Fastenal Company Announces Cash Dividend

WINONA, Minn., Nov. 18, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Fastenal Company of Winona, MN (Nasdaq:FAST) reported its Board of Directors declared a special one-time dividend of $0.42 per share to be paid in cash on December 6, 2010 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 24, 2010. The Company expects to resume its historical practice of paying a semi-annual cash dividend in the foreseeable future, provided that any future determination as to payment of dividends will depend upon the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and such other factors as are deemed relevant by the Board of Directors.

Dividend and stock repurchase activity in the last ten years are as follows:

				Dividends per share
Year		Dividends paid	Total dividends paid  (000's)	Regular dividend	Total dividend paid	Total value of repurchased shares (000's)	Per share price of repurchased shares
2010	(1)	Three	$ 182,814	$ 0.82	$ 1.24	$ --	$ --
2009		Two	$ 106,943	$ 0.72	$ 0.72	$ 41,104	$ 37.37
2008	(2)	Three	$ 117,474	$ 0.52	$ 0.79	$ 25,958	$ 43.99
2007		Two	$ 66,216	$ 0.44	$ 0.44	$ 87,312	$ 41.86
2006		Two	$ 60,548	$ 0.40	$ 0.40	$ 17,294	$ 36.49
2005		Two	$ 46,935	$ 0.31	$ 0.31	$ 18,739	$ 26.75
2004		Two	$ 30,350	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ --	$ --
2003		Two	$ 15,935	$ 0.105	$ 0.105	$ --	$ --
2002		One	$ 3,794	$ 0.025	$ 0.025	$ --	$ --
2001		One	$ 3,415	$ 0.0225	$ 0.0225	$ --	$ --
(1)  Note: The 2010 dividend paid amounts include the impact from this dividend announcement.  The total dividend paid amount in 2010 has been estimated using the number of shares outstanding on October 19, 2010. The 2010 shares repurchased information is as of October 19, 2010.
(2)  The 2008 Dividend includes two regular payments totaling $0.52 per share and a supplemental dividend paid in December of $0.27 per share.

All information reflects the 2-for-1 stock splits effected in the form of a stock dividend in each of 2002 and 2005.