FASTENAL CO
FAST · Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply · 1.15B shares · +19%/yr ↑ dilution · EDGAR filings ↗
Net buyback after stock comp: $230M (gross $238M, SBC $7M)
Reference price $47.34 · est. market cap ~$54.4B — last insider sale, 2026-03-05 (estimated from the dated SEC Form 4 price × shares outstanding — not a live quote)
Grade
A87Dominant industrial-distribution franchise with top-decile returns, a near debt-free balance sheet, and strong cash generation.
Strengths
- ROA 24.9% (97.6th pct) and ROE 31.9% (84th) — best-in-class returns
- Operating margin 20.2% (87.3rd) and FCF $1.05B (90.6th); debt/equity 0.02 with current ratio 4.85
Risks
- Cyclical industrial end-markets (PMI sub-50 most of 2025) and tariff-driven pricing
- Growth depends on continued share gains and FMI/vending penetration
Notable findings
- Exec changeRecent 8-K item 5.02 8-K ↗
- Chronic dilutionShare count +19%/yr over 4y (dilution, book value/share -35%)
- Strong balance sheetStrong balance sheet — $277M cash & investments
- Insider sellingInsider selling — 2 open-market sale(s) by 2 insider(s) (cluster of 2 insiders, ~$2M, last 6mo) Form 4 ↗
Quarterly revenue
Last 4 quarters · from SEC filings.
Key metrics
Gross margin
45.0%
Operating margin
20.2%
Net margin
15.3%
Return on equity
31.9%
Return on assets
24.9%
ROIC
32.3%
Revenue growth (QoQ)
8.6%
Net-income growth
9.4%
Debt / equity
0.0×
Net debt / EBITDA
-0.1×
Current ratio
4.9×
Free cash flow
$1.1B
EBITDA
$1.8B
Tangible book value
$3.9B
Cash & investments
$277M
Stock comp / revenue
0.1%
Insider transactions · last 18 months
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-24 | Ancius Michael J | Option exercise | 1.0K | $44.90 |
| 2026-03-05 | Wisecup Reyne K | Option exercise | 37K | $13.00 |
| 2026-03-05 | Wisecup Reyne K | Sell | 37K | $47.34 |
| 2026-01-23 | SATTERLEE SCOTT | Option exercise | 16K | $19.00 |
| 2026-01-23 | SATTERLEE SCOTT | Sell | 16K | $44.19 |
| 2025-12-12 | Ancius Michael J | Option exercise | 1.5K | $42.01 |
| 2025-11-19 | Nielsen Sarah N | Buy | 1.0K | $39.60 |
| 2025-11-18 | Ancius Michael J | Option exercise | 2.0K | $39.96 |
| 2025-11-17 | Johnson Daniel L. | Buy | 1.0K | $40.44 |
| 2025-11-13 | HSU Hsenghung Sam | Buy | 1.0K | $49.58 |
| 2025-11-13 | HSU Hsenghung Sam | Buy | 1.0K | $40.58 |
| 2025-11-12 | Eastman Stephen L. | Buy | 1.0K | $40.82 |
| 2025-10-16 | HSU Hsenghung Sam | Buy | 1.0K | $42.45 |
| 2025-10-14 | Ancius Michael J | Option exercise | 2.0K | $43.20 |
| 2025-08-15 | Drazkowski William Joseph | Sell | 6.8K | $48.67 |
| 2025-08-15 | Drazkowski William Joseph | Option exercise | 6.8K | $19.00 |
| 2025-08-12 | FLORNESS DANIEL L | Option exercise | 85K | $13.00 |
| 2025-08-12 | FLORNESS DANIEL L | Option exercise | 85K | $13.00 |
| 2025-08-12 | FLORNESS DANIEL L | Sell | 85K | $48.44 |
| 2025-08-12 | FLORNESS DANIEL L | Sell | 85K | $48.44 |
| 2025-08-08 | Watts Jeffery Michael | Sell | 33K | $48.05 |
| 2025-08-08 | Soderberg John Lewis | Sell | 35K | $48.03 |
| 2025-08-08 | Soderberg John Lewis | Option exercise | 35K | $13.00 |
| 2025-08-08 | Watts Jeffery Michael | Sell | 16K | $48.05 |
| 2025-08-08 | Soderberg John Lewis | Option exercise | 35K | $13.00 |
| 2025-08-08 | Soderberg John Lewis | Sell | 35K | $48.03 |
| 2025-08-08 | Watts Jeffery Michael | Option exercise | 33K | $13.75 |
| 2025-08-08 | Watts Jeffery Michael | Option exercise | 16K | $13.00 |
| 2025-07-24 | Broersma Anthony Paul | Sell | 4.9K | $47.94 |
| 2025-07-24 | Broersma Anthony Paul | Option exercise | 8.6K | $13.00 |
| 2025-07-24 | Broersma Anthony Paul | Sell | 8.6K | $47.92 |
| 2025-07-24 | Broersma Anthony Paul | Option exercise | 4.9K | $19.00 |
| 2025-07-17 | Lisowski Sheryl Ann | Option exercise | 5.1K | $19.00 |
| 2025-07-17 | Lisowski Sheryl Ann | Sell | 4.0K | $45.21 |
| 2025-07-17 | Lisowski Sheryl Ann | Option exercise | 4.0K | $24.00 |
| 2025-07-17 | Lisowski Sheryl Ann | Sell | 5.1K | $45.20 |
| 2025-07-17 | Lisowski Sheryl Ann | Option exercise | 12K | $24.00 |
| 2025-07-17 | Lisowski Sheryl Ann | Sell | 12K | $45.22 |
| 2025-06-05 | Papenfuss Donnalee Kathleen | Sell | 1.4K | $41.30 |
| 2025-06-05 | Papenfuss Donnalee Kathleen | Option exercise | 1.6K | $11.75 |
| 2025-06-05 | Papenfuss Donnalee Kathleen | Sell | 1.6K | $41.24 |
| 2025-06-05 | Papenfuss Donnalee Kathleen | Option exercise | 1.4K | $13.75 |
| 2025-05-16 | Soderberg John Lewis | Option exercise | 16K | $27.50 |
| 2025-05-16 | Soderberg John Lewis | Sell | 16K | $82.45 |
| 2025-05-06 | SATTERLEE SCOTT | Sell | 9.7K | $79.51 |
| 2025-05-06 | SATTERLEE SCOTT | Option exercise | 9.7K | $26.00 |
| 2025-04-25 | Broersma Anthony Paul | Sell | 796 | $81.21 |
| 2025-04-25 | Broersma Anthony Paul | Sell | 4.8K | $81.18 |
| 2025-04-25 | Broersma Anthony Paul | Option exercise | 796 | $23.50 |
| 2025-04-25 | Broersma Anthony Paul | Option exercise | 4.8K | $27.50 |
| 2025-04-24 | FLORNESS DANIEL L | Option exercise | 50K | $27.50 |
| 2025-04-24 | FLORNESS DANIEL L | Sell | 50K | $82.12 |
| 2025-04-14 | Miller Charles S. | Buy | 20 | $81.45 |
| 2025-04-14 | Drazkowski William Joseph | Option exercise | 15K | $38.00 |
| 2025-04-14 | Drazkowski William Joseph | Sell | 15K | $81.31 |
| 2025-04-14 | Miller Charles S. | Buy | 20 | $39.15 |
| 2025-04-07 | Miller Charles S. | Buy | 20 | $39.15 |
| 2025-04-07 | Miller Charles S. | Buy | 20 | $73.61 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Sell | 23K | $75.00 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Option exercise | 16K | $38.00 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Sell | 16K | $74.98 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Option exercise | 10K | $48.00 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Sell | 10K | $74.95 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Option exercise | 6.2K | $62.00 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Sell | 6.2K | $74.94 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Option exercise | 9.9K | $48.00 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Sell | 9.9K | $74.96 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Sell | 3.7K | $74.92 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Option exercise | 23K | $26.00 |
| 2025-03-14 | Lewis Holden | Option exercise | 3.7K | $64.00 |
| 2025-01-24 | Ancius Michael J | Gift | 1.0K | — |
All non-derivative Form 4 activity (SEC), newest first.
Notable events (8-K)
| Date | Items | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Material agreementDebt obligationExhibits | filing ↗ |
| 2026-06-12 | Exec/director change | filing ↗ |
| 2026-04-29 | Exec/director changeExhibits | filing ↗ |
| 2026-04-24 | Shareholder voteExhibits | filing ↗ |
| 2026-04-13 | ResultsExhibits | filing ↗ |
| 2026-01-20 | ResultsExhibits | filing ↗ |
| 2025-12-22 | Exec/director changeReg FDExhibits | filing ↗ |
| 2025-11-03 | Exec/director changeReg FDExhibits | filing ↗ |
Recent filings
| Form | Filed | Period | Accession |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-K | 2026-06-23 | 2026-06-18 | 0000815556-26-000035 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2026-06-12 | 2026-06-12 | 0000815556-26-000033 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2026-04-29 | 2026-04-23 | 0000815556-26-000027 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2026-04-24 | 2026-04-23 | 0000815556-26-000025 ↗ |
| 10-Q | 2026-04-16 | 2026-03-31 | 0000815556-26-000022 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2026-04-13 | 2026-04-13 | 0000815556-26-000019 ↗ |
| 10-K | 2026-02-05 | 2025-12-31 | 0000815556-26-000009 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2026-01-20 | 2026-01-20 | 0000815556-26-000003 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2025-12-22 | 2025-12-19 | 0000815556-25-000123 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2025-11-03 | 2025-10-30 | 0000815556-25-000121 ↗ |
| 10-Q | 2025-10-16 | 2025-09-30 | 0000815556-25-000119 ↗ |
| 8-K | 2025-10-14 | 2025-10-13 | 0000815556-25-000116 ↗ |