Fastenal Company (FAST): Today's Featured Materials & Construction Winner

Fastenal Company (FAST) pushed the Materials & Construction industry higher today making it today's featured materials & construction winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 1%. By the end of trading, Fastenal Company rose 57 cents (1.5%) to $39.60 on light volume. Throughout the day, two million shares of Fastenal Company exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 2.9 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $39.15-$39.63 after having opened the day at $39.32 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $39.03. Other companies within the Materials & Construction industry that increased today were: Hovnanian (HOV), up 7.8%, Integrated Electrical Services (IESC), up 7.5%, Tutor Perini (TPC), up 6%, and Veolia Environnement (VE), up 5.7%.

Fastenal Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a wholesaler and retailer of industrial and construction supplies in the United States and internationally. Fastenal Company has a market cap of $11.49 billion and is part of the industrial goods sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 30.3, above the average materials & construction industry P/E ratio of 30.1 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 10.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are no analysts that rate Fastenal Company a buy, one analyst rates it a sell, and seven rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Fastenal Company as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income, robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company is trading at a premium valuation based on our review of its current price compared to such things as earnings and book value.

• You can view the full Fastenal Ratings Report.

On the negative front, India Globalization Capital (IGC), down 11.6%, Nobility Homes (NOBH), down 7.8%, Ecology and Environment (EEI), down 7.7%, and Guanwei Recycling (GPRC), down 4.4%, were all losers within the materials & construction industry with Clean Harbors (CLH) being today's materials & construction industry loser.

• Use our materials & construction section to find industry-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the materials & construction industry could consider SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) while those bearish on the materials & construction industry could consider ProShares Short Basic Materials Fd (SBM).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

For more information on Fastenal Company click any of the following:

• Fastenal Company Stock Price

• Fastenal Company Analyst Ratings

• Fastenal Company Key Stats & Profile

• Fastenal Company Earnings

• Fastenal Company Ratio Comparison

• Fastenal Company Growth Rates

• Fastenal Company Balance Sheet

• Fastenal Company Cash Flow

• Fastenal Company Income Statement