Fastenal Company (FAST)

Fastenal to Serve as a Partner of the 2026 Special Olympics USA GamesJune 15, 2026 4:05 PM
Business Wire Fastenal Company (NASDAQ: FAST) has been named as an official partner of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games ('USA Games'), to be held June 20–26 in Minnesota's Twin Cities area. With the support of partners like Fastenal, the USA Games will bring together thousands of athletes, coaches, fans, and volunteers from across the country in a national celebration of the human spirit. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260615807193/en/Fastenal printed the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games logo on nearly 500 donated safety vests and hardhats. Through the partnership, Fastenal has donated over $100,000 worth of products to help the USA Games team execute one of the largest humanitarian/sports events Minnesota has held in 35 years. The donation includes tools and equipment to build out and maintain dozens of venues, as well as sports-focused items like rolling storage systems to quickly move athletic medical supplies where they're needed. It also includes a variety of safety gear to protect workers, including Fastenal's own Body Guard® brand. As a value-added service, Fastenal used their Custom Logo service to print the Special Olympics logo on nearly 500 donated safety vests and hardhats – a solution to help identify staff and volunteers and reduce product loss. "Fastenal has been a phenomenal partner," said Kevin Quiring, chief development officer for the USA Games. "They've had a patient, consultative approach as our specifications evolved, and all the items have arrived on schedule. Bottom line: Fastenal truly understands the importance of a successful USA Games to our athletes and the Special Olympics mission." "Fastenal's support reflects their alignment with our vision for a more inclusive future," added Christy Sovereign, CEO of the USA Games. "We're excited to work together to showcase the power of human potential and inspire communities across the country." There's a long history behind this commitment. For decades, several of Fastenal's distribution and service centers have partnered with community rehabilitation providers to offer meaningful employment for people with mental and physical disabilities. In 2025, Fastenal was named Partner of the Year by Winona ORC Industries, a Winona, Minnesota community leader in providing training and job opportunities to people with disabilities. "Fastenal is founded on a core belief in people – that with the right training, support, and opportunity, we all have the ability to do amazing things," said Sally Olson, director of marketing for Fastenal who oversees community involvement. "We're proud to be a partner of the USA Games because it's about helping athletes of all abilities realize their true potential." About Fastenal Organizations around the world rely on Fastenal to help them simplify and secure the supply chain for a broad range of industrial products. To understand our customers' challenges and provide services and solutions that fit their unique needs, we've built out the most extensive presence in our industry, with a vast network of local teams and embedded technology. At the heart of it all is a simple commitment: great people, close to the customer, backed by world-class logistics, technology, and resources. Additional information regarding Fastenal is available on our website at www.fastenal.com. About 2026 Special Olympics USA Games The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games—scheduled for June 20-26, 2026, across Minnesota's Twin Cities with sports competitions at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine—is a national celebration of inclusivity, changing perceptions and the ability of the human spirit rising above limitations. The USA Games, with co-presenting partners Jersey Mike's Subs and UnitedHealthcare, will be one of the biggest U.S. sporting events of the year, drawing tens of thousands of fans to celebrate the ability of nearly 3,000 incredible athletes from all 50 states as they compete in 16 Olympic-type team and individual sports. As a state with a long history of championing diversity, equity and inclusion, the USA Games now bring an unrivaled opportunity for Minnesotans to spark new energy around the Special Olympics movement and create a lasting legacy of positive change. FAST-G View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260615807193/en/ Media Contact:
Jennifer Harnisch
Brand and Media Strategist
507.453.8259
jharnisc@fastenal.com Investor Contact:
Dray Schreiber
Accounting Manager
507.313.7324 Original: Fastenal to Serve as a Partner of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

Fastenal and FIRST® Robotics Team Up to Make Competitions Accessible to AllJune 9, 2026 4:05 PM
Business Wire Fastenal Company (NASDAQ: FAST), a leader in global and local supply chain solutions, has partnered with FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to improve accessibility in all future FIRST® Robotics Competition events. The project is part of Fastenal’s ongoing commitment to STEM initiatives and workforce development. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260609652994/en/Representatives from Fastenal got to meet Team 3313 Mechatronics at the inaugural FRC Bluff Country Regional in Winona, Minn. During a FIRST® Robotics Competition event, team members work to maneuver their team-built robots around obstacles to accomplish tasks. However, they have to stand outside the competition field behind high walls and netting, often making it difficult for wheelchair users to see and operate their robots. FIRST® Robotics Competition Team 3313, Mechatronics out of Alexandria, Minnesota (whose own Andrew Fleming is a wheelchair user) set out to create a solution: a custom-engineered ramp that provides clear sightlines for all participants. After working with a local industrial engineer, Team 3313 presented their initial drawings to FIRST®, whose engineers helped finalize the design. All they needed was a trusted manufacturing partner to bring the ramps to life. Enter Fastenal. Fastenal's engineering and manufacturing teams worked closely with FIRST® engineers to review the designs and fabricate the ramps, ensuring rigorous functional and accessibility standards were met. "With a focus on education and engineering, FIRST® is a natural fit for Fastenal's community efforts," said Sally Olson, director of marketing for Fastenal. "Two of our core values are innovation and teamwork — both were on full display with this project. We're honored to help Team 3313 turn a great idea into a real-world solution." With financial support from local community partners, Fastenal's Winona, Minnesota-based manufacturing team produced a total of 50 ramps, which were delivered via Fastenal trucks to a FIRST® distribution center in Pennsylvania. The ramps debuted at the global FIRST® Championship event in late April and are now part of the standard competition show floor kit distributed to FIRST® events. "I've always felt like a part of my team," said Team 3313's Andrew Fleming. "But it's nice to know that my team and I have made such a large impact on the sport I love, Robotics. I enjoy the more equal access to the field with my teammates, and I hope other wheelchair users have the same feeling." About Fastenal Organizations around the world rely on Fastenal to help them simplify and secure the supply chain for a broad range of industrial products. To understand our customers' challenges and provide services and solutions that fit their unique needs, we've built out the most extensive presence in our industry, with a vast network of local teams and embedded technology. At the heart of it all is a simple commitment: great people, close to the customer, backed by world-class logistics, technology, and resources. Additional information regarding Fastenal is available on our website at www.fastenal.com. About FIRST® FIRST® is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future. FIRST® provides life-changing, team-based K-12 robotics programs that give young people the skills, confidence, and resilience to build a better world. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, donors, and sponsors, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges. An international not-for-profit organization founded in 1989, FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Participants and alumni of FIRST® programs gain access to education and career discovery opportunities, connections to exclusive scholarships and employers, and a place in the FIRST® community for life. Learn more at firstinspires.org. FAST-G View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260609652994/en/ Media Contact:
 Jennifer Harnisch
 Brand and Media Strategist
 507.453.8259
 jharnisc@fastenal.com
 Investor Contact:
 Dray Schreiber
 Accounting Manager
 507.313.7324
Original: Fastenal and FIRST® Robotics Team Up to Make Competitions Accessible to All

Fastenal shares drop despite meeting estimates as growth outlook softensApril 13, 2026 10:04 AM
IH Market News
Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) reported first-quarter results in line with analyst expectations on Monday, but its shares slid around 6% in pre-market trading as investors reacted to signs of slowing growth and margin pressures.The industrial supplies distributor posted adjusted earnings per share of $0.30 on revenue of $2.2 billion, both matching consensus forecasts. Sales rose 12.4% year-on-year, supported by market share gains and solid demand across key end markets, while daily sales also increased 12.4% to $34.9 million.Operating margin improved by 20 basis points to 20.3%, reflecting efficiency gains and disciplined cost management. However, this was partly offset by a shift in customer mix. Gross margin edged down to 44.6% from 45.1% a year earlier, impacted by unfavorable pricing dynamics of roughly 50 basis points, along with higher transportation costs and customer rebates.“Sales performance reflects the contribution from improved customer contract signings since the first quarter of 2024, as well as a slight improvement in industrial production in the first quarter of 2026,” the company said.Net income increased 13.8% to $339.8 million, while operating cash flow jumped 44.3% to $378.4 million, equivalent to 111% of net income, driven by tight working capital control.During the quarter, Fastenal added 6,950 weighted FASTBin and FASTVend devices and reaffirmed its full-year 2026 guidance of 28,000 to 30,000 machine equivalent units. Revenue generated through FMI Technology climbed 16.6% to $1.0 billion, accounting for 44.9% of total sales.The company also returned $295.7 million to shareholders, including $275.6 million in dividends and $20.1 million through share buybacks.

Original: Fastenal shares drop despite meeting estimates as growth outlook softens

Fastenal Company Reports 2026 First Quarter EarningsApril 13, 2026 6:50 AM
Business Wire

Daily sales increased 12.4% year-over-year, primarily driven by share gains and broad-based demand across core end markets.



Operating margin was 20.3% (an increase of 20 basis points year-over-year), reflecting operating leverage and cost discipline, partially offset by an ongoing shift in customer mix.



Operating cash flow was $378 million, representing 111% of net income, supported by disciplined working capital management.



Returned $296 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.



Continued progress on strategic initiatives, including increased sales effectiveness through key account wins, expansion of technology, and deeper penetration through new customer site growth.



Fastenal Company (Nasdaq:FAST) ('Fastenal,' 'we,' 'our,' or 'us'), a leader in the wholesale distribution of industrial and construction supplies, today reported its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Except for share and per share information, or as otherwise noted below, dollar amounts in this release are stated in millions. All historical common stock share and per share information and stockholders' equity balances for all periods presented in this release, including the financial statements attached to this release, have been retroactively adjusted to reflect a two-for-one stock split effective at the close of business on May 21, 2025. Percentage and dollar calculations, which are based on non-rounded dollar values, may not be recalculated or footed using the dollar values included in this document due to the rounding of those dollar values. References to daily sales rate (DSR) change may reflect either growth (positive) or contraction (negative) for the applicable period.


PERFORMANCE SUMMARY




 






 






Three-month Period








 






 






2026






 






2025






 






Change








Net sales






 






$






2,201.7






 






 






1,959.4






 






 






12.4






%








Business days






 






 






63






 






 






63






 






 






 








Daily sales






 






$






34.9






 






 






31.1






 






 






12.4






%








Gross profit






 






$






982.9






 






 






883.9






 






 






11.2






%








% of net sales






 






 






44.6






%






 






45.1






%






 






 








Selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses






 






$






535.3






 






 






490.0






 






 






9.3






%








% of net sales






 






 






24.3






%






 






25.0






%






 






 








Operating income






 






$






447.6






 






 






393.9






 






 






13.6






%








% of net sales






 






 






20.3






%






 






20.1






%






 






 








Income before income taxes






 






$






448.3






 






 






393.1






 






 






14.0






%








% of net sales






 






 






20.4






%






 






20.1






%






 






 








Net income






 






$






339.8






 






 






298.7






 






 






13.8






%








Diluted net income per share






 






$






0.30






 






 






0.26






 






 






13.6






%








 






 






 






 






 






 






 








Note – Daily sales are defined as the total net sales for the period divided by the number of business days (in the U.S.) in the period.







QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS


Sales


Net sales increased $242.2, or 12.4%, in the first quarter of 2026 when compared to the first quarter of 2025 (both periods had the same number of selling days.) Sales performance reflects the contribution from improved customer contract signings since the first quarter of 2024, as well as a slight improvement in industrial production in the first quarter of 2026. Foreign exchange rates positively affected sales in the first quarter of 2026 by approximately 60 basis points, compared to a negative impact in the first quarter of 2025 of approximately 50 basis points. The impact of product pricing on net sales in the first quarter of 2026 was an increase of approximately 350 basis points, compared to being immaterial in the first quarter of 2025.


From a product portfolio standpoint, we classify our offerings into four primary categories: fasteners, safety supplies, cutting tools and other product lines. 'Other product lines' encompasses seven smaller product segments, including tools and janitorial supplies.


Beginning in the fourth quarter of 2025, we expanded our reporting to provide a more comprehensive view of direct (original equipment manufacturing/production) and indirect (maintenance, repair, and operations/facilities maintenance) business across product categories. Direct materials generally include products incorporated into finished goods or that directly support customers' production processes, while indirect materials support customers' facility operations, maintenance, and safety needs. During the first quarter of 2026, direct materials slightly outpaced indirect materials, reflecting greater contribution from fastener sales and continued strength with manufacturing customers.


The DSR change when compared to the same period in the prior year and the percent of sales in the period were as follows:




 






DSR Change




Three-month Period






 






% of Sales




Three-month Period








 






2026






2025






 






2026






2025








Direct fasteners/hardware






13.8%






3.5%






 






21.0%






20.7%








Direct cutting tools and abrasives






11.3%






4.6%






 






5.1%






5.2%








Direct non-fasteners/hardware






12.7%






9.1%






 






12.7%






12.8%








Total direct materials






13.1%






5.4%






 






38.8%






38.7%








Indirect fasteners/hardware






17.3%






1.1%






 






10.0%






9.7%








Indirect safety






11.3%






6.9%






 






20.8%






21.3%








Indirect non-fasteners/hardware and non-safety






11.7%






6.1%






 






30.4%






30.3%








Total indirect materials






12.4%






5.5%






 






61.1%






61.3%







From an end market standpoint, we have four categories: heavy manufacturing, other manufacturing, non-residential construction, and other, the latter of which includes reseller, government/education, transportation, warehousing and storage, and data centers. Our manufacturing end markets growth was mainly due to the relative strength we are experiencing with key account customers with significant managed spend, where our service model and technology are particularly impactful. The non-residential construction end market experienced growth for the fourth time in fourteen consecutive quarters. Other end market sales were favorably impacted by growth with transportation and warehousing customers.


The DSR change when compared to the same period in the prior year and the percent of sales in the period were as follows:




 






DSR Change




Three-month Period






 






% of Sales




Three-month Period








 






2026






2025






 






2026






2025








Heavy manufacturing






14.1%






4.8%






 






44.0%






43.4%








Other manufacturing






9.9%






9.7%






 






32.2%






33.0%








Total manufacturing






12.3%






6.8%






 






76.2%






76.4%








Non-residential construction






17.2%






-3.4%






 






8.2%






7.8%








Other end markets






11.3%






0.8%






 






15.6%






15.8%








Total non-manufacturing






13.2%






-0.6%






 






23.8%






23.6%







From a customer standpoint, we have two categories: 1) contracts, which include national multi-site, local and regional, and government customers with significant revenue potential, and 2) non-contracts. Sales with our contract customers continue to outperform as we realize incremental sales from implementing customer signings that we have achieved since the first quarter of 2024. Non-contract customers tend to be smaller and utilize fewer of our tools and capabilities, providing fewer avenues for share gains and therefore more closely reflect overall business trends.


The DSR change when compared to the same period in the prior year and the percent of sales in the period were as follows:




 






DSR Change




Three-month Period






 






% of Sales




Three-month Period








 






2026






2025






 






2026






2025








Contract sales






14.6%






8.5%






 






75.4%






73.1%








Non-contract sales






6.7%






-3.6%






 






24.6%






26.9%







Customer Sites and Sales Segmentation


We engage customers in the local market by delivering services and solutions within or near the customer's business (Sites). Sites represent distinct customer locations where we maintain inventory tailored to local demand, supported by our regional distribution networks. Our strategy prioritizes customer Sites with monthly sales potential of $50,000 or more. Segmentation by spend level provides insight into the scale and potential of customer relationships served through our network. The following table summarizes customer Sites averaged by monthly spend band and related monthly sales metrics.




 






Three-month Period




2026






 






Three-month Period




2025








 






Sites (#) (1) (2)






Sales






Mo. Sales per Site(3)






 






Sites (#) (1) (2)






Sales






Mo. Sales per Site(3)








Manufacturing






 






 






 






 






 






 






 








$50k+/Mo. (4)






2,422







$






1,037.8







$






142,830







 






2,114







$






874.0







$






137,811









 






 






 






 






 






 






 






 








$10k+/Mo.






9,009






 






 






1,475.4






 






 






54,590






 






 






8,500






 






 






1,293.1






 






 






50,710






 








$5k+/Mo.






13,407






 






 






1,570.0






 






 






39,034






 






 






12,951






 






 






1,388.7






 






 






35,742






 








Other sales (5)






27,457






 






 






100.7






 






 






1,223






 






 






30,308






 






 






104.3






 






 






1,147






 








Total manufacturing






40,864






 






$






1,670.7






 






$






13,628






 






 






43,259






 






$






1,493.0






 






$






11,484






 








 






 






 






 






 






 






 






 








Non-manufacturing






 






 






 






 






 






 






 








$50k+/Mo. (4)






487






 






$






187.0






 






$






127,995






 






 






388






 






$






136.6






 






$






117,354






 








 






 






 






 






 






 






 






 








$10k+/Mo.






3,293






 






 






357.6






 






 






36,198






 






 






2,918






 






 






288.5






 






 






32,956






 








$5k+/Mo.






6,112






 






 






417.2






 






 






22,753






 






 






5,667






 






 






346.7






 






 






20,393






 








Other sales (5)






45,469






 






 






113.8






 






 






834






 






 






52,118






 






 






119.7






 






 






766






 








Total non-manufacturing






51,581






 






$






531.0






 






$






3,431






 






 






57,785






 






$






466.4






 






$






2,633






 








 






 






 






 






 






 






 






 








Total






 






 






 






 






 






 






 








$50k+/Mo. (4)






2,909






 






$






1,224.8






 






$






140,346






 






 






2,502






 






$






1,010.6






 






$






134,639






 








 






 






 






 






 






 






 






 








$10k+/Mo.






12,302






 






 






1,833.0






 






 






49,667






 






 






11,418






 






 






1,581.6






 






 






46,173






 








$5k+/Mo.






19,519






 






 






1,987.2






 






 






33,936






 






 






18,618






 






 






1,735.4






 






 






31,070






 








Other sales (5)






72,926






 






 






214.5






 






 






980






 






 






82,426






 






 






224.0






 






 






906






 








All Sites per month






92,445






 






$






2,201.7






 






$






7,939






 






 






101,044






 






$






1,959.4






 






$






6,422






 









(1)






Sites represent the number of customer locations served by our network. Individual customers with multiple locations will have multiple customer Sites.








(2)






Sites numbers reflect the monthly average of active Site counts.








(3)






Monthly sales per Site totals are not rounded to the millions and represents the exact dollar amount.








(4)






$50k+ Sites are disclosed as a representation of Onsite-like customers and are also a subset of $10k+ and $5k+ Sites.








(5)






Other sales represent sales to Sites under $5k+ per month and sales that are not tied to a specific Site. This includes certain service fees, cash sales, direct material sales, etc.







Digital Technology


FMI Technology comprises our FASTStock? (scanned stocking locations), FASTBin® (infrared, RFID, and scaled bins), and FASTVend® (vending devices) offerings. FASTStock's fulfillment processing technology is not embedded, is relatively less expensive and highly flexible in application, and is delivered using our proprietary mobility technology. FASTBin and FASTVend incorporate highly efficient and powerful embedded data tracking and fulfillment processing technologies. The first statistic below is a weighted FMI® measure, which combines the signings and installations of FASTBin and FASTVend in a standardized machine equivalent unit (MEU) based on the expected output of each type of device. We do not include FASTStock in this measurement because scanned stocking locations can take many forms, such as bins, shelves, cabinets, pallets, etc., that cannot be converted into a standardized MEU.


We signed 6,950 weighted FASTBin and FASTVend devices in the first quarter of 2026. Our goal for weighted FASTBin and FASTVend device signings in 2026 remains between 28,000 and 30,000 MEUs.


The second statistic is sales through FMI Technology, which combines the sales through FASTStock, FASTBin, and FASTVend. A portion of the growth in sales experienced by FMI, particularly FASTStock and FASTBin, reflects the migration of products from less efficient non-digital stocking locations to more efficient, digital stocking locations.


The table below summarizes signings and installations of our FMI devices and sales through our FMI devices, eBusiness (1) tools, and Digital Footprint (2).




 






Three-month Period








 






2026






2025






 






DSR




Change (3)








Weighted FASTBin/FASTVend signings (MEUs)






 






6,950






 






 






6,418






 






 






8.3






%








Signings per day






 






110






 






 






102






 






 






 








Weighted FASTBin/FASTVend installations (MEUs; end of period)






 






137,702






 






 






129,996






 






 






5.9






%








 






 






 






 






 






 








FASTStock sales






$






279.8






 






 






239.1






 






 






17.0






%








% of sales






 






12.5






%






 






12.1






%






 






 








FASTBin/FASTVend sales






$






721.6






 






 






619.9






 






 






16.4






%








% of sales






 






32.3






%






 






31.3






%






 






 








FMI sales






$






1,001.4






 






 






859.0






 






 






16.6






%








FMI daily sales






$






15.9






 






 






13.6






 






 






 








% of sales






 






44.9






%






 






43.3






%






 






 








 






 






 






 






 






 








eBusiness sales






$






648.8






 






 






607.6






 






 






6.8






%








% of sales






 






29.1






%






 






30.7






%






 






 








 






 






 






 






 






 








Less: eBusiness and FMI sales overlap






$






278.4






 






 






258.6






 






 






7.6






%








% of sales






 






12.5






%






 






13.1






%






 






 








 






 






 






 






 






 








Digital Footprint sales






$






1,371.8






 






 






1,208.0






 






 






13.6






%








% of sales






 






61.5






%






 






61.0






%






 






 









(1)






Our eBusiness includes eProcurement activities, which are integrated transactions, including electronic data interchange (EDI), and eCommerce (transactional website sales).








(2)






Digital Footprint is a combination of our sales through FMI (FASTStock, FASTBin, and FASTVend) plus that portion of our eBusiness sales that does not represent billings of FMI services.








(3)






Weighted FASTBin/FASTVend signings and installations reflects the percent change compared to the same period in the prior year.







Gross Profit


Gross profit, as a percentage of net sales, decreased to 44.6% in the first quarter of 2026 from 45.1% in the first quarter of 2025, driven primarily by unfavorable price/cost of approximately 50 basis points, and smaller headwinds from transportation and certain customer rebates. Customer mix remained a structural headwind to gross margin, as growth skewed toward larger customers that carry lower gross margins but remain positive to operating margin due to strong fixed-cost leverage. Our fastener expansion project benefits continued to provide a meaningful offset, mitigating some underlying gross margin pressure; these benefits will anniversary early in the second quarter of 2026.


SG&A Expenses


SG&A expenses, as a percentage of net sales, were 24.3% in the first quarter of 2026 versus 25.0% in the first quarter of 2025.


Employee-related expenses, which typically represent 70% to 75% of total SG&A expenses, remained stable as a percentage of net sales in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter of 2025. We realized about 60 basis points of leverage from improved FTE productivity. Bonuses and commissions increased 55 basis points as a result of improved business activity and financial performance versus the same period in the prior year.


Occupancy-related expenses, which typically represent 15% to 20% of total SG&A expenses, improved 30 basis points as a percentage of net sales in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter of 2025, driven mainly by fixed cost leverage.


Combined, all other SG&A expenses, which typically represent 10% to 15% of total SG&A expenses, improved 40 basis points as a percentage of net sales in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter of 2025. The improvement was mainly driven by reductions in expense related to currency revaluation of certain assets and increases in joint marketing efforts with our suppliers.


Operating Income


Operating income, as a percentage of net sales, increased to 20.3% in the first quarter of 2026 from 20.1% in the first quarter of 2025.


Net Interest


Net interest income was $0.8 in the first quarter of 2026, compared to net interest expense of $0.8 in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting lower debt balances and higher interest income.


Income Taxes


We recorded income tax expense of $108.6 in the first quarter of 2026, or 24.2% of income before income taxes. Income tax expense was $94.4 in the first quarter of 2025, or 24.0% of income before income taxes. We believe our ongoing tax rate, absent any discrete tax items or broader changes to tax law, will be approximately 24.6%.


Net Income


Net income was $339.8 in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 13.8% compared to the first quarter of 2025. Diluted net income per share was $0.30 compared to $0.26 in the first quarter of 2025.


CASH FLOW AND BALANCE SHEET


Net cash provided by operating activities was $378.4 in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 44.3% from the first quarter of 2025, representing 111.4% of net income versus 87.8% in the first quarter of 2025. Our five-year first quarter average is 109.6% of net income. This increase in operating cash flow compared to last year, as a percent of net income, primarily reflects a focused effort to optimize inventory levels.


The dollar and percentage change in accounts receivable, net, inventories, and accounts payable as of March 31, 2026 when compared to March 31, 2025 were as follows:




 






 






March 31






Twelve-month

Dollar Change






Twelve-month

Percentage Change








 






 






2026






 






2025






 






2026






 






2026








Accounts receivable, net






 






$






1,445.2






 






 






1,278.7






 






 






$






166.5






 






 






13.0






%








Inventories






 






 






1,692.5






 






 






1,673.9






 






 






 






18.6






 






 






1.1






%








Accounts payable






 






 






(363.2






)






 






(341.1






)






 






 






(22.1






)






 






6.5






%








Trade working capital, net






 






$






2,774.5






 






 






2,611.5






 






 






$






163.0






 






 






6.2






%








 






 






 






 






 






 






 






 






 








Net sales in last three months






 






$






2,201.7






 






 






1,959.4






 






 






$






242.2






 






 






12.4






%







The increase in our accounts receivable balance in the first quarter of 2026 was mainly attributable to growth in sales with our customers, including relative growth with larger customers that tend to carry longer payment terms.


The slight increase in our inventory balance in the first quarter of 2026 reflects disciplined inventory management and optimization during the period.


The increase in our accounts payable balance in the first quarter of 2026 was mainly attributable to an increase in inventory spending to support growth which was partially offset by timing associated with capital expenditures and general insurance payment activity.


During the first quarter of 2026, our investment in property and equipment, net of proceeds from sales, was $57.6, which was a slight increase from $53.8 in the first quarter of 2025. This was mainly related to an increase in spending for facility construction and upgrades, information technology (IT), and vehicles.


For 2026, we continue to expect our investment in property and equipment, net of proceeds from sales, to be within a range of $310.0 to $330.0, an increase from $230.6 in 2025. The expected growth on a year-to-year basis reflects three items. First, we expect increased spending to replace our Atlanta hub facility and improve our picking capacity and efficiency across our hub network. Second, we expect increased trucking spend. Third, we expect elevated IT spending as projects that were expected in 2025 experienced delays and are expected to continue throughout 2026.


During the first quarter of 2026, we returned $295.7, or 87.0% of net income, to our shareholders in the form of dividends ($275.6) and share repurchases ($20.1), compared to the first quarter of 2025 when we returned $246.7, or 82.6% of net income, to our shareholders in the form of dividends. Our five-year average returned to our shareholders as a percentage of net income is 73.6%.


Total debt on our balance sheet was $125.0 at the end of the first quarter of 2026, or 3.0% of total capital (the sum of stockholders' equity and total debt), compared to $200.0, or 5.1% of total capital, at the end of the first quarter of 2025.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


During the last twelve months, we increased our total full-time equivalent (FTE; based on 40 hours per week) employee headcount by 424. Our total FTE selling personnel increased by 214 to support growth and sales initiatives to target customer acquisition. We had an increase in our distribution and transportation FTE personnel of 14 to support increased product throughput at our distribution facilities. We had an increase in our remaining FTE personnel of 196, which related primarily to personnel investments in IT, finance, and supply chain support.


The table below summarizes our absolute and FTE employee headcount at the end of the periods presented and the percentage change compared to the end of the prior periods.




 






 






 






 







Change




Since:






 






 







Change




Since:








 






Q1




2026






 






Q4




2025







Q4




2025






 






Q1




2025







Q1




2025








Selling personnel - absolute employee headcount






17,235







 






17,166








0.4






%






 






16,995








1.4






%








Selling personnel - FTE employee headcount






15,450






 






 






15,439






 







0.1






%






 






15,236






 







1.4






%








Total personnel - absolute employee headcount






24,675






 






 






24,489






 







0.8






%






 






24,181






 







2.0






%








Total personnel - FTE employee headcount






21,763






 






 






21,602






 







0.7






%






 






21,339






 







2.0






%







CONFERENCE CALL TO DISCUSS QUARTERLY RESULTS


As we previously disclosed, we will host a conference call today to review the quarterly results, as well as current operations. This conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet at 9:00 a.m., central time. To access the webcast, please go to our Investor Relations Website at https://investor.fastenal.com/events.cfm.


ADDITIONAL MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY INFORMATION


We publish on the 'Investor Relations' page of our website at www.fastenal.com both our monthly consolidated net sales information and the presentation for our quarterly conference call (which includes information, supplemental to that contained in our earnings announcement, regarding results for the quarter). We expect to publish the consolidated net sales information for each month, other than the third month of a quarter, at 6:00 a.m., central time, on the fourth business day of the following month. We expect to publish the consolidated net sales information for the third month of each quarter and the conference call presentation for each quarter at 6:00 a.m., central time, on the date our earnings announcement for such quarter is publicly released.


ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS WEBCAST


On Thursday, April 23, 2026, we will be holding our Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the 'Annual Meeting') at the Remlinger Muscle Car Museum located at 3560 Service Drive, Winona, Minnesota. The Annual Meeting will be webcast from 10:00 a.m., central time, until the conclusion of the meeting. To access the webcast, please go to the Fastenal Company Investor Relations Website at https://investor.fastenal.com/events.cfm.


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS


Certain statements contained in this document do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. As such, they are considered 'forward-looking statements' that provide current expectations or forecasts of future events. These forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as anticipate, believe, should, estimate, expect, intend, may, will, plan, goal, project, hope, trend, target, opportunity, and similar words or expressions, or by references to typical outcomes. Any statement that is not a historical fact, including estimates, projections, future trends, and the outcome of events that have not yet occurred, is a forward-looking statement. Our forward-looking statements generally relate to our expectations and beliefs regarding the business environment in which we operate, our projections of future performance, our perceived marketplace opportunities, our strategies, goals, mission, and vision, and our expectations about future capital expenditures, future tax rates, future inventory levels, pricing, weighted FMI technology signings, future sales attributable to our Digital Footprint, investment in property and equipment, the impact of inflation or deflation on our cost of goods, and future operating results and business activity. You should understand that forward-looking statements involve a variety of risks and uncertainties, known and unknown (including risks disclosed in our most recent annual and quarterly reports), and may be affected by inaccurate assumptions. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those detailed in our most recent annual and quarterly reports. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any such statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after such date. FAST-E




FASTENAL COMPANY








Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets








(Amounts in millions except share and per share information)








(Unaudited)








 






 






 






 






 








Assets






 






March 31,

2026






 






December 31,

2025








Current assets:






 






 






 






 








Cash and cash equivalents






 






$






308.6






 






 






276.8






 








Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $6.3 and $5.3, respectively






 






 






1,445.2






 






 






1,245.3






 








Inventories






 






 






1,692.5






 






 






1,748.0






 








Prepaid income taxes






 






 






12.1






 






 






20.1






 








Other current assets






 






 






161.4






 






 






181.9






 








Total current assets






 






 






3,619.8






 






 






3,472.1






 








 






 






 






 






 








Property and equipment, net






 






 






1,140.3






 






 






1,131.6






 








Operating lease right-of-use assets






 






 






312.3






 






 






309.0






 








Other assets






 






 






137.4






 






 






140.2






 








 






 






 






 






 








Total assets






 






$






5,209.8






 






 






5,052.9






 








 






 






 






 






 








Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity






 






 






 






 








Current liabilities:






 






 






 






 








Current portion of debt






 






$






25.0






 






 






25.0






 








Accounts payable






 






 






363.2






 






 






316.8






 








Accrued expenses






 






 






242.6






 






 






264.7






 








Current portion of operating lease liabilities






 






 






106.1






 






 






106.1






 








Income taxes payable






 






 






87.2






 






 






3.0






 








Total current liabilities






 






 






824.1






 






 






715.6






 








 






 






 






 






 








Long-term debt






 






 






100.0






 






 






100.0






 








Operating lease liabilities






 






 






214.4






 






 






210.8






 








Deferred income taxes






 






 






65.5






 






 






67.4






 








Other long-term liabilities






 






 






16.4






 






 






15.5






 








 






 






 






 






 








Stockholders' equity:






 






 






 






 








Preferred stock: $0.01 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued or outstanding






 






 






—






 






 






—






 








Common stock: $0.01 par value, 1,600,000,000 shares authorized, 1,148,000,984 and 1,148,057,473 shares issued and outstanding, respectively






 






 






11.5






 






 






11.5






 








Additional paid-in capital






 






 






105.3






 






 






115.5






 








Retained earnings






 






 






3,931.9






 






 






3,867.7






 








Accumulated other comprehensive loss






 






 






(59.2






)






 






(51.1






)








Total stockholders' equity






 






 






3,989.5






 






 






3,943.6






 








Total liabilities and stockholders' equity






 






$






5,209.8






 






 






5,052.9






 









FASTENAL COMPANY








Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income








(Amounts in millions except income per share)








(Unaudited)








 






 








 






Three Months Ended




March 31,








 






2026






 






2025








Net sales






$






2,201.7






 






 






1,959.4






 








Cost of sales






 






1,218.8






 






 






1,075.5






 








Gross profit






 






982.9






 






 






883.9






 








 






 






 






 








Selling, general, and administrative expenses






 






535.3






 






 






490.0






 








Operating income






 






447.6






 






 






393.9






 








 






 






 






 








Interest income






 






1.6






 






 






0.9






 








Interest expense






 






(0.8






)






 






(1.7






)








Income before income taxes






 






448.3






 






 






393.1






 








 






 






 






 








Income tax expense






 






108.6






 






 






94.4






 








Net income






$






339.8






 






 






298.7






 








 






 






 






 








Basic net income per share






$






0.30






 






 






0.26






 








Diluted net income per share






$






0.30






 






 






0.26






 








 






 






 






 








Basic weighted average shares outstanding






 






1,148.2






 






 






1,146.9






 








Diluted weighted average shares outstanding






 






1,150.9






 






 






1,149.5






 









FASTENAL COMPANY








Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows








(Amounts in millions)








(Unaudited)








 






 






 






 








 






Three Months Ended




March 31,








 






2026






 






2025








Cash flows from operating activities:






 






 






 








Net income






$






339.8






 






 






298.7






 








Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:






 






 






 








Depreciation of property and equipment






 






41.9






 






 






42.0






 








Loss (gain) on sale of property and equipment






 






1.0






 






 






(0.3






)








Bad debt expense






 






1.4






 






 






1.8






 








Deferred income taxes






 






(1.8






)






 






0.7






 








Stock-based compensation






 






2.6






 






 






2.0






 








Amortization of intangible assets






 






2.7






 






 






2.7






 








Changes in operating assets and liabilities:






 






 






 








Trade accounts receivable, net






 






(204.2






)






 






(170.0






)








Inventories






 






52.5






 






 






(26.5






)








Other current assets






 






20.3






 






 






10.2






 








Accounts payable






 






46.6






 






 






45.3






 








Accrued expenses






 






(17.1






)






 






(8.8






)








Income taxes






 






92.2






 






 






70.9






 








Other






 






0.5






 






 






(6.5






)








Net cash provided by operating activities






 






378.4






 






 






262.2






 








 






 






 






 








Cash flows from investing activities:






 






 






 








Purchases of property and equipment






 






(58.9






)






 






(55.7






)








Proceeds from sale of property and equipment






 






1.3






 






 






1.9






 








Other






 






0.0






 






 






0.0






 








Net cash used in investing activities






 






(57.6






)






 






(53.8






)








 






 






 






 








Cash flows from financing activities:






 






 






 








Proceeds from debt obligations






 






47.0






 






 






155.0






 








Payments against debt obligations






 






(47.0






)






 






(155.0






)








Proceeds from exercise of stock options






 






7.6






 






 






11.2






 








Purchases of common stock






 






(20.3






)






 






—






 








Cash dividends paid






 






(275.6






)






 






(246.7






)








Net cash used in financing activities






 






(288.3






)






 






(235.5






)








 






 






 






 








Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents






 






(0.6






)






 






3.1






 








 






 






 






 








Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents






 






31.9






 






 






(24.0






)








 






 






 






 








Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period






 






276.8






 






 






255.8






 








Cash and cash equivalents at end of period






$






308.6






 






 






231.8






 








 






 






 






 








Supplemental information:






 






 






 








Cash paid for interest






$






0.7






 






 






1.5






 








Net cash paid for income taxes






$






16.0






 






 






21.9






 








Leased assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities






$






32.0






 






 






30.4






 







 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260410459899/en/
Dray Schreiber

Accounting Manager

507.313.7324


Original: Fastenal Company Reports 2026 First Quarter Earnings