KBC Group NV Buys 43,881 Shares of Fastenal Company $FAST

KBC Group NV increased its position in Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) by 21.0% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 253,151 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 43,881 shares during the quarter. KBC Group NV’s holdings in Fastenal were worth $11,747,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Evergreen Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Fastenal during the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Palladiem LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Fastenal in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Elyxium Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Fastenal during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Fastenal during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new position in Fastenal in the 3rd quarter worth $36,000. Institutional investors own 81.38% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have commented on FAST shares. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $46.00 price target on shares of Fastenal in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Robert W. Baird cut their target price on Fastenal from $52.00 to $50.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. Barclays decreased their target price on Fastenal from $47.00 to $46.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $55.00 price target on Fastenal and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Fastenal from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Fastenal presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $48.83.

More Fastenal News

Here are the key news stories impacting Fastenal this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Fastenal’s dividend profile is drawing interest as the company was highlighted among high-yield, stable cash flow names, reinforcing its appeal for income-focused investors. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage says Fastenal is extending industrial sales growth through contract wins and digital tools, suggesting its business model is still gaining traction. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s dividend increase and links to data-center-driven demand add to the bullish case, with investors viewing Fastenal as a beneficiary of long-term industrial infrastructure spending. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are offering mixed views, with one note focusing on whether Fastenal’s premium valuation is justified by growth and execution. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are also watching the Q2 2026 earnings call transcript for guidance on margins, demand trends, and management’s outlook. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Fastenal’s international revenue mix is being reviewed as a factor that could affect stability and future growth, but the impact is more analytical than immediately market-moving. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Several reports warn that margin pressure and rising costs remain a key risk, which could limit upside if growth slows. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Another note said Fastenal’s stock has been lagging some peers, indicating recent relative underperformance versus competitors. Article Title

Fastenal Stock Up 0.7%

Shares of FAST stock opened at $45.33 on Thursday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $45.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $45.30. Fastenal Company has a 52 week low of $38.97 and a 52 week high of $50.63. The stock has a market cap of $52.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.42, a PEG ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a quick ratio of 2.21, a current ratio of 4.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01.

Fastenal (NASDAQ:FAST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 14th. The company reported $0.33 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.33. Fastenal had a return on equity of 34.03% and a net margin of 15.45%.The firm had revenue of $2.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.34 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.29 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 14.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Fastenal Company will post 1.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Fastenal Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 25th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.26 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, July 28th. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. This is a boost from Fastenal’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. Fastenal’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 81.36%.

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.