FAST vs. ITW: Fastenal vs. Illinois Tool Works Stock Comparison

June 28, 2026

How do Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) 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

Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but FAST is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while ITW is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Profile Item	FAST	ITW
Name	Fastenal Co.	Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization	54.07 billion USD	77.02 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	August 20, 1987	March 13, 1973
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FAST

ITW

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): 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 Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Metric	FAST	ITW
Total Return (1Y)	16.43%	11.24%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FAST

ITW

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Metric	FAST	ITW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	25.12%	20.78%
Beta (5Y)	0.71	0.98
Avg. Volume (3M)	7.16M	1.37M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

FAST and ITW 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.

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 96.85% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Fastenal (FAST) at 33.84% also sits in the top quartile.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

33.84%

Max: 45.43%
FAST: 33.84%
Q3: 20.07%
Median: 11.35%
Q1: 3.04%
Min: -19.79%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

96.85%

ITW: 96.85%
Max: 45.43%
Q3: 20.07%
Median: 11.35%
Q1: 3.04%
Min: -19.79%

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Fastenal (FAST) at 15.39% and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 19.32% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

15.39%

Max: 24.69%
FAST: 15.39%
Q3: 11.56%
Median: 5.93%
Q1: 0.85%
Min: -13.94%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

19.32%

Max: 24.69%
ITW: 19.32%
Q3: 11.56%
Median: 5.93%
Q1: 0.85%
Min: -13.94%

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Fastenal (FAST) at 20.33% and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 25.67% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

20.33%

Max: 29.84%
FAST: 20.33%
Q3: 15.92%
Median: 8.27%
Q1: 1.86%
Min: -17.50%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

25.67%

Max: 29.84%
ITW: 25.67%
Q3: 15.92%
Median: 8.27%
Q1: 1.86%
Min: -17.50%

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Metric	FAST	ITW
ROE (TTM)	33.84%	96.85%
ROA (TTM)	21.20%	17.05%
Net Margin (TTM)	15.39%	19.32%
Operating Margin (TTM)	20.33%	25.67%
Gross Margin (TTM)	44.89%	44.12%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth Metrics

Revenue growth metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Metric	FAST	ITW
Revenue Growth (YoY)	8.67%	0.92%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.52%	0.23%

EPS Growth

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth Metrics

EPS growth metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Metric	FAST	ITW
EPS Growth (YoY)	9.00%	-10.42%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.87%	2.40%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Fastenal (FAST) at 4.39 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 1.19 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

4.39

Max: 5.24
FAST: 4.39
Q3: 2.97
Median: 2.11
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.71

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

1.19

Max: 5.24
Q3: 2.97
Median: 2.11
Q1: 1.45
ITW: 1.19
Min: 0.71

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): 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 quartile, while Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 2.83 is above its industry debt-to-equity ratio range.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

0.11

Max: 2.29
Q3: 1.08
Median: 0.62
Q1: 0.28
FAST: 0.11
Min: 0.00

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

2.83

ITW: 2.83
Max: 2.29
Q3: 1.08
Median: 0.62
Q1: 0.28
Min: 0.00

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Metric	FAST	ITW
Current Ratio (MRQ)	4.39	1.19
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.11	2.83
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.07	1.76

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Fastenal (FAST) at 1.92% and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 2.34% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

1.92%

Max: 2.34%
FAST: 1.92%
Q3: 1.00%
Median: 0.15%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

2.34%

ITW: 2.34%
Max: 2.34%
Q3: 1.00%
Median: 0.15%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both pay out more than their industries’ typical bands, and FAST more so: Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 58.77% sits above the band, while Fastenal (FAST) at 79.65% exceeds every peer in its group.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

79.65%

FAST: 79.65%
Max: 72.02%
Q3: 29.56%
Median: 6.41%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

58.77%

Max: 72.02%
ITW: 58.77%
Q3: 29.56%
Median: 6.41%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Metric	FAST	ITW
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.92%	2.34%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	79.65%	58.77%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Fastenal (FAST) at 41.68 and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 24.88 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

41.68

Max: 89.28
Q3: 51.81
FAST: 41.68
Median: 33.98
Q1: 23.50
Min: 6.12

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

24.88

Max: 89.28
Q3: 51.81
Median: 33.98
ITW: 24.88
Q1: 23.50
Min: 6.12

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 4.75 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Fastenal (FAST) at 6.40 sits in the pricier quartile — FAST costs more per dollar of sales.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

6.40

Max: 9.89
FAST: 6.40
Q3: 4.89
Median: 2.76
Q1: 1.29
Min: 0.04

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

4.75

Max: 9.89
Q3: 4.89
ITW: 4.75
Median: 2.76
Q1: 1.29
Min: 0.04

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Fastenal (FAST) at 13.55 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Illinois Tool Works (ITW) at 23.85 prices even higher, above its industry range.

FAST

Capital Goods industry group

13.55

FAST: 13.55
Max: 13.55
Q3: 6.81
Median: 3.86
Q1: 2.14
Min: -2.32

ITW

Capital Goods industry group

23.85

ITW: 23.85
Max: 13.55
Q3: 6.81
Median: 3.86
Q1: 2.14
Min: -2.32

Fastenal (FAST) vs. Illinois Tool Works (ITW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
Metric	FAST	ITW
P/E Ratio (TTM)	41.68	24.88
P/S Ratio (TTM)	6.40	4.75
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	13.55	23.85
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.67%	2.88%