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CW vs. FAST: Curtiss-Wright vs. Fastenal Stock Comparison

How do Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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

Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CW is classified in Aerospace & Defense while FAST is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Company profile comparison for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST)
Profile ItemCWFAST
NameCurtiss-Wright CorporationFastenal Co.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryAerospace & DefenseTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryAerospace & DefenseTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization16.81 billion USD60.80 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980August 20, 1987
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CW
FAST
GSPC
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricCWFAST
Total Return (1Y)-15.83%36.82%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)33.49%25.71%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)29.54%15.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CW
FAST
GSPC
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricCWFAST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)38.26%24.55%
Beta (5Y)0.930.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-45.25%-30.71%
Avg. Volume (3M)427.49K7.21M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CW 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricCWFAST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.531.33
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.712.00

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 21.82% and Fastenal (FAST) at 35.26% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

21.82%

Max
40.55%
CW
21.82%
Q3
19.29%
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 14.86% and Fastenal (FAST) at 15.62% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

14.86%

Max
27.47%
CW
14.86%
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 19.87% 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.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

19.87%

Max
36.60%
CW
19.87%
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricCWFAST
ROE (TTM)21.82%35.26%
ROA (TTM)8.90%21.97%
Net Margin (TTM)14.86%15.62%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.87%21.55%
Gross Margin (TTM)38.07%44.61%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 12.08% 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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 21.99% 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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricCWFAST
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.08%8.67%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.01%5.52%
EPS Growth (YoY)21.99%9.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)19.09%4.87%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Fastenal (FAST) at 3.93 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 1.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
CW
1.42
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 0.45 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

0.45

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
CW
0.45
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricCWFAST
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.423.93
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.450.11
Net Debt / EBITDA1.000.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Fastenal (FAST) at 1.81% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 0.23% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, FAST the richer one.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

0.23%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
CW
0.23%
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 6.67% 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.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

6.67%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
CW
6.67%
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricCWFAST
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.23%1.81%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)6.67%78.05%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 30.92 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.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

30.92

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
CW
30.92
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 4.50 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.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

4.50

Max
7.54
CW
4.50
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 6.64 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Fastenal (FAST) at 14.65 prices even higher, above its industry range.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

6.64

Max
9.66
CW
6.64
Q3
5.00
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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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricCWFAST
P/E Ratio (TTM)30.9243.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.506.70
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.6414.65
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.86%1.51%