First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. Buys 20,248 Shares of Fastenal Company $FAST

Key Points

• First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. acquired 20,248 Fastenal shares during the third quarter, worth approximately $1.0 million. Institutional investors collectively own 81.38% of the company.
• Fastenal reported quarterly revenue of $2.46 billion, up 15.5% year over year, while EPS of $0.35 exceeded analyst expectations. The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share, or $1.04 annualized.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed, with an average “Hold” rating and a $50.83 target price. Investors are balancing strong growth against margin pressure, elevated valuation, softer September sales and reduced targets for FASTBin and FASTVend signings.

First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. bought a new position in Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST - Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm bought 20,248 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,003,000.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Focus Financial Network Inc. boosted its holdings in Fastenal by 6.0% during the 3rd quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc. now owns 71,766 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,555,000 after acquiring an additional 4,036 shares during the period. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Fastenal during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $543,000. Krilogy Financial LLC grew its position in Fastenal by 4.0% during the 3rd quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC now owns 12,932 shares of the company's stock worth $666,000 after acquiring an additional 501 shares during the last quarter. Verus Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Fastenal in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,600,000. Finally, McCollum Christoferson Group LLC increased its stake in Fastenal by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. McCollum Christoferson Group LLC now owns 49,255 shares of the company's stock worth $2,440,000 after purchasing an additional 290 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.38% of the company's stock.

Fastenal Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:FAST opened at $50.38 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $57.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.22 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $50.36 and a 200-day moving average price of $47.50. The company has a current ratio of 3.93, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. Fastenal Company has a 12 month low of $38.97 and a 12 month high of $52.92.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 14th. The company reported $0.35 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.34 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $2.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.44 billion. Fastenal had a net margin of 15.62% and a return on equity of 35.13%. Fastenal's revenue for the quarter was up 15.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.29 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Fastenal Company will post 1.27 EPS for the current year.

Fastenal Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 25th. Investors of record on Wednesday, October 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.26 per share. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 28th. Fastenal's payout ratio is currently 88.14%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

FAST has been the subject of several recent research reports. Barclays lowered their price objective on Fastenal from $47.00 to $46.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Fastenal from $48.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $55.00 target price on shares of Fastenal and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "underperform" rating and issued a $47.00 target price (up from $42.00) on shares of Fastenal in a report on Thursday. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Fastenal from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $50.83.

More Fastenal News

Here are the key news stories impacting Fastenal this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Fastenal reported third-quarter revenue of $2.46 billion, up 15.5% year over year, while diluted EPS increased to $0.35 from $0.29 and exceeded the $0.34 consensus estimate. Operating margin improved to 21.5% as higher volumes helped leverage selling and administrative expenses. Fastenal Company Reports 2026 Third Quarter Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Growth with larger customers, manufacturing demand, Onsite services and digital supply-chain solutions supported the quarter. Some analysts raised their forecasts, including Robert W. Baird, which lifted its price target to $60 and maintained an Outperform rating. Analysts Boost Forecasts After Q3 Results
• Positive Sentiment: The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share, or $1.04 annualized, reinforcing its shareholder-return appeal. Fastenal Announces Fourth-Quarter Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst opinion remains divided. DA Davidson retained a Neutral rating after cutting estimates, while other analysts increased price targets. The mixed outlook is notable given Fastenal’s elevated valuation.
• Negative Sentiment: September sales growth reportedly fell short of expectations, tempering enthusiasm over the headline quarterly beat. Fastenal also reduced its 2026 target for weighted FASTBin and FASTVend signings to 27,000–29,000 from 28,000–30,000, signaling somewhat softer expansion expectations. Fastenal Analyst Cuts Estimates After Q3 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Gross margin contracted to 44.8% from 45.3%, partly because larger customers generate lower margins even when they contribute more profit dollars. Investors are also weighing heavier spending needs and the stock’s premium earnings multiple. Fastenal Q3: The Math Behind My Sell Rating

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Fastenal news, Director Rita Heise sold 34,964 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.05, for a total value of $1,749,948.20. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 20,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,001,000. This trade represents a 63.61% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Michael J. Ancius sold 3,000 shares of Fastenal stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.00, for a total value of $147,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 58,690 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,875,810. This represents a 4.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

Fastenal Profile

Fastenal Company is a distributor of industrial and construction supplies serving businesses, contractors, manufacturers and other organizations. Its product offerings include fasteners such as bolts, nuts and screws, as well as safety equipment, tools, cutting tools, material-handling products, electrical and plumbing supplies, and maintenance and repair items.

The company sells products through a network of branch locations, onsite customer facilities, industrial vending machines and digital platforms.

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