company had revenue of $2.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.44 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.29 earnings per share.

Fastenal Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of Fastenal stock opened at $51.43 on Wednesday. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $50.33 and its 200 day simple moving average is $47.41. Fastenal has a 52-week low of $38.97 and a 52-week high of $52.92. The firm has a market cap of $59.02 billion, a PE ratio of 43.59, a P/E/G ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a current ratio of 4.18.

Fastenal Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 25th. Investors of record on Wednesday, October 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.26 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 28th. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Fastenal’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 88.14%.

Fastenal News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Fastenal this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong third-quarter performance: Fastenal reported higher third-quarter profit, strong daily sales growth, operating-expense leverage, and continued expansion with larger customers. Growth was supported by its Onsite, digital, and supply-chain solutions. Fastenal Company Reports 2026 Third Quarter Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target increase: Jefferies raised its target for FAST from $52 to $60, signaling increased confidence in the company’s earnings outlook and growth initiatives. Jefferies raises Fastenal stock target
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly dividend declared: The board approved a $0.26-per-share dividend payable November 25 to shareholders of record October 28. The payout implies $1.04 in annual dividends and a yield of roughly 2%, providing ongoing shareholder support. Fastenal announces cash dividend and share repurchase activity
• Neutral Sentiment: Expectations were elevated: Ahead of the release, analysts anticipated approximately 16.6% sales growth, driven by industrial demand, customer wins, and digital initiatives. The earnings reaction therefore depends on the magnitude of any revenue or profit beat rather than growth alone. Fastenal Q3 earnings preview
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and cost risks remain: Fastenal trades near its 52-week high at a premium earnings multiple, leaving less room for disappointment. Analysts also flagged continuing cost pressures, which could limit margin expansion despite solid sales momentum.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Fastenal news, Director Rita J. Heise sold 34,964 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.05, for a total transaction of $1,749,948.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 20,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,001,000. This represents a 63.61% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Michael Ancius sold 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.00, for a total transaction of $147,000.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 58,690 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,875,810. This represents a 4.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on FAST shares. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Fastenal in a research report on Tuesday, September 15th. They issued an “underperform” rating and a $51.00 price objective for the company. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “underperform” rating on shares of Fastenal in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Fastenal from $48.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. DA Davidson set a $51.00 price objective on shares of Fastenal in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $55.00 price objective on shares of Fastenal and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $49.92.

Fastenal Company Profile

Fastenal Company is a distributor of industrial and construction supplies serving businesses, contractors, manufacturers and other organizations. Its product offerings include fasteners such as bolts, nuts and screws, as well as safety equipment, tools, cutting tools, material-handling products, electrical and plumbing supplies, and maintenance and repair items.

The company sells products through a network of branch locations, onsite customer facilities, industrial vending machines and digital platforms.