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Fastenal Co.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 14 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Daily sales rose 15.5 percent: Net sales were $2,463.3 million, up $330.0 million or 15.5%. Both periods had 64 business days, so daily sales rose to $38.5 million from $33.3 million. Source
  • Share gains and pricing drove growth: Management attributed sales to contract signings made since the first quarter of 2024, product pricing up about 240 basis points, and modest gains in industrial production. Source
  • Operating margin rose to 21.5%: Operating income was $530.8 million, up 20.2%. Diluted net income per share was $0.35 against $0.29 a year earlier, and net income rose 19.7% to $401.6 million. Source
  • Heavy manufacturing led end-market growth: Heavy manufacturing daily sales rose 20.2% and were 44.6% of sales. Management tied manufacturing growth to key account customers with significant managed spend. Source
  • Gross margin fell on customer mix: Gross profit was 44.8% of net sales, down about 40 basis points from 45.3%. Management said the shift toward larger customers reduced gross margin by about 50 basis points. Source
  • SG&A leverage offset gross margin: SG&A was 23.3% of net sales, down 130 basis points from 24.6%. Employee-related costs improved 90 basis points and occupancy-related costs improved 50 basis points. Source
  • Operating cash flow was 105% of income: Operating cash flow was $421.6 million, up 9.0%. Management attributed the lower share of net income to a larger use of cash for receivables and inventory. Source
  • Returned 81.8% of net income: Returned $328.4 million, or 81.8% of net income: dividends of $298.2 million and repurchases of $30.2 million. A year earlier the figure was 75.3%. Source

“This is a common dynamic for a distribution business.”

Fastenal Co., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Weighted FASTBin and FASTVend device signings (MEUs) Source202627,000 to 29,000 MEUsKept
Investment in property and equipment, net of proceeds from sales Source2026$310.0 to $330.0 (millions)Kept
Ongoing tax rate Sourceongoing, absent discrete itemsapproximately 24.6%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: The 2026 signings goal of 27,000 to 29,000 MEUs is the same as in the second quarter release. Source
  • Guidance kept: The 2026 property and equipment investment range of $310.0 million to $330.0 million is the same as in the second quarter release. Source
  • Guidance kept: The ongoing tax rate of approximately 24.6% is the same as in the second quarter release. Source

Sales and operating results

  • Daily sales rose 15.5 percent: Net sales were $2,463.3 million, up $330.0 million or 15.5%. Both periods had 64 business days, so daily sales rose to $38.5 million from $33.3 million. Source
  • Share gains and pricing drove growth: Management attributed sales to contract signings made since the first quarter of 2024, product pricing up about 240 basis points, and modest gains in industrial production. Source
  • Operating margin rose to 21.5%: Operating income was $530.8 million, up 20.2%. Diluted net income per share was $0.35 against $0.29 a year earlier, and net income rose 19.7% to $401.6 million. Source

End markets and customer segments

  • Heavy manufacturing led end-market growth: Heavy manufacturing daily sales rose 20.2% and were 44.6% of sales. Management tied manufacturing growth to key account customers with significant managed spend. Source
  • Non-residential construction grew sixth quarter: Non-residential construction daily sales rose 12.0%, against 7.5% a year earlier. Management said the end market grew for the sixth quarter in a row. Source
  • Other end markets rose on transportation: Other end markets rose 12.4% in daily sales, which management linked to transportation and reseller customers. Source
  • Contract customers outgrew non-contract: Contract sales rose 18.8% in daily sales and were 76.5% of sales, while non-contract sales rose 7.8%. Management said non-contract sales reflect overall business trends more closely. Source

“Sales with our contract customers continue to outperform as we realize incremental sales from implementing customer signings that we have achieved since the first quarter of 2024.”

Fastenal Co., press release

Products, direct and indirect materials

  • Direct materials outpaced indirect: Direct materials daily sales rose 18.6%, against 14.3% for indirect. Management cited greater contribution from fastener sales and manufacturing customers. Source
  • Direct non-fasteners grew fastest: Direct non-fasteners/hardware daily sales rose 21.2%, direct cutting tools and abrasives rose 19.5%, and direct fasteners/hardware rose 16.8%. Source
  • Indirect fasteners grew more slowly: Indirect fasteners/hardware daily sales rose 7.6%, against 15.3% a year earlier. Indirect non-fasteners/hardware and non-safety rose 17.5%. Source

Gross margin, price/cost and SG&A

  • Gross margin fell on customer mix: Gross profit was 44.8% of net sales, down about 40 basis points from 45.3%. Management said the shift toward larger customers reduced gross margin by about 50 basis points. Source
  • Price/cost cut gross margin 30 basis points: Price/cost reduced gross margin by about 30 basis points, an improvement of about 10 basis points from the second quarter. Gross margin also benefited from sourcing savings, supplier rebates and tariff refunds. Source
  • Part of benefit was timing: Management said about 20 basis points of the gross margin benefit reflected favorable timing. Source
  • SG&A leverage offset gross margin: SG&A was 23.3% of net sales, down 130 basis points from 24.6%. Employee-related costs improved 90 basis points and occupancy-related costs improved 50 basis points. Source

“The slight increase in our inventory balance in the third quarter of 2026, despite double-digit sales growth, reflects disciplined inventory management.”

Fastenal Co., press release

Customer sites and digital sales

  • $50k-plus Sites rose to 3,288: Average $50k-plus monthly Sites were 3,288, up from 2,771, with sales per Site of $147,668 against $137,363. Total Sites were 90,759, down from 98,823. Source
  • Digital Footprint sales grew 16.1%: Digital Footprint sales were $1,536.5 million, up 16.1% in daily sales and 61.4% of net sales. FMI sales rose 14.6% and eBusiness sales rose 14.8%. Source
  • FASTBin and FASTVend signings rose: Weighted FASTBin and FASTVend signings were 7,484 MEUs, up 6.2% year over year. Nine-month signings were 21,428, up 7.5%. Source
  • Installed base reached 143,878 MEUs: Weighted FASTBin and FASTVend installations were 143,878 MEUs at quarter end, up 7.4% from a year earlier. Source

Cash flow and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow was 105% of income: Operating cash flow was $421.6 million, up 9.0%. Management attributed the lower share of net income to a larger use of cash for receivables and inventory. Source
  • Returned 81.8% of net income: Returned $328.4 million, or 81.8% of net income: dividends of $298.2 million and repurchases of $30.2 million. A year earlier the figure was 75.3%. Source
  • Debt reduced to $100 million: Total debt was $100.0 million at quarter end, 2.4% of total capital, against $195.0 million or 4.8% a year earlier. Source

2026 investment drivers

  • Atlanta hub replacement adds spending: Management expects increased spending to replace the Atlanta hub facility and improve picking capacity and efficiency across the hub network. Source
  • IT spending delayed into 2026: Projects expected in 2025 experienced delays and are expected to continue through 2026, which management said raises IT spending. Source
  • Capital spending rose to 2.9%: Net property and equipment investment was $71.8 million, 2.9% of net sales, up from $54.7 million in the third quarter of 2025. Source

Headcount and personnel

  • Total FTE headcount fell 2.2%: Total FTE personnel was 21,749 at quarter end, down 2.2% from the second quarter and up 0.7% from year-end 2025. Source
  • Selling FTE fell over the year: Selling FTE was 15,332, down 2.9% from the second quarter. Over twelve months selling FTE fell by 82, mainly from fewer part-time hours worked. Source
  • Distribution headcount rose by 105: Over twelve months distribution and transportation FTE rose by 105 to support higher product throughput at distribution facilities. Source

Coming up, as management said on 14 October 2026

  • Monthly sales published on schedule: Monthly consolidated net sales for months other than the third of a quarter will publish at 6:00 a.m. central time on the fourth business day of the following month. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin Source44.8% of net sales
Inventory Source$1,776.6 million
E-commerce share Source28.8% of sales (eBusiness)

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Management said larger-customer relationships typically carry lower gross margins, offset in its view by higher profit dollars and fixed-cost leverage. Source
  • Financial: Receivables rose 19.9% over twelve months to $1,615.2 million, partly from larger customers that carry longer payment terms. Source
  • External: Fuel and general insurance expense rose within other SG&A, partly offset by joint marketing efforts with suppliers. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Delayed: Management said projects expected in 2025 experienced delays and are expected to continue through 2026. Source
  • Not stated: Management referred to the conference call it had previously disclosed, to review quarterly results and current operations. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.