FAST vs. FIX: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at FAST and FIX, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | FAST | FIX |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Fastenal Company | Comfort Systems USA, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Trading Companies & Distributors | Construction & Engineering |
| Market Capitalization | 47.47 billion USD | 34.36 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 20, 1987 | June 27, 1997 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of FAST and FIX 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 | FAST | FIX |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.12% | 1.90% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -13.57% | 40.51% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 5.35% | 125.41% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -0.48% | 119.79% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 0.49% | 0.89% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 15.02% | 129.72% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 6.69M | 0.36M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 6.47M | 0.40M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 24.48% | 51.95% |
| Beta | 0.90 | 1.68 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
FAST
32.69%
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 32.69% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
FIX
43.59%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 26.79%
- Q3
- 16.47%
- Median
- 10.66%
- Q1
- 8.46%
- Min
- -1.86%
FIX’s Return on Equity of 43.59% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
FAST
15.34%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 16.11%
- Q3
- 9.48%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.68%
- Min
- -1.09%
A Net Profit Margin of 15.34% 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.
FIX
10.06%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 11.67%
- Q3
- 6.13%
- Median
- 3.82%
- Q1
- 2.31%
- Min
- -2.77%
A Net Profit Margin of 10.06% places FIX in the upper quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
FAST
20.21%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 26.26%
- Q3
- 14.59%
- Median
- 7.05%
- Q1
- 4.94%
- Min
- -8.06%
An Operating Profit Margin of 20.21% 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.
FIX
13.39%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 17.78%
- Q3
- 9.61%
- Median
- 6.19%
- Q1
- 3.73%
- Min
- -1.78%
An Operating Profit Margin of 13.39% places FIX in the upper quartile for the Construction & Engineering 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 | FAST | FIX |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 32.69% | 43.59% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 24.90% | 16.65% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.34% | 10.06% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 20.21% | 13.39% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 45.15% | 23.49% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
FAST
4.26
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 3.32
- Q3
- 2.27
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.41
- Min
- 0.26
FAST’s Current Ratio of 4.26 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.
FIX
1.22
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 2.17
- Q3
- 1.50
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- 0.65
FIX’s Current Ratio of 1.22 aligns with the median group of the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
FAST
0.05
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 0.05 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
FIX
0.06
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 2.37
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.62
- Q1
- 0.31
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry, FIX’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)
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.
FIX
9.10
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 36.37
- Q3
- 17.88
- Median
- 8.20
- Q1
- 4.98
- Min
- -6.49
FIX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.10 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | FAST | FIX |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 4.26 | 1.22 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 2.18 | 1.17 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 794.74 | 9.10 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
FAST
2.08%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 5.25%
- Q3
- 2.95%
- Median
- 2.06%
- Q1
- 1.11%
- Min
- 0.00%
FAST’s Dividend Yield of 2.08% is consistent with its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
FIX
0.18%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 5.80%
- Q3
- 3.33%
- Median
- 2.22%
- Q1
- 0.21%
- Min
- 0.00%
FIX’s Dividend Yield of 0.18% is in the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
FAST
79.49%
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 79.49% 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.
FIX
7.18%
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 139.17%
- Q3
- 74.39%
- Median
- 51.48%
- Q1
- 15.67%
- Min
- 0.00%
FIX’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 7.18% is in the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | FAST | FIX |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.08% | 0.18% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 79.49% | 7.18% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
FAST
38.19
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 42.69
- Q3
- 25.21
- Median
- 16.99
- Q1
- 13.13
- Min
- 5.35
A P/E Ratio of 38.19 places FAST in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
FIX
41.00
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 41.00
- Q3
- 26.91
- Median
- 16.02
- Q1
- 13.49
- Min
- 1.65
At 41.00, FIX’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Construction & Engineering 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)
FAST
5.86
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 5.86, 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.
FIX
4.13
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 2.93
- Q3
- 1.65
- Median
- 0.71
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.11
With a P/S Ratio of 4.13, FIX trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Construction & Engineering industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
FAST
14.46
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.63
- Median
- 2.09
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.31
At 14.46, 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.
FIX
13.04
Construction & Engineering Industry
- Max
- 7.96
- Q3
- 4.06
- Median
- 1.98
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- 0.24
At 13.04, FIX’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Construction & Engineering 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 | FAST | FIX |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 38.19 | 41.00 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.86 | 4.13 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 14.46 | 13.04 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 48.53 | 37.78 |