Trading Companies & Distributors

Shares of Fastenal Co (NASDAQ: FAST) fell about 1.9% after the company reported a 42% rise in its Q1 net earnings. The company's earnings came in at $79.5 million, or $0.54 per share, up from $56 million, or $0.38 per share, in the year-earlier period. The company's sales increased 23% to $640.6...

Fastenal Company (NASDAQ: FAST) reported its Q1 EPS at $0.54, versus the consensus of $0.51. FAST reported its Q1 revenue at $640.6 million, versus the consensus of $629 million. FAST shares dropped 0.01% to $ 67.49 in pre-market trading. Read more from Benzinga's Company news.

The Fastenal Company of Winona, MN (Nasdaq: FAST) reported the results of the quarter ended March 31, 2011. Net sales $ 640.6M EPS $0.54

US stock futures are lower this morning, as Alcoa Inc (NYSE: AA) reported disappointing Q1 sales. Japanese government raised its status of the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to 7. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 49 points to 12,272.00 and futures on...

On CNBC's Mad Money, Jim Cramer said during the Lightning Round that Wisconsin Energy (NYSE: WEC) is a “growth utility, but I want to ring the register. Let's not give that gain back." For Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS), he said, "They are blowing away the numbers and I'm not chasing it...

Shares of Fastenal Company (NASDAQ: FAST) are lower on the session by 0.22%, currently trading at $67.67. The stock has been moving largely higher over the past six months and is currently trading above the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Options traders are buying puts on the name today. A...

Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE: BHI) was upgraded by Credit Suisse from "neutral" to "outperform." BHI's shares closed at $71.22 yesterday. Baker Hughes' PEG ratio is 0.73. RBC Capital upgraded ImmunoGen Inc (NASDAQ: IMGN) from “sector perform” to “outperform.” IMGN's shares closed at $11.80...

Analysts at RW Baird upgrade Beacon Roofing Supply Inc (NASDAQ: BECN) from “neutral” to “outperform.” BECN shares gained 0.52% to close at $21.30 yesterday. More Analyst Ratings here

United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI) today announced that United Rentals of Canada, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, has entered into a definitive purchase agreement providing for the acquisition of Venetor Group, a seven-location equipment rental company in Canada. Completion of the acquisition is...

In a Form 4 filed earlier today, DXP Enterprises (NASDAQ: DXPE) Vice-President, Hugh McConnell, reported that he sold 10,000 shares of DXPE on April 6th for an average price of $25.00. The transaction totaled $250,000. This sale was 10b5-1 Plan indicated. Mr. McConnell owns 270,770 direct shares...

Jefferies has issued a report raising the Price Target on MSC Industrial (NYSE: MSM) from $70 to $80. According to the report, "This was a high quality quarter with both core sales growth and margin exceeding our forecasts. MSM appears to be gaining share, executing price increases well and...

Analysts at BB&T downgrade MSC Industrial Direct Co Inc (NYSE: MSM) from “buy” to “hold.” MSM shares gained 6.44% to close at $75.04 yesterday. More Analyst Ratings here

Fastenal (NASDAQ: FAST) is currently trading at $68.47, which is above the previous 52-week high of $66.78. W.W. Grainger (NYSE: GWW) is currently trading at $143.86, which is above the previous 52-week high of $142.32. St. Jude Medical (NYSE: STJ) is currently trading at $53.63, which is above...

By 10:15 am, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 28.04 points, or 0.23%, to 12,421.94, while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index had gained 3.36 points, or 0.25%. The NASDAQ composite index rose 15.15 points, or 0.54%. Some of the narrow based indexes that are driving the markets are...

After the market open, here are some companies trading at or near 52-week highs: Fastenal Company (NASDAQ: FAST) at $69.56, up 4.22% from Tuesday's close; Alcoa (NYSE: AA) at $18.23, up 1.00% from Tuesday's close; Noble Energy (NYSE: NE) at $46.20, up 1.33% from Tuesday's close; Stericycle (...