Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) Price Target Raised to $47.00

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) had its price objective boosted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $46.00 to $47.00 in a report released on Thursday morning,MarketScreener reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the stock.

FAST has been the topic of several other reports. Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Wolfe Research upped their target price on shares of Fastenal from $43.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Fastenal from $43.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $46.00 price target on shares of Fastenal in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reaffirmed a “positive” rating and set a $45.00 price target on shares of Fastenal in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $49.17.

Fastenal Price Performance

Fastenal stock opened at $49.17 on Thursday. Fastenal has a 52 week low of $37.38 and a 52 week high of $50.63. 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 firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $46.11 and its 200 day simple moving average is $43.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $56.46 billion, a PE ratio of 44.70, a P/E/G ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 0.84.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 business had revenue of $2.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.04 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.46 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Fastenal will post 2.15 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Fastenal Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 29th were paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 29th. This represents a $0.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.0%. This is an increase from Fastenal’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. Fastenal’s dividend payout ratio is 87.27%.

Insider Activity

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 transaction of $1,747,792.80. Following the sale, 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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Scott Satterlee sold 15,964 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.19, for a total transaction of $705,449.16. Following the sale, the director directly owned 50,000 shares in the company, valued at $2,209,500. This represents a 24.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Fastenal by 1.6% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 151,515,539 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,430,322,000 after buying an additional 2,346,045 shares during the period. National Pension Service raised its holdings in Fastenal by 3.6% in the third quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,558,579 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,433,000 after buying an additional 53,888 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB raised its holdings in Fastenal by 6.3% in 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. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in Fastenal by 1.2% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 7,387,472 shares of the company’s stock valued at $362,282,000 after buying an additional 90,095 shares during the period. Finally, BlueStem Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Fastenal in the third quarter valued at approximately $634,000. 81.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Fastenal News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Fastenal this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.24/share (record Apr 28, pay May 26) and reiterated share‑repurchase activity — supports shareholder returns and buyback-driven EPS support. Fastenal Announces Cash Dividend and Share Repurchase Activity
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst previews expect Q1 strength: Zacks notes EPS seen up ~15% and revenue forecast near $2.2B, implying continued sales momentum that could support the stock if margins hold. Fastenal Q1 Earnings Results Ahead: What Investors Need to Know
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage pieces point to Fastenal being in a favorable valuation/buy zone for some investors ahead of earnings, which can attract buying interest into the report. Fastenal earnings due with S&P 500 stock in buy zone
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue growth is rising but margin pressure is flagged — Investing.com highlights that a sales surge will test Fastenal’s margin outlook; strong top-line helps, but margin contraction would temper upside. Fastenal earnings up next as sales surge tests margin outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst stance remains conservative: consensus rating is around “Hold” and JPMorgan kept a neutral rating after a small price‑target raise to $47, implying limited near‑term upside from current levels. Fastenal Receives Average Recommendation of “Hold” JPMorgan adjusts Fastenal price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data reported no meaningful change (zero shares reported) — likely a data artifact and not a trading catalyst. (No external link — internal data feed)

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.