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AME vs. FAST: AMETEK vs. Fastenal Stock Comparison

How do AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but AME is classified in Electrical Equipment while FAST is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Company profile comparison for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST)
Profile ItemAMEFAST
NameAMETEK, Inc.Fastenal Co.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryElectrical EquipmentTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryElectrical Components & EquipmentTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization52.44 billion USD60.80 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJuly 19, 1984August 20, 1987
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AME
FAST
GSPC
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricAMEFAST
Total Return (1Y)22.79%36.82%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.31%25.71%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.17%15.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AME
FAST
GSPC
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricAMEFAST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.96%24.55%
Beta (5Y)0.960.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-27.06%-30.71%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.45M7.21M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AME and FAST are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricAMEFAST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.741.33
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.062.00

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Fastenal (FAST) at 35.26% sits in the top ROE quartile, while AMETEK (AME) at 14.68% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for FAST.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

14.68%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
AME
14.68%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

35.26%

Max
40.55%
FAST
35.26%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both AMETEK (AME) at 19.91% and Fastenal (FAST) at 15.62% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

19.91%

Max
27.47%
AME
19.91%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

15.62%

Max
27.47%
FAST
15.62%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both AMETEK (AME) at 26.38% and Fastenal (FAST) at 21.55% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

26.38%

Max
36.60%
AME
26.38%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

21.55%

Max
36.60%
FAST
21.55%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricAMEFAST
ROE (TTM)14.68%35.26%
ROA (TTM)7.06%21.97%
Net Margin (TTM)19.91%15.62%
Operating Margin (TTM)26.38%21.55%
Gross Margin (TTM)36.97%44.61%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both AMETEK (AME) at 6.63% and Fastenal (FAST) at 8.67% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both AMETEK (AME) at 7.93% and Fastenal (FAST) at 9.00% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricAMEFAST
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.63%8.67%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.36%5.52%
EPS Growth (YoY)7.93%9.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)8.50%4.87%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

AMETEK (AME) at 1.43 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Fastenal (FAST) at 3.93 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

1.43

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
AME
1.43
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

3.93

Max
5.22
FAST
3.93
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Fastenal (FAST) at 0.11 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while AMETEK (AME) at 0.60 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

0.60

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
AME
0.60
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

0.11

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
FAST
0.11
Min
0.00
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricAMEFAST
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.433.93
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.600.11
Net Debt / EBITDA2.410.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Fastenal (FAST) at 1.81% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while AMETEK (AME) at 0.60% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, FAST the richer one.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

0.60%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
AME
0.60%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

1.81%

Max
2.66%
FAST
1.81%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AMETEK (AME) at 18.76% keeps its payout in the industry’s typical band, while Fastenal (FAST) at 78.05% pays out more than any of its peers — the most stretched cover in its group.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

18.76%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
AME
18.76%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

78.05%

FAST
78.05%
Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricAMEFAST
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.60%1.81%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)18.76%78.05%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

AMETEK (AME) at 32.25 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Fastenal (FAST) at 43.08 sits in the richer quartile — FAST needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

32.25

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
AME
32.25
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

43.08

Max
59.38
FAST
43.08
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both AMETEK (AME) at 6.40 and Fastenal (FAST) at 6.70 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

6.40

Max
7.54
AME
6.40
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

6.70

Max
7.54
FAST
6.70
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

AMETEK (AME) at 4.48 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Fastenal (FAST) at 14.65 prices above its benchmark range — FAST looks rich relative to book.

AME

Capital Goods industry group

4.48

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
AME
4.48
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

14.65

FAST
14.65
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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AMETEK (AME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AMETEK (AME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricAMEFAST
P/E Ratio (TTM)32.2543.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.406.70
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.4814.65
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.89%1.51%