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FAST vs. WCC: Fastenal vs. WESCO Stock Comparison

How do Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC) 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 WESCO (WCC) are both classified in the Trading Companies & Distributors sub-industry within the broader Trading Companies & Distributors industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC)
Profile ItemFASTWCC
NameFastenal Co.WESCO International, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization60.80 billion USD14.24 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateAugust 20, 1987May 12, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FAST
WCC
GSPC
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC), 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 Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricFASTWCC
Total Return (1Y)36.82%26.01%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)25.71%33.71%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)15.98%19.77%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FAST
WCC
GSPC
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC), 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 Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

WESCO (WCC) has an aggressive beta of 1.56, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Fastenal (FAST) is defensive at 0.64 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricFASTWCC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.55%48.31%
Beta (5Y)0.641.56
Max Drawdown (5Y)-30.71%-37.37%
Avg. Volume (3M)7.21M592.41K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FAST and WCC 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 Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricFASTWCC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.330.45
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.000.66

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Fastenal (FAST) at 35.26% sits in the top ROE quartile, while WESCO (WCC) at 15.44% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for FAST.

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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

15.44%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
WCC
15.44%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): 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 WESCO (WCC) at 3.04%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

3.04%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
WCC
3.04%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): 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 WESCO (WCC) at 6.61%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

6.61%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
WCC
6.61%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricFASTWCC
ROE (TTM)35.26%15.44%
ROA (TTM)21.97%5.43%
Net Margin (TTM)15.62%3.04%
Operating Margin (TTM)21.55%6.61%
Gross Margin (TTM)44.61%21.51%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Fastenal (FAST) at 8.67% and WESCO (WCC) at 7.76% 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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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Fastenal (FAST) at 9.00% and WESCO (WCC) at 0.00% 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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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricFASTWCC
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.67%7.76%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.52%3.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)9.00%0.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)4.87%-5.23%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

WESCO (WCC) at 2.01 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Fastenal (FAST) at 3.93 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

2.01

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
WCC
2.01
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): 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 WESCO (WCC) at 1.25 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.

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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

1.25

Max
2.33
WCC
1.25
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): 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 WESCO (WCC)
MetricFASTWCC
Current Ratio (MRQ)3.932.01
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.111.25
Net Debt / EBITDA0.123.46

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Fastenal (FAST) at 1.81% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while WESCO (WCC) at 0.68% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, FAST the richer one.

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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

0.68%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
WCC
0.68%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

WESCO (WCC) at 12.13% 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.

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%

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

12.13%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
WCC
12.13%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricFASTWCC
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.81%0.68%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)78.05%12.13%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

WESCO (WCC) at 18.17 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.

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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

18.17

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
WCC
18.17
Min
3.03
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

WESCO (WCC) at 0.55 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Fastenal (FAST) at 6.70 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

0.55

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
WCC
0.55
Min
0.03
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

WESCO (WCC) at 2.62 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Fastenal (FAST) at 14.65 prices above its benchmark range — FAST looks rich relative to book.

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

WCC

Capital Goods industry group

2.62

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
WCC
2.62
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Fastenal (FAST) vs. WESCO (WCC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Fastenal (FAST) and WESCO (WCC)
MetricFASTWCC
P/E Ratio (TTM)43.0818.17
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.700.55
P/B Ratio (MRQ)14.652.62
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.51%2.71%