Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC Invests $607,000 in Fastenal Company $FAST

Focus Partners Advisor Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 11,384 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $607,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Fastenal by 103.5% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 149,169,494 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,265,119,000 after purchasing an additional 75,852,223 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Fastenal by 99.6% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 54,317,385 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,281,330,000 after purchasing an additional 27,107,520 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Fastenal by 103.4% in the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 45,995,937 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,931,830,000 after acquiring an additional 23,380,022 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Fastenal by 103.8% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 35,984,281 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,506,141,000 after purchasing an additional 18,329,847 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in Fastenal during the second quarter worth about $638,648,000. 81.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Fastenal Trading Down 1.8%

Shares of Fastenal stock opened at $46.46 on Monday. 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 company’s 50-day simple moving average is $44.36 and its 200-day simple moving average is $44.24. Fastenal Company has a 52-week low of $35.31 and a 52-week high of $50.63. The firm has a market cap of $53.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.96 and a beta of 0.88.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The company reported $0.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.26. The business had revenue of $2.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.04 billion. Fastenal had a return on equity of 32.83% and a net margin of 15.35%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.46 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Fastenal Company will post 2.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Fastenal Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 29th were given a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 29th. This is an increase from Fastenal’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. Fastenal’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 87.27%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

FAST has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Benchmark restated a “buy” rating on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Thursday. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on shares of Fastenal from $51.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday. Raymond James Financial set a $48.00 price objective on Fastenal in a research report on Thursday. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “underperform” rating on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated a “positive” rating and set a $45.00 price target on shares of Fastenal in a research note on Thursday. Six research 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’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $48.83.

Fastenal News Roundup

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

Insider Activity at Fastenal

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

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.