Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) Given New $50.00 Price Target at Robert W. Baird

Key Points

• Robert W. Baird lowered its price target on Fastenal from $52 to $50 but retained an outperform rating, implying roughly a 9.22% upside from the current share price.
• Fastenal's Q1 beat on revenue (~$2.20B) and met EPS ($0.30) with net sales up ~12.4% year-over-year, but management flagged a margin squeeze from tariffs and higher energy/transportation costs and reiterated elevated ~ $320M capex guidance that could limit near-term free cash flow.
• Analyst coverage is mixed—consensus rating is Hold with a $49 consensus target (5 Buys, 6 Holds, 2 Sells)—while insiders have reduced holdings and institutional investors own about 81% of the shares.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST - Get Free Report) had its price objective reduced by stock analysts at Robert W. Baird from $52.00 to $50.00 in a research report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an "outperform" rating on the stock. Robert W. Baird's price target would suggest a potential upside of 9.22% from the stock's current price.

FAST has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed a "positive" rating and issued a $45.00 target price on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Raymond James Financial set a $48.00 target price on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "underperform" rating on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Fastenal from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a $46.00 target price on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Fastenal has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $49.00.

Fastenal Price Performance

Shares of FAST opened at $45.78 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $52.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a quick ratio of 2.41, a current ratio of 4.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $46.13 and a 200 day moving average of $43.76. Fastenal has a twelve month low of $38.97 and a twelve month high of $50.63.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 13th. The company reported $0.30 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.30. The company had revenue of $2.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.19 billion. Fastenal had a net margin of 15.35% and a return on equity of 32.83%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.52 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Fastenal will post 2.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Scott Satterlee sold 15,964 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.19, for a total transaction of $705,449.16. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 50,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,209,500. The trade was a 24.20% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Reyne K. Wisecup sold 36,920 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.34, for a total transaction of $1,747,792.80. Following the sale, the director directly owned 40,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,893,600. The trade was a 48.00% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Fastenal

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of FAST. Elyxium Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Palladiem LLC bought a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. grew its position in shares of Fastenal by 71.6% during the 3rd quarter. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. now owns 611 shares of the company's stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 255 shares during the period. Finally, REAP Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Institutional investors own 81.38% of the company's stock.

Key Fastenal News

Here are the key news stories impacting Fastenal this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results: EPS of $0.30 met consensus and revenue of ~$2.20B slightly topped estimates; net sales rose ~12% year-over-year driven by contract wins, pricing and improving industrial activity, supporting top-line momentum. Fastenal Company Reports 2026 First Quarter Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Demand signals: management and industry commentary point to a gradual ramp-up in U.S. manufacturing and durable-goods activity, which supports ongoing sales growth for distributors like Fastenal. In Distributors’ Earnings, Signs That Demand Is Holding Up
• Neutral Sentiment: Capital allocation: the company reiterated elevated 2026 capex plans (~$310–$330M / ~$320M cited elsewhere) to support facilities, trucking and IT; this funds growth but limits near-term free cash flow upside. Fastenal sees Q2 as challenging as it targets ~$320M 2026 CapEx amid tariff-driven price/cost
• Neutral Sentiment: Shareholder return: company announced a $0.24 quarterly dividend (ex-dividend Apr 28), which supports income-minded investors but doesn't offset margin concerns.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin squeeze: management said tariffs and higher energy/transportation costs have risen faster than they can raise prices, pushing gross margin down and weighing on profitability. Fastenal Sees Pricing Challenges From Higher Oil, Tariffs Flux
• Negative Sentiment: Cautious outlook and market reaction: management offered a modest/“nothing new” near-term outlook, and investors punished the stock despite solid sales growth—sentiment is focused on compressed margins and limited upside for a premium multiple. Why Fastenal (FAST) Shares Are Sliding Today

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.

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