Seek Returns

EME vs. FAST: EMCOR vs. Fastenal Stock Comparison

How do EMCOR (EME) 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

EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but EME is classified in Construction & Engineering while FAST is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Company profile comparison for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST)
Profile ItemEMEFAST
NameEMCOR Group, Inc.Fastenal Co.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryConstruction & EngineeringTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryConstruction & EngineeringTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization26.64 billion USD60.80 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 10, 1995August 20, 1987
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

EME
FAST
GSPC
Loading price history…
EMCOR (EME) 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricEMEFAST
Total Return (1Y)0.07%36.82%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)46.16%25.71%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)38.01%15.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

EME
FAST
GSPC
Loading price history…
EMCOR (EME) 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricEMEFAST
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)43.79%24.55%
Beta (5Y)1.170.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-36.85%-30.71%
Avg. Volume (3M)402.73K7.21M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
EME 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 EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricEMEFAST
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.101.33
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.142.00

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both EMCOR (EME) at 40.55% 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.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

40.55%

EME
40.55%
Max
40.55%
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%
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Fastenal (FAST) at 15.62% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of EMCOR (EME) at 7.78%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

7.78%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
EME
7.78%
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%
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Fastenal (FAST) at 21.55% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of EMCOR (EME) at 10.46%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

10.46%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
EME
10.46%
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%
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricEMEFAST
ROE (TTM)40.55%35.26%
ROA (TTM)12.33%21.97%
Net Margin (TTM)7.78%15.62%
Operating Margin (TTM)10.46%21.55%
Gross Margin (TTM)19.59%44.61%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both EMCOR (EME) at 16.62% 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.

Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

EMCOR (EME) at 30.99% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Fastenal (FAST) at 9.00% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for EME.

Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricEMEFAST
Revenue Growth (YoY)16.62%8.67%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)15.32%5.52%
EPS Growth (YoY)30.99%9.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)51.54%4.87%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Fastenal (FAST) at 3.93 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while EMCOR (EME) at 1.17 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

1.17

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
EME
1.17
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
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both EMCOR (EME) at 0.13 and Fastenal (FAST) at 0.11 keep leverage in the lower quartile of their industries, with less balance-sheet debt relative to equity than most peers.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

0.13

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
EME
0.13
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
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) 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 EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricEMEFAST
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.173.93
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.130.11
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.100.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Fastenal (FAST) at 1.81% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while EMCOR (EME) at 0.07% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, FAST the richer one.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

0.07%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
EME
0.07%
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%
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

EMCOR (EME) at 4.19% 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.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

4.19%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
EME
4.19%
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%
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricEMEFAST
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.07%1.81%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)4.19%78.05%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

EMCOR (EME) at 17.59 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Fastenal (FAST) at 43.08 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

17.59

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
EME
17.59
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
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

EMCOR (EME) at 1.34 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Fastenal (FAST) at 6.70 sits in the pricier quartile — FAST costs more per dollar of sales.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

1.34

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
EME
1.34
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
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) 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: EMCOR (EME) at 6.26 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Fastenal (FAST) at 14.65 prices even higher, above its industry range.

EME

Capital Goods industry group

6.26

Max
9.66
EME
6.26
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
Loading chart…
EMCOR (EME) vs. Fastenal (FAST): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for EMCOR (EME) and Fastenal (FAST)
MetricEMEFAST
P/E Ratio (TTM)17.5943.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.346.70
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.2614.65
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.82%1.51%