Assessing Fastenal: Insights From 8 Financial Analysts

Throughout the last three months, 8 analysts have evaluated Fastenal FAST, offering a diverse set of opinions from bullish to bearish.

The following table provides a quick overview of their recent ratings, highlighting the changing sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.

Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish
Total Ratings 0 1 7 0 0
Last 30D 0 1 0 0 0
1M Ago 0 0 4 0 0
2M Ago 0 0 0 0 0
3M Ago 0 0 3 0 0

Analysts provide deeper insights through their assessments of 12-month price targets, revealing an average target of $43.62, a high estimate of $55.00, and a low estimate of $38.00. A decline of 2.53% from the prior average price target is evident in the current average.

Decoding Analyst Ratings: A Detailed Look

An in-depth analysis of recent analyst actions unveils how financial experts perceive Fastenal. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.

Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target
David Manthey Baird Raises Outperform $55.00 $47.00
Patrick Baumann JP Morgan Raises Neutral $41.00 $38.00
David Manthey Baird Raises Neutral $47.00 $43.00
Tommy Moll Stephens & Co. Raises Equal-Weight $45.00 $40.00
Chris Dankert Loop Capital Raises Hold $45.00 $40.00
Patrick Baumann JP Morgan Raises Neutral $38.00 $36.00
Chris Snyder Morgan Stanley Raises Equal-Weight $40.00 $38.00
Chris Snyder Morgan Stanley Lowers Equal-Weight $38.00 $76.00

Key Insights:

  • Action Taken: Analysts adapt their recommendations to changing market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their response to recent developments related to Fastenal. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.
  • Rating: Offering insights into predictions, analysts assign qualitative values, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Fastenal compared to the broader market.
  • Price Targets: Delving into movements, analysts provide estimates for the future value of Fastenal's stock. This analysis reveals shifts in analysts' expectations over time.

Navigating through these analyst evaluations alongside other financial indicators can contribute to a holistic understanding of Fastenal's market standing. Stay informed and make data-driven decisions with our Ratings Table.

Stay up to date on Fastenal analyst ratings.

Get to Know Fastenal Better

Fastenal began as an industrial retailer, expanding its product portfolio from nuts and bolts to cutting tools, safety equipment, and janitorial supplies. It transitioned into a distributor by building out a dense network of branches close to its business customers. Once a customer becomes large enough, Fastenal installs vending machines and its own personnel on-site. Today, these on-site locations exceed Fastenal's branch count and remain the firm's main focus for expansion. Fastenal acts as a one-stop outsourcing partner for its industrial customers, offering value-added services along with a wide breadth of maintenance, repair, and operations supplies.

Understanding the Numbers: Fastenal's Finances

Market Capitalization: Positioned above industry average, the company's market capitalization underscores its superiority in size, indicative of a strong market presence.

Positive Revenue Trend: Examining Fastenal's financials over 3M reveals a positive narrative. The company achieved a noteworthy revenue growth rate of 8.56% as of 30 June, 2025, showcasing a substantial increase in top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the revenue growth lags behind its industry peers. The company achieved a growth rate lower than the average among peers in Industrials sector.

Net Margin: Fastenal's net margin is impressive, surpassing industry averages. With a net margin of 15.88%, the company demonstrates strong profitability and effective cost management.

Return on Equity (ROE): The company's ROE is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in efficiently using equity capital. With an ROE of 8.81%, the company may need to address challenges in generating satisfactory returns for shareholders.

Return on Assets (ROA): Fastenal's ROA surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 6.68% ROA, the company effectively utilizes its assets for optimal returns.

Debt Management: Fastenal's debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average at 0.14, reflecting a lower dependency on debt financing and a more conservative financial approach.

Understanding the Relevance of Analyst Ratings

Analysts are specialists within banking and financial systems that typically report for specific stocks or within defined sectors. These people research company financial statements, sit in conference calls and meetings, and speak with relevant insiders to determine what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts will rate each stock once a quarter.

Some analysts will also offer forecasts for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide further guidance on stocks. Investors who use analyst ratings should note that this specialized advice comes from humans and may be subject to error.

Which Stocks Are Analysts Recommending Now?

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This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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