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Fastenal Inc. NASDAQ: FAST is a leading supplier of construction and industrial supplies, including fasteners, bolts, screws, studs, washers, as well as safety supplies and tools for maintenance repair and operations (MRO) products. Muted industrial manufacturing and construction activity amid an uncertain macroeconomic backdrop resulted in a semi-kitchen sink in the fourth quarter of 2024.
With the stock market going through its first earnings season of 2025, companies are making important announcements. This includes the approval of share buyback programs, as well as dividend increases.
I am neutral on Fastenal Company due to near-term industrial sector challenges, potential margin compression, and slower growth in key segments like fastener sales. Despite positive 4Q24 earnings aspects, FAST's 35x forward earnings valuation is difficult to justify given the mixed outlook and historical performance. FAST's strengths include strong digital adoption, deep national account relationships, and potential benefits from an industrial sector recovery.
This week's anticipated dividend increases feature six companies, averaging a 4.4% rise, with a median increase of 3.4%. My strategy involves investing in companies with consistent dividend growth and outperforming benchmarks, using data from the U.S. Dividend Champions and NASDAQ. I recommend SCHD for non-REIT investments and the Cohen & Steers REIT & Preferred Income Fund for REITs, both showcasing strong historical performance.
Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST ) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Transcript January 17, 2025 10:00 AM ET Company Participants Taylor Ranta - Accounting Manager Dan Florness - CEO Holden Lewis - CFO Conference Call Participants Ryan Merkel - William Blair David Manthey - Baird Tommy Moll - Stephens Stephen Volkmann - Jefferies Operator Greetings, and welcome to the Fastenal 2024 Annual and Q4 Earnings Results Conference Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode.
FAST's fourth-quarter 2024 results reflect the expansion of Onsite locations and increased adoption of digital platforms, which are offset by a soft manufacturing environment.
U.S. stocks traded higher midway through trading, with the S&P 500 gaining around 1% on Friday.
Shares of Fastenal Co (NASDAQ:FAST) are down 1.9% at $73.38 at last glance, after the industrial machinery name's disappointing fourth-quarter results, with earnings, revenue, and sales growth all missing estimates.
The headline numbers for Fastenal (FAST) give insight into how the company performed in the quarter ended December 2024, but it may be worthwhile to compare some of its key metrics to Wall Street estimates and the year-ago actuals.
Shares of Fastenal (FAST) stumbled in premarket trading Friday after the industrial parts company's fourth-quarter results came in short of what analysts had expected.