FAST vs. WWD: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at FAST and WWD, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | FAST | WWD |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Fastenal Company | Woodward, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Trading Companies & Distributors | Aerospace & Defense |
| Market Capitalization | 45.82 billion USD | 15.75 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | August 20, 1987 | April 4, 1994 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of FAST and WWD 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 | WWD |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -3.21% | -0.71% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -20.33% | 4.33% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -5.84% | 21.10% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -4.04% | 51.35% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -4.86% | -1.35% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 8.90% | 55.38% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 6.79M | 0.44M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 6.34M | 0.52M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 23.96% | 24.71% |
| Beta | 0.90 | 1.03 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
FAST
32.69%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.99%
- Q3
- 19.30%
- Median
- 12.90%
- Q1
- 9.19%
- Min
- -4.19%
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.
WWD
16.88%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 43.89%
- Q3
- 23.64%
- Median
- 12.98%
- Q1
- 8.07%
- Min
- -2.55%
WWD’s Return on Equity of 16.88% is on par with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
FAST
15.34%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 18.35%
- Q3
- 9.73%
- Median
- 6.00%
- Q1
- 3.53%
- Min
- -3.81%
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.
WWD
11.32%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 14.96%
- Q3
- 9.50%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- 4.45%
- Min
- 1.01%
A Net Profit Margin of 11.32% places WWD in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense 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
- 25.07%
- Q3
- 13.61%
- Median
- 7.26%
- Q1
- 4.79%
- Min
- -7.51%
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.
WWD
12.83%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 17.97%
- Q3
- 12.09%
- Median
- 9.29%
- Q1
- 6.41%
- Min
- -1.59%
An Operating Profit Margin of 12.83% places WWD in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense 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 | WWD |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 32.69% | 16.88% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 24.90% | 8.69% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.34% | 11.32% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 20.21% | 12.83% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 45.15% | 25.88% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
FAST
4.26
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 3.62
- Q3
- 2.33
- Median
- 1.57
- Q1
- 1.39
- Min
- 0.27
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.
WWD
2.04
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 3.37
- Q3
- 2.01
- Median
- 1.22
- Q1
- 1.07
- Min
- 0.68
WWD’s Current Ratio of 2.04 is in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
FAST
0.05
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.93
- Q3
- 1.19
- Median
- 0.78
- Q1
- 0.54
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, FAST’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.05 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
WWD
0.38
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 1.89
- Q3
- 0.99
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.39
- Min
- 0.03
Falling into the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, WWD’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.38 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
- 5.62
- Q1
- 1.79
- 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.
WWD
216.36
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 29.86
- Q3
- 19.49
- Median
- 7.09
- Q1
- 2.62
- Min
- -7.63
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 216.36, WWD demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | FAST | WWD |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 4.26 | 2.04 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 2.18 | 1.39 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 794.74 | 216.36 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
FAST
2.13%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 5.11%
- Q3
- 2.73%
- Median
- 2.07%
- Q1
- 1.04%
- Min
- 0.00%
FAST’s Dividend Yield of 2.13% is consistent with its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
WWD
0.40%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 2.87%
- Q3
- 1.46%
- Median
- 0.58%
- Q1
- 0.10%
- Min
- 0.00%
WWD’s Dividend Yield of 0.40% is consistent with its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
FAST
79.49%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 136.12%
- Q3
- 68.26%
- Median
- 48.45%
- Q1
- 22.66%
- 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.
WWD
16.25%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 110.40%
- Q3
- 51.46%
- Median
- 20.20%
- Q1
- 4.21%
- Min
- 0.00%
WWD’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 16.25% is within the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | FAST | WWD |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.13% | 0.40% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 79.49% | 16.25% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
FAST
37.26
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 37.92
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 17.42
- Q1
- 14.27
- Min
- 5.07
A P/E Ratio of 37.26 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.
WWD
40.84
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 94.22
- Q3
- 53.31
- Median
- 32.27
- Q1
- 24.64
- Min
- 14.57
WWD’s P/E Ratio of 40.84 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.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
FAST
5.72
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.94
- Q3
- 2.49
- Median
- 1.08
- Q1
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.30
With a P/S Ratio of 5.72, 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.
WWD
4.62
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 7.20
- Q3
- 3.95
- Median
- 2.35
- Q1
- 1.71
- Min
- 0.32
WWD’s P/S Ratio of 4.62 is in the upper echelon for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
FAST
14.46
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 9.42
- Q3
- 4.66
- Median
- 2.10
- Q1
- 1.34
- 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.
WWD
5.91
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 18.61
- Q3
- 9.58
- Median
- 5.45
- Q1
- 3.11
- Min
- 0.94
WWD’s P/B Ratio of 5.91 is within the conventional range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | FAST | WWD |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 37.26 | 40.84 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.72 | 4.62 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 14.46 | 5.91 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 47.36 | 57.15 |