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 Overview
FAST’s market capitalization of 49.48 billion USD is significantly greater than ARMK’s 11.21 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 1.36 for ARMK and 0.97 for FAST, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ARMK | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Aramark | Fastenal Company |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Specialty Business Services | Industrial - Distribution |
| CEO | John J. Zillmer | Daniel L. Florness |
| Price | 42.79 USD | 43.13 USD |
| Market Cap | 11.21 billion USD | 49.48 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.36 | 0.97 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | December 12, 2013 | August 20, 1987 |
| ADR | No | No |
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.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ARMK
11.52%
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 30.24%
- Q3
- 17.20%
- Median
- 7.32%
- Q1
- 4.37%
- Min
- -13.44%
ARMK’s Return on Equity of 11.52% is on par with the norm for the Specialty Business Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
FAST
31.99%
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 31.99%
- Q3
- 26.73%
- Median
- 19.92%
- Q1
- 10.89%
- Min
- -9.35%
In the upper quartile for the Industrial - Distribution industry, FAST’s Return on Equity of 31.99% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Return on Invested Capital
ARMK
5.32%
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 22.69%
- Q3
- 10.02%
- Median
- 5.30%
- Q1
- 1.55%
- Min
- -1.58%
ARMK’s Return on Invested Capital of 5.32% is in line with the norm for the Specialty Business Services industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
FAST
27.06%
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 30.61%
- Q3
- 16.52%
- Median
- 12.03%
- Q1
- 6.68%
- Min
- -1.11%
In the upper quartile for the Industrial - Distribution industry, FAST’s Return on Invested Capital of 27.06% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
ARMK
1.97%
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 17.53%
- Q3
- 11.60%
- Median
- 5.65%
- Q1
- 1.65%
- Min
- -5.21%
ARMK’s Net Profit Margin of 1.97% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Specialty Business Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
FAST
15.13%
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 11.08%
- Q3
- 7.38%
- Median
- 5.32%
- Q1
- 3.79%
- Min
- 0.06%
FAST’s Net Profit Margin of 15.13% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Industrial - Distribution industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin
ARMK
4.38%
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 29.40%
- Q3
- 16.52%
- Median
- 5.78%
- Q1
- 1.54%
- Min
- -5.17%
ARMK’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.38% is around the midpoint for the Specialty Business Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
FAST
19.89%
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 15.31%
- Q3
- 10.56%
- Median
- 8.43%
- Q1
- 5.85%
- Min
- -0.91%
FAST’s Operating Profit Margin of 19.89% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Industrial - Distribution industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ARMK | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 11.52% | 31.99% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 2.58% | 23.64% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 5.32% | 27.06% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 1.97% | 15.13% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.38% | 19.89% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 7.86% | 44.99% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ARMK
1.21
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 2.21
- Q3
- 1.84
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.26
ARMK’s Current Ratio of 1.21 aligns with the median group of the Specialty Business Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
FAST
4.28
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 3.57
- Q3
- 2.74
- Median
- 2.29
- Q1
- 1.94
- Min
- 1.33
FAST’s Current Ratio of 4.28 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Industrial - Distribution 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
ARMK
2.27
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 1.02
- Q3
- 0.93
- Median
- 0.62
- Q1
- 0.22
- Min
- 0.03
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.27, ARMK operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Specialty Business Services industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
FAST
0.13
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.26
- Median
- 0.77
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.13
Falling into the lower quartile for the Industrial - Distribution industry, FAST’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.13 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
ARMK
2.33
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 15.61
- Q3
- 6.91
- Median
- 3.29
- Q1
- 0.04
- Min
- -8.58
ARMK’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.33 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Specialty Business Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
FAST
216.24
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 34.29
- Q3
- 28.91
- Median
- 12.63
- Q1
- 3.84
- Min
- -0.41
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 216.24, FAST demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Industrial - Distribution industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARMK | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.21 | 4.28 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.08 | 2.14 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 2.27 | 0.13 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.51 | 0.10 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 4.74 | 0.16 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 2.33 | 216.24 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARMK and FAST. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ARMK
0.96%
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 4.40%
- Q3
- 1.37%
- Median
- 0.74%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARMK’s Dividend Yield of 0.96% is consistent with its peers in the Specialty Business Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
FAST
2.88%
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 3.95%
- Q3
- 2.10%
- Median
- 0.82%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.88%, FAST offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Industrial - Distribution industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ARMK
30.38%
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 79.38%
- Q3
- 51.62%
- Median
- 23.75%
- Q1
- 1.08%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARMK’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 30.38% is within the typical range for the Specialty Business Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
FAST
79.61%
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 88.24%
- Q3
- 56.62%
- Median
- 19.45%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
FAST’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 79.61% is in the upper quartile for the Industrial - Distribution 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) | 0.96% | 2.88% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 30.38% | 79.61% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ARMK
32.56
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 52.23
- Q3
- 42.83
- Median
- 32.04
- Q1
- 16.00
- Min
- 2.24
ARMK’s P/E Ratio of 32.56 is within the middle range for the Specialty Business Services 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
42.96
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 53.67
- Q3
- 39.13
- Median
- 26.86
- Q1
- 22.49
- Min
- 12.77
A P/E Ratio of 42.96 places FAST in the upper quartile for the Industrial - Distribution industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ARMK
2.42
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 4.93
- Q3
- 3.34
- Median
- 2.19
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.06
ARMK’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.42 is within the middle range of its peers in the Specialty Business Services industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
FAST
5.01
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 4.88
- Q3
- 3.36
- Median
- 2.85
- Q1
- 1.53
- Min
- 0.12
FAST’s Forward PEG Ratio of 5.01 is exceptionally high for the Industrial - Distribution industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ARMK
0.64
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 6.26
- Q3
- 3.60
- Median
- 1.90
- Q1
- 0.73
- Min
- 0.34
In the lower quartile for the Specialty Business Services industry, ARMK’s P/S Ratio of 0.64 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
6.50
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 2.87
- Q3
- 2.21
- Median
- 1.42
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- 0.17
With a P/S Ratio of 6.50, FAST trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Industrial - Distribution industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ARMK
3.75
Specialty Business Services Industry
- Max
- 3.69
- Q3
- 3.69
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 1.55
- Min
- 0.59
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Specialty Business Services industry.
FAST
13.41
Industrial - Distribution Industry
- Max
- 13.04
- Q3
- 7.19
- Median
- 3.64
- Q1
- 2.91
- Min
- 0.74
At 13.41, FAST’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Industrial - Distribution 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 (P/E, TTM) | 32.56 | 42.96 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.42 | 5.01 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 0.64 | 6.50 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 3.75 | 13.41 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 30.22 | 56.97 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 13.73 | 29.36 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 0.97 | 6.54 |