Fastenal Company Reports Q3 2026 Earnings: 15.5% Net Sales Growth and EPS Up 19.8%

Fastenal Company (NASDAQ: FAST) Q3 2026 Earnings Report Summary

Fastenal Company filed Form 8-K under Item 2.02 detailing financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026.

Key Financial Highlights

• Net Sales: Reached $2,463.3 million, up 15.5% from $2,133.3 million in Q3 2025. Daily sales increased 15.5% to $38.5 million.
• Gross Margin: Stood at 44.8%, compared to 45.3% in Q3 2025, pressured modestly by customer mix.
• Operating Income: Increased 20.2% year-over-year to $530.8 million, driven by SG&A expense leverage.
• Operating Margin: Expanded 90 basis points to 21.5% from 20.7% in the prior-year period.
• Net Income & EPS: Net income totaled $401.6 million (+19.7% YoY), translating to diluted EPS of $0.35 versus $0.29 in Q3 2025 (+19.8% YoY).
• Nine-Month Results: Net sales for the first nine months rose 14.2% to $7,051.9 million, while diluted EPS reached $0.98 (+16.5% YoY).

Operational Drivers & Capital Allocation

• Growth was propelled by market share gains with larger customers, Onsite and digital solutions, and product pricing actions (+240 bps).
• Direct materials outpaced indirect materials (+18.6% vs. prior year period).
• Generated $422 million in operating cash flow and returned $328 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.