Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) Trading Down 4% – Here’s What Happened
by Scott Moore · The Cerbat GemFastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST – Get Free Report)’s stock price was down 4% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $47.68 and last traded at $47.2250. Approximately 2,612,852 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 69% from the average daily volume of 8,535,407 shares. The stock had previously closed at $49.17.
Key Fastenal News
Here are the key news stories impacting Fastenal this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q1 results matched street expectations: revenue ~$2.20B (≈ +12% YoY) and GAAP EPS $0.30, showing solid sales growth and improved operating leverage that support the company’s underlying demand recovery. Fastenal posts in-line Q1 results as shares slip premarket
- Positive Sentiment: Board declared a quarterly dividend (announced Apr 10) — supports income investors and signals cash-flow confidence. Ex-dividend date set for Apr 28. MarketBeat Fastenal profile
- Neutral Sentiment: Company filed the formal press release and slide deck — useful for checking details and conference-call color; results are accessible for investors doing deeper analysis. Fastenal Company Reports 2026 First Quarter Earnings
- Neutral Sentiment: Macroeconomic/futures weakness headlines (market futures down) added background selling pressure for many stocks this morning, likely amplifying Fastenal’s move. Stock Market Today: Dow Futures Fall…
- Neutral Sentiment: Insider activity is mixed (recent purchases and some sales); institutional holdings showed large portfolio moves in prior quarters — these are background flows that can influence liquidity but don’t change the company fundamentals immediately. Quiver Quantitative overview
- Negative Sentiment: Gross margin contracted (44.6% vs. 45.1% prior year) due to unfavorable price/cost dynamics, transport and rebates — this margin pressure was a principal driver of the selloff because it threatens near-term profitability despite top-line growth. Fastenal shares slide as Q1 results meet expectations…
- Negative Sentiment: Management commentary was described as “nothing new” and showed limited incremental upside; the company also reiterated elevated 2026 capex ($310M–$330M) to support facilities, trucking and IT — higher investment and price/cost headwinds raise near-term profit risk at a stock that trades at a premium multiple. Fastenal shares slide as Q1 results meet expectations…
- Negative Sentiment: Analyst sentiment is mixed and price targets vary (median near $44 with some underperform calls), which can limit buyer conviction after an in-line quarter. Quiver Quantitative overview
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on Fastenal from $51.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “underperform” rating on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Raymond James Financial set a $48.00 price objective on Fastenal in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Wolfe Research raised their price objective on Fastenal from $43.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Fastenal from $43.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Fastenal currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $49.17.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on Fastenal
Fastenal Trading Down 7.3%
The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $46.11 and a 200 day simple moving average of $43.77. The company has a current ratio of 4.85, a quick ratio of 2.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. The firm has a market capitalization of $52.32 billion, a PE ratio of 41.42, a P/E/G ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 0.84.
Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, April 13th. The company reported $0.30 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.30. Fastenal had a return on equity of 32.83% and a net margin of 15.35%.The business had revenue of $2.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.19 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.52 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Fastenal Company will post 2.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Fastenal Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, May 26th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 28th will be paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, April 28th. Fastenal’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 87.27%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Fastenal
In other news, Director Reyne K. Wisecup sold 36,920 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.34, for a total value of $1,747,792.80. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 40,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,893,600. This trade represents a 48.00% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Scott Satterlee sold 15,964 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.19, for a total value of $705,449.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 50,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,209,500. This trade represents a 24.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Fastenal
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of FAST. Brighton Jones LLC purchased a new position in shares of Fastenal in the 4th quarter worth $496,000. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC lifted its position in Fastenal by 2.4% during the first quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 6,276 shares of the company’s stock valued at $487,000 after purchasing an additional 147 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new position in Fastenal during the second quarter valued at $158,000. Jump Financial LLC purchased a new position in Fastenal during the second quarter valued at $2,199,000. Finally, Cary Street Partners Financial LLC lifted its position in Fastenal by 111.0% during the second quarter. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC now owns 3,367 shares of the company’s stock valued at $141,000 after purchasing an additional 1,771 shares in the last quarter. 81.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
About Fastenal
Fastenal (NASDAQ: FAST) is a wholesale distributor of industrial and construction supplies, best known for its broad assortment of fasteners such as bolts, nuts, screws and anchors. Founded in Winona, Minnesota, Fastenal has grown from a regional supplier into a national and international distributor serving a wide range of end markets, including manufacturing, construction, maintenance, repair and operations (MRO), and government customers. The company is publicly traded and operates through a network of locally staffed branches combined with national distribution capabilities.
Product offerings extend beyond fasteners to include tools, safety and personal protective equipment, power transmission components, cutting and welding supplies, janitorial and material handling items, and other industrial consumables.