Topic: How To Invest

Q: May I have your recommendation for Fastenal on Nasdaq? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: Fastenal Company, $44.02, symbol FAST on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 574.1 million; Market cap: $25.4 billion; www.fastenal.com), is a leading wholesale distributor of industrial and construction supplies. It draws almost all of its clients from the construction and manufacturing industries. Those construction customers include general, electrical, plumbing, sheet-metal, and road contractors. In manufacturing, Fastenal sells to original-equipment manufacturers and maintenance/repair operations. The company also serves farmers, truckers, railroads, mining companies, governments, schools, and certain retail trades. Fastenal’s product lines include threaded fasteners; tools and equipment; abrasives and cutting tools; components and accessories for hydraulics, pneumatics, plumbing and HVAC; material-handling products; and janitorial, welding, safety, and electrical supplies. It also sells personal protective equipment (PPE), hand sanitizer and related products. The company has 2,033 retail locations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe. It also has 1,236 onsite locations (providing dedicated sales and service to one or two clients from within, or close by, their own facilities). That network is supported by 15 distribution…