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FAST vs. LHX: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

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Here’s a clear look at FAST and LHX, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

SymbolFASTLHX
Company NameFastenal CompanyL3Harris Technologies, Inc.
CountryUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsAerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization56.85 billion USD51.67 billion USD
ExchangeNasdaqGSNYSE
Listing DateAugust 20, 1987December 31, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of FAST and LHX 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.

FAST vs. LHX: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolFASTLHX
5-Day Price Return1.75%1.88%
13-Week Price Return19.14%19.56%
26-Week Price Return32.46%38.08%
52-Week Price Return48.90%19.82%
Month-to-Date Return7.39%0.48%
Year-to-Date Return37.80%31.32%
10-Day Avg. Volume5.72M1.24M
3-Month Avg. Volume6.27M1.45M
3-Month Volatility18.77%17.88%
Beta0.950.76

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

FAST

32.33%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
32.33%
Q3
19.92%
Median
14.05%
Q1
11.46%
Min
0.91%

In the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, FAST’s Return on Equity of 32.33% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

LHX

8.82%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
43.89%
Q3
22.42%
Median
12.50%
Q1
5.21%
Min
-6.24%

LHX’s Return on Equity of 8.82% is on par with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

FAST

15.30%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
17.73%
Q3
10.81%
Median
6.13%
Q1
4.33%
Min
2.09%

A Net Profit Margin of 15.30% 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.

LHX

7.94%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
14.54%
Q3
8.08%
Median
6.17%
Q1
2.49%
Min
-1.63%

LHX’s Net Profit Margin of 7.94% 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 vs. LHX: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

FAST

20.10%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
25.50%
Q3
15.13%
Median
7.46%
Q1
5.44%
Min
3.55%

An Operating Profit Margin of 20.10% 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.

LHX

10.11%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
16.63%
Q3
10.38%
Median
8.29%
Q1
6.21%
Min
0.95%

LHX’s Operating Profit Margin of 10.11% is around the midpoint for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolFASTLHX
Return on Equity (TTM)32.33%8.82%
Return on Assets (TTM)24.62%4.08%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)15.30%7.94%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)20.10%10.11%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)45.06%25.74%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

FAST

4.22

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
2.82
Q3
2.13
Median
1.60
Q1
1.43
Min
0.46

FAST’s Current Ratio of 4.22 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.

LHX

1.04

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
3.09
Q3
1.98
Median
1.23
Q1
1.03
Min
0.02

LHX’s Current Ratio of 1.04 aligns with the median group of the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

FAST

0.06

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
1.88
Q3
1.18
Median
0.74
Q1
0.54
Min
0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, FAST’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.

LHX

0.63

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
1.70
Q3
1.04
Median
0.68
Q1
0.41
Min
0.00

LHX’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.63 is typical for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

FAST

794.74

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
15.13
Q3
7.93
Median
5.75
Q1
2.70
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.

LHX

3.37

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
36.57
Q3
19.90
Median
7.04
Q1
2.40
Min
-7.63

LHX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.37 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolFASTLHX
Current Ratio (MRQ)4.221.04
Quick Ratio (MRQ)2.100.87
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)0.060.63
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)794.743.37

Growth

Revenue Growth

FAST vs. LHX: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

FAST vs. LHX: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

FAST

1.66%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
4.99%
Q3
3.04%
Median
1.94%
Q1
1.22%
Min
0.00%

FAST’s Dividend Yield of 1.66% is consistent with its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

LHX

1.73%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
2.03%
Q3
1.22%
Median
0.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 1.73%, LHX offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

FAST

79.54%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
95.14%
Q3
62.08%
Median
51.17%
Q1
26.24%
Min
0.00%

FAST’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 79.54% 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.

LHX

52.68%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
83.87%
Q3
49.90%
Median
16.48%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LHX’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 52.68% is in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense 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.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolFASTLHX
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.66%1.73%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)79.54%52.68%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

FAST

47.90

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
48.55
Q3
26.73
Median
17.17
Q1
10.78
Min
1.62

A P/E Ratio of 47.90 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.

LHX

30.52

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
65.97
Q3
54.11
Median
34.53
Q1
23.66
Min
0.00

LHX’s P/E Ratio of 30.52 is within the middle range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

FAST

7.33

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
4.88
Q3
2.56
Median
1.02
Q1
0.60
Min
0.29

With a P/S Ratio of 7.33, 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.

LHX

2.42

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
8.07
Q3
4.49
Median
2.42
Q1
1.39
Min
0.00

LHX’s P/S Ratio of 2.42 aligns with the market consensus for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

FAST

12.66

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
8.77
Q3
4.33
Median
2.00
Q1
1.11
Min
0.35

At 12.66, 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.

LHX

2.40

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max
13.67
Q3
7.92
Median
4.65
Q1
2.68
Min
0.82

LHX’s P/B Ratio of 2.40 is in the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

FAST vs. LHX: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Trading Companies & Distributors and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolFASTLHX
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)47.9030.52
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)7.332.42
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)12.662.40
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)65.0322.86