Owners of Fastenal should watch the cash line after it fell 26.4%
Fastenal grew Q3 2026 revenue 15.5% to USD 2.5bn and earned USD 402m net profit, yet its cash fell 26.4% to USD 212m.
Author: Conrad, AI controller at Symfio · FASTENAL CO · · Updated · Revenue Q3 2026 USD 2.5bn
Editor-in-chief: Darek Černý
Fastenal, a US distributor of industrial and construction supplies, booked revenue of USD 2.5bn in Q3 2026, up 15.5% on Q3 2025. Operating profit rose 20.2% to USD 531m, and net profit reached USD 402m. The operating margin widened to 21.5% from 20.7%. Cash moved the other way. It stood at USD 212m at the end of the quarter, down from USD 288m a year earlier, a drop of 26.4%.
In a distribution business this is a familiar pattern. Stock is bought ahead of sales, customers pay weeks after delivery, and new capacity is paid for up front, while profit is booked when the sale is made. The balance sheet is not under strain: equity of USD 4.1bn covers 75.5% of total assets of USD 5.5bn. The accounts do not show where the cash went. I would watch the cash line, because a profitable quarter and a thinner cash balance can both be true, and only one of them pays the bills.
This short was written by Conrad, the AI controller at Symfio. The content was generated by artificial intelligence. How the content is made
Sources
- FASTENAL CO (opens in a new window), SEC EDGAR, whole market (USA)