Wolfe Research Cuts Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) Price Target to $45.00

Key Points

• Wolfe Research cut its price target on Fastenal to $45 and kept an underperform rating, implying only about a 1.3% upside from the current share price.
• Fastenal reported Q1 sales of roughly $2.20B (up ~12%) with GAAP EPS of $0.30, but management warned of margin pressure from higher input costs and a sizable ~$320M 2026 capex plan and called Q2 "challenging."
• Analyst views are mixed—five Buys, six Holds and two Sells—resulting in a consensus Hold rating and an average price target near $49.69.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST - Get Free Report) had its price target cut by equities researchers at Wolfe Research from $46.00 to $45.00 in a research report issued on Tuesday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has an "underperform" rating on the stock. Wolfe Research's price objective indicates a potential upside of 1.28% from the stock's current price.

Several other research analysts have also recently issued reports on FAST. Jefferies Financial Group set a $52.00 price target on shares of Fastenal and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of Fastenal from $52.00 to $50.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reissued a "buy (b-)" rating on shares of Fastenal in a report on Friday, March 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Fastenal from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, UBS Group reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $46.00 price target on shares of Fastenal in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Fastenal presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $49.69.

Fastenal Stock Performance

Shares of FAST stock opened at $44.43 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 4.85, a quick ratio of 2.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $46.13 and a 200 day moving average price of $43.76. The company has a market cap of $51.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.49, a PEG ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 0.84. Fastenal has a 12 month low of $38.97 and a 12 month high of $50.63.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, April 13th. The company reported $0.30 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.30. Fastenal had a net margin of 15.35% and a return on equity of 32.83%. The firm had revenue of $2.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.52 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 12.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Fastenal will post 2.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Scott Satterlee sold 15,964 shares of the firm'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 directly owned 50,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,209,500. This trade represents a 24.20% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Reyne K. Wisecup sold 36,920 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.34, for a total transaction of $1,747,792.80. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 40,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,893,600. This represents a 48.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 0.28% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its holdings in shares of Fastenal by 18.4% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 187,824 shares of the company's stock valued at $7,537,000 after buying an additional 29,189 shares during the period. Meadowbrook Advisors Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the 4th quarter worth about $901,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC raised its position in shares of Fastenal by 4.2% during the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 627,063 shares of the company's stock worth $25,171,000 after buying an additional 25,360 shares in the last quarter. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the 4th quarter worth about $64,000. Finally, Bayban bought a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the 4th quarter worth about $426,000. 81.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Fastenal

Here are the key news stories impacting Fastenal this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Top-line strength — Q1 sales rose ~12% to $2.20B, driven by contract wins, pricing and improving underlying industrial demand, indicating continued revenue momentum. Fastenal 1Q Sales Jump on Pricing, Contract Wins
• Positive Sentiment: Earnings in line — GAAP EPS of $0.30 matched consensus, showing stability after last year’s weaker quarter; the company also declared a quarterly dividend (supports yield-oriented holders). Fastenal Company Reports 2026 First-Quarter Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transcript / highlights available — management confirmed revenue drivers but offered a cautious near-term tone; the full call transcript and highlight summaries are available for detailed read. Fastenal Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst action mixed — Robert W. Baird trimmed its price target from $52 to $50 but kept an outperform rating (partial vote of confidence despite reduced upside). Baird Lowers Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Margin squeeze from rising input costs — management said tariffs and higher energy costs are increasing supplier prices faster than Fastenal can raise customer prices; gross margin ticked down (pressure on near-term profitability). Fastenal Sees Pricing Challenges From Higher Oil, Tariffs
• Negative Sentiment: Elevated capex and a cautious outlook — Fastenal reiterated a sizable 2026 capital spending program (~$310–$330M / reports cite ~$320M), and called Q2 “challenging,” both of which can weigh on free cash flow and near-term margins. Fastenal Sees Q2 as Challenging; Targets ~$320M 2026 CapEx
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction focused on limited near-term upside — commentary described the update as “in-line” with little new positive guidance, so investors are pricing in continued margin headwinds and valuation compression. Why Fastenal 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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