Robert W. Baird Boosts Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) Price Target to $52.00

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) had its price objective raised by Robert W. Baird from $51.00 to $52.00 in a report released on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “outperform” rating on the stock. Robert W. Baird’s price target suggests a potential upside of 11.92% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Fastenal in a report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley reissued a “positive” rating and issued a $45.00 target price on shares of Fastenal in a report on Thursday. Raymond James Financial set a $48.00 price target on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Thursday. UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $46.00 price objective on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $52.00 price objective on shares of Fastenal and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Fastenal currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $48.83.

Fastenal Trading Down 1.8%

Shares of FAST opened at $46.46 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $53.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.96 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a current ratio of 4.85 and a quick ratio of 2.41. Fastenal has a 1 year low of $35.31 and a 1 year high of $50.63. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $44.36 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $44.27.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The company reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.26. Fastenal had a net margin of 15.35% and a return on equity of 32.83%. The firm had revenue of $2.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.04 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.46 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Fastenal will post 2.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Fastenal news, Director Reyne K. Wisecup sold 36,920 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.34, for a total value of $1,747,792.80. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 40,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,893,600. This trade represents a 48.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Scott Satterlee sold 15,964 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.19, for a total value of $705,449.16. Following the transaction, the director owned 50,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,209,500. This trade represents a 24.20% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 0.28% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Fastenal

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Fastenal by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 151,515,539 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,430,322,000 after purchasing an additional 2,346,045 shares in the last quarter. National Pension Service grew its position in shares of Fastenal by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,558,579 shares of the company’s stock worth $76,433,000 after buying an additional 53,888 shares in the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its stake in shares of Fastenal by 6.3% during the third quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 3,713,469 shares of the company’s stock valued at $181,626,000 after buying an additional 219,154 shares during the period. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Fastenal by 7,923.2% in the third quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,268,795 shares of the company’s stock valued at $62,222,000 after acquiring an additional 1,252,981 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BlueStem Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Fastenal in the third quarter valued at about $634,000. 81.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Fastenal

Here are the key news stories impacting Fastenal this week:

• Positive Sentiment: February sales acceleration beat expectations, showing continued demand momentum that supports revenue growth and could underpin further upside for FAST. Fastenal’s February: Continued Sales Acceleration Tops Expectations
• Positive Sentiment: Robert W. Baird raised its price target to $52 and maintained an “outperform” rating, implying roughly double-digit upside vs. current levels — a clear near-term positive signal from a reputable sell-side firm. Baird raises Fastenal price target to $52
• Positive Sentiment: Technical/market commentary highlighted improved relative strength for Fastenal, which can attract momentum and quant-driven buying if the trend continues. Stocks generating improved relative strength: Fastenal
• Neutral Sentiment: Barclays nudged its target up to $44 but kept an “equal weight” rating — a modest lift in valuation but still signaling limited near-term upside from that shop. Barclays adjusts price target on Fastenal Company to $44 from $43; maintains equal-weight rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Benzinga published an analyst-roundup summarizing where Fastenal sits with the sell-side — useful context for consensus positioning but not a single catalyst. Where Fastenal Stands With Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Published short-interest data shows an implausible “0 shares” figure and NaN increases — this appears to be a reporting glitch, so it should not be interpreted as a real rise in short interest. (No reliable article link available.)
• Negative Sentiment: Director Reyne K. Wisecup sold 36,920 shares (~$1.75M at the sale price), cutting their holding by 48%. Insider selling at this scale can spook investors even if there are benign reasons; it’s a notable near-term negative signal. Insider sale: Reyne K. Wisecup sold Fastenal shares

Fastenal Company Profile

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.