Murphy Middleton Hinkle & Parker Inc. Purchases New Stake in Fastenal Company $FAST

Murphy Middleton Hinkle & Parker Inc. purchased a new stake in Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 11,413 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $565,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Evergreen Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Fastenal in the 1st quarter worth $26,000. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the second quarter worth $26,000. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Fastenal by 69.6% during the first quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 748 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 307 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the second quarter valued at $38,000. Institutional investors own 81.38% of the company’s stock.

Fastenal Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:FAST opened at $50.38 on Friday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $50.36 and its two-hundred day moving average is $47.50. The company has a quick ratio of 2.21, a current ratio of 3.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. Fastenal Company has a 12-month low of $38.97 and a 12-month high of $52.92. The company has a market cap of $57.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.22 and a beta of 0.69.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 14th. The company reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.34 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $2.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.44 billion. Fastenal had a return on equity of 35.13% and a net margin of 15.62%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.29 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Fastenal Company will post 1.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Fastenal Dividend Announcement

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “underperform” rating and issued a $47.00 price target (up from $42.00) on shares of Fastenal in a research report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings upgraded Fastenal from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. DA Davidson set a $51.00 price objective on Fastenal and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Fastenal from $48.00 to $52.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $55.00 target price on shares of Fastenal and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $50.83.

Fastenal News Summary

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Fastenal

In related news, Director Rita J. Heise sold 34,964 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.05, for a total value of $1,749,948.20. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 20,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,001,000. This represents a 63.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Michael Ancius sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.00, for a total value of $147,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 58,690 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,875,810. This represents a 4.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.28% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About Fastenal

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.