ARMK vs. FAST: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARMK and FAST, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ARMK | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Aramark | Fastenal Company |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure | Trading Companies & Distributors |
| Market Capitalization | 10.25 billion USD | 54.95 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | December 12, 2013 | August 20, 1987 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARMK and FAST by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ARMK | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.48% | -2.03% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -8.86% | 11.01% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 12.98% | 23.50% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 1.99% | 34.16% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.56% | -2.37% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 4.53% | 33.19% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.15M | 5.54M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.97M | 6.03M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 23.44% | 21.13% |
| Beta | 1.13 | 0.91 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ARMK
11.83%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 84.03%
- Q3
- 40.12%
- Median
- 17.38%
- Q1
- 7.45%
- Min
- -33.94%
ARMK’s Return on Equity of 11.83% is on par with the norm for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
FAST
32.33%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.99%
- Q3
- 19.66%
- Median
- 13.72%
- Q1
- 9.74%
- Min
- -0.34%
In the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, FAST’s Return on Equity of 32.33% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ARMK
2.02%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 25.61%
- Q3
- 14.65%
- Median
- 8.66%
- Q1
- 3.36%
- Min
- -9.83%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, ARMK’s Net Profit Margin of 2.02% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
FAST
15.30%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 16.11%
- Q3
- 9.48%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.68%
- Min
- -1.09%
A Net Profit Margin of 15.30% places FAST in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ARMK
4.44%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 45.80%
- Q3
- 22.44%
- Median
- 14.98%
- Q1
- 6.59%
- Min
- -15.28%
ARMK’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.44% is in the lower quartile for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
FAST
20.10%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 26.26%
- Q3
- 14.59%
- Median
- 7.05%
- Q1
- 4.94%
- Min
- -8.06%
An Operating Profit Margin of 20.10% places FAST in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ARMK | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 11.83% | 32.33% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 2.77% | 24.62% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 2.02% | 15.30% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.44% | 20.10% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.55% | 45.06% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ARMK
1.29
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 2.73
- Q3
- 1.63
- Median
- 1.12
- Q1
- 0.73
- Min
- 0.18
ARMK’s Current Ratio of 1.29 aligns with the median group of the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
FAST
4.22
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 3.32
- Q3
- 2.27
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.41
- Min
- 0.26
FAST’s Current Ratio of 4.22 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ARMK
2.04
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 11.29
- Q3
- 4.71
- Median
- 1.65
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.00
ARMK’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.04 is typical for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
FAST
0.06
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.93
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.79
- Q1
- 0.61
- Min
- 0.01
Falling into the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, FAST’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.06 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ARMK
2.07
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 21.72
- Q3
- 11.40
- Median
- 4.02
- Q1
- 1.19
- Min
- -11.84
ARMK’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.07 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
FAST
794.74
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 15.13
- Q3
- 7.93
- Median
- 5.67
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -1.67
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 794.74, FAST demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARMK | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.29 | 4.22 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.06 | 2.10 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 2.04 | 0.06 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 2.07 | 794.74 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ARMK
1.07%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 6.81%
- Q3
- 2.73%
- Median
- 0.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARMK’s Dividend Yield of 1.07% is consistent with its peers in the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
FAST
1.71%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 5.25%
- Q3
- 2.95%
- Median
- 2.06%
- Q1
- 1.11%
- Min
- 0.00%
FAST’s Dividend Yield of 1.71% is consistent with its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ARMK
29.94%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 128.39%
- Q3
- 61.60%
- Median
- 21.91%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARMK’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 29.94% is within the typical range for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
FAST
79.54%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 136.12%
- Q3
- 71.34%
- Median
- 47.49%
- Q1
- 22.56%
- Min
- 0.00%
FAST’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 79.54% is in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ARMK | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.07% | 1.71% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 29.94% | 79.54% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ARMK
27.99
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 56.96
- Q3
- 33.82
- Median
- 21.30
- Q1
- 15.75
- Min
- 6.06
ARMK’s P/E Ratio of 27.99 is within the middle range for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
FAST
46.54
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 42.69
- Q3
- 25.21
- Median
- 16.99
- Q1
- 13.13
- Min
- 5.35
At 46.54, FAST’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ARMK
0.57
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 7.19
- Q3
- 3.99
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.17
In the lower quartile for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, ARMK’s P/S Ratio of 0.57 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
FAST
7.12
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 2.71
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.70
- Min
- 0.30
With a P/S Ratio of 7.12, FAST trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ARMK
3.58
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 24.89
- Q3
- 11.60
- Median
- 4.91
- Q1
- 2.29
- Min
- 0.37
ARMK’s P/B Ratio of 3.58 is within the conventional range for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
FAST
12.66
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.63
- Median
- 2.09
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.31
At 12.66, FAST’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARMK | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 27.99 | 46.54 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.57 | 7.12 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 3.58 | 12.66 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 9.39 | 63.19 |