FAST
Fastenal Company Industrials - Industrial Distribution Investor Relations →
Fastenal Company (FAST) closed at $45.89 as of 2026-06-19, trading 34.7% above its 200-week moving average of $34.06. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 37.1% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 52, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.1x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (0.82 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 1978 weeks of data, FAST has crossed below its 200-week moving average 15 times. On average, these episodes lasted 12 weeks. Historically, investors who bought FAST at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +22.9%.
With a market cap of $52.7 billion, FAST is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 1.7%. Return on equity stands at 33.8%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 13.2x book value.
FAST is a Dividend Aristocrat, having increased its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years. FAST passes our Buffett quality screen: high return on equity, low debt, and positive free cash flow.
Over the past 33.5 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in FAST would have grown to $21735, compared to $3097 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 17.4% vs 10.8% for the index — confirming FAST as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 11% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: FAST vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After FAST Crosses Below the Line?
Across 15 historical episodes, buying FAST when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +21.7% after 12 months (median +14.0%), compared to +11.7% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 73% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +46.5% vs +19.9% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment FAST crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Bean Score Experimental
The Bean Score measures how far a stock's free cash flow yield has deviated from its own quarterly baseline, normalized by the stock's historical behavior. Between earnings dates, FCF is constant — so the score is purely a function of stock price. The levels below show at what prices FAST would reach each dislocation threshold.
Dislocation Price Levels
Prices where FAST's Bean Score would hit each σ threshold. Valid until next earnings report: 2026-07-13.
| Level | σ | Price | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Value | +2σ | $42.16 | Unusually cheap — potential buy zone |
| Value | +1σ | $45.22 | Cheap vs. own history |
| Fair Value | +0σ | $48.76 | Historical mean behavior |
| Expensive | -1σ | $52.90 | Expensive vs. own history |
| Deep Expensive | -2σ | $57.80 | Unusually expensive — potential trim zone |
Quarterly FCF & Yield Trailing twelve-month free cash flow and yield at each quarter end
Signal Accuracy Collecting Data
The Bean Score system is accumulating weekly data to validate signal accuracy. After 13+ weeks of history, this section will display win rates and average returns for each σ threshold crossing — answering the question: "When this score says cheap or expensive, does the price subsequently move in the expected direction?"
Theoretical framework — not backtested or forward-tested. The Bean Score uses trailing twelve-month free cash flow yield as a dislocation identifier. It measures whether the market has pushed a stock's yield unusually far from its own baseline behavior. These levels are reference points for identifying potential swing trade opportunities, not buy/sell signals. FCF values update quarterly with earnings; between reports, all movement is price-driven.
Dislocation Scores Experimental
Each score measures deviation from FAST's own historical baseline — the same idea as the Bean Score, applied to different fundamentals. Positive means cheaper or more dislocated than this stock's norm. Scores marked σ are normalized by the stock's own variability; pp values are simple deltas from its recent baseline.
Theoretical framework — not backtested. These scores describe how unusual today's readings are for this specific company. They are starting points for research, not buy or sell signals. Annual-statement scores (buyback, accruals, FCF vs history) rest on only ~4 yearly data points and are deltas, not sigmas.
Historical Touches
FAST has crossed below its 200-week MA 15 times with an average 1-year return of +22.9% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1998 | Jan 1998 | 1 | 0.9% | +21.7% | +6878.8% |
| Aug 1998 | Nov 1998 | 13 | 41.0% | +48.2% | +6158.0% |
| Nov 1998 | Dec 1998 | 2 | 7.5% | +4.3% | +6387.5% |
| Jan 1999 | Apr 1999 | 11 | 15.3% | +21.8% | +6208.7% |
| Oct 1999 | Jan 2000 | 13 | 20.5% | +36.3% | +6843.7% |
| Feb 2000 | Mar 2000 | 5 | 14.6% | +36.0% | +5400.0% |
| Mar 2003 | Mar 2003 | 4 | 4.3% | +69.6% | +4099.9% |
| Jan 2008 | Jan 2008 | 2 | 4.5% | -2.9% | +1568.4% |
| Oct 2008 | Nov 2009 | 60 | 31.5% | +8.8% | +1437.6% |
| Oct 2014 | Oct 2014 | 1 | 1.9% | -6.4% | +508.8% |
| Feb 2015 | Feb 2016 | 52 | 17.7% | +5.2% | +483.8% |
| Jul 2016 | Aug 2016 | 2 | 2.3% | +3.6% | +466.4% |
| Sep 2016 | Nov 2016 | 9 | 10.8% | +8.3% | +483.8% |
| Jul 2017 | Jul 2017 | 1 | 0.2% | +39.3% | +446.8% |
| Aug 2017 | Aug 2017 | 2 | 3.5% | +50.4% | +465.7% |
| Average | 12 | — | +22.9% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FAST below its 200-week moving average?
No. Fastenal Company (FAST) is currently 34.7% above its 200-week moving average of $34.06. It would need to fall to $34.06 to cross below the line.
What is FAST's 200-week moving average price?
Fastenal Company's 200-week moving average is $34.06 as of 2026-06-19. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when FAST drops below its 200-week moving average?
FAST has crossed below its 200-week moving average 15 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +22.9%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 12 weeks on average.
Is FAST a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about FAST as of 2026-06-19: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 52. Free cash flow yield is 1.7%. Return on equity is 33.8%. Price-to-book is 13.2x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does FAST compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.5 years, $100 invested in FAST would have grown to $21735, compared to $3097 for the S&P 500. That's 17.4% annualized vs 10.8% for the index. FAST has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-06-19