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

First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. bought a new position in Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor bought 20,248 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,003,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Fastenal during the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Evergreen Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Fastenal in the first quarter worth about $26,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Fastenal in the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Fastenal by 69.6% in the first quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 748 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 307 shares during the period. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Fastenal in the second quarter worth about $38,000. 81.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Fastenal

In other Fastenal news, Director Michael Ancius sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.00, for a total value of $147,000.00. Following 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. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Rita J. Heise sold 34,964 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $50.05, for a total transaction of $1,749,948.20. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 20,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,001,000. This represents a 63.61% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Fastenal Stock Down 3.1%

NASDAQ:FAST opened at $50.38 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $50.36 and its 200-day moving average price is $47.50. The company has a market capitalization of $57.81 billion, a PE ratio of 41.94, a P/E/G ratio of 3.22 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 3.93 and a quick ratio of 2.21. Fastenal Company has a 1-year low of $38.97 and a 1-year high of $52.92.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 14th. The company reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.01. Fastenal had a net margin of 15.62% and a return on equity of 35.13%. The company had revenue of $2.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.44 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.29 EPS. Fastenal’s quarterly revenue was up 15.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Fastenal Company will post 1.27 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Fastenal Dividend Announcement

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have weighed in on FAST. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and set a $47.00 price objective (up from $42.00) on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Thursday. Robert W. Baird increased their target price on Fastenal from $59.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Fastenal from $48.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Fastenal from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Finally, William Blair restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Friday, September 4th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $50.83.

Key Headlines Impacting Fastenal

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

Fastenal Company 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.