AVAV vs. FAST: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AVAV 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 AVAV’s 11.24 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 0.81 for AVAV and 0.97 for FAST, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AVAV | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AeroVironment, Inc. | Fastenal Company |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Aerospace & Defense | Industrial - Distribution |
| CEO | Wahid Nawabi | Daniel L. Florness |
| Price | 246.23 USD | 43.13 USD |
| Market Cap | 11.24 billion USD | 49.48 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.81 | 0.97 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | January 23, 2007 | August 20, 1987 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AVAV 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
AVAV
5.06%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 42.57%
- Q3
- 16.67%
- Median
- 8.39%
- Q1
- -0.77%
- Min
- -23.36%
AVAV’s Return on Equity of 5.06% is on par with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense 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
AVAV
4.16%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 23.42%
- Q3
- 8.86%
- Median
- 5.47%
- Q1
- -5.60%
- Min
- -22.46%
AVAV’s Return on Invested Capital of 4.16% is in line with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense 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
AVAV
5.54%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 22.67%
- Q3
- 8.04%
- Median
- 4.95%
- Q1
- -5.07%
- Min
- -16.58%
AVAV’s Net Profit Margin of 5.54% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Aerospace & Defense 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
AVAV
5.18%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 22.01%
- Q3
- 11.49%
- Median
- 8.96%
- Q1
- 3.77%
- Min
- -4.96%
AVAV’s Operating Profit Margin of 5.18% is around the midpoint for the Aerospace & Defense 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 | AVAV | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 5.06% | 31.99% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.89% | 23.64% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 4.16% | 27.06% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 5.54% | 15.13% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 5.18% | 19.89% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 40.23% | 44.99% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AVAV
3.52
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 5.13
- Q3
- 3.36
- Median
- 2.16
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.41
AVAV’s Current Ratio of 3.52 is in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its 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
AVAV
0.04
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 1.20
- Q3
- 0.73
- Median
- 0.51
- Q1
- 0.09
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, AVAV’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.04 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
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
AVAV
245.75
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 12.62
- Q3
- 7.38
- Median
- 2.95
- Q1
- 1.68
- Min
- -6.68
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 245.75, AVAV demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
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 | AVAV | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 3.52 | 4.28 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 2.69 | 2.14 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.04 | 0.13 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 0.10 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.11 | 0.16 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 245.75 | 216.24 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AVAV 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
AVAV
0.00%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 6.00%
- Q3
- 0.66%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AVAV currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
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
AVAV
0.00%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 172.02%
- Q3
- 32.47%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AVAV has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
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 | AVAV | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 2.88% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 79.61% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AVAV
158.45
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 75.34
- Q3
- 54.40
- Median
- 38.63
- Q1
- 26.10
- Min
- 16.44
At 158.45, AVAV’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
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
AVAV
4.65
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 10.68
- Q3
- 5.36
- Median
- 2.31
- Q1
- 1.47
- Min
- 0.01
AVAV’s Forward PEG Ratio of 4.65 is within the middle range of its peers in the Aerospace & Defense 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
AVAV
14.27
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 19.34
- Q3
- 9.54
- Median
- 2.71
- Q1
- 1.59
- Min
- 0.35
AVAV’s P/S Ratio of 14.27 is in the upper echelon for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
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
AVAV
7.80
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 16.08
- Q3
- 8.12
- Median
- 4.12
- Q1
- 2.69
- Min
- 0.69
AVAV’s P/B Ratio of 7.80 is within the conventional range for the Aerospace & Defense 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
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 | AVAV | FAST |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 158.45 | 42.96 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 4.65 | 5.01 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 14.27 | 6.50 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.80 | 13.41 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -821.15 | 56.97 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 188.22 | 29.36 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 14.26 | 6.54 |