Fastenal Co (FRA:FAS) Forward PE Ratio Explanation
The Forward PE Ratio of a company is often used to compare current earnings to estimated future earnings, as well as gaining a clearer picture of what earnings will look like without charges and other accounting adjustments. If earnings are expected to grow in the future, the Forward PE Ratio will be lower than the current PE Ratio. This measure is also used to compare one company to another with a forward-looking focus.
Trailing PE Ratio relies on what is already done. It uses the current share price and divides by the total EPS (Basic) over the past 12 months. PE Ratio can be affected by Non Operating Income such as the sale of part of businesses. This may increase for the current year or quarter dramatically. But it cannot be repeated over and over. Therefore PE Ratio without NRI is a more accurate indication of valuation than PE Ratio .
Fastenal Co Forward PE Ratio Related Terms
Fastenal Co Forward PE Ratio Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Fastenal Co's Forward PE Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Fastenal Co Forward PE Ratio Chart
Fastenal Co Annual Data
Trend
2015-12
2016-12
2017-12
2018-12
2019-12
2020-12
2021-12
2022-12
2023-12
2024-12
2025-12
Forward PE Ratio
22.27
25.84
25.19
17.92
24.57
31.75
36.23
24.21
30.21
34.62
33.59
Fastenal Co Quarterly Data
2015-12
2016-03
2016-06
2016-09
2016-12
2017-03
2017-06
2017-09
2017-12
2018-03
2018-06
2018-09
2018-12
2019-03
2019-06
2019-09
2019-12
2020-03
2020-06
2020-09
2020-12
2021-03
2021-06
2021-09
2021-12
2022-03
2022-06
2022-09
2022-12
2023-03
2023-06
2023-09
2023-12
2024-03
2024-06
2024-09
2024-12
2025-03
2025-06
2025-09
2025-12
2026-03
Forward PE Ratio
22.27
23.98
24.51
21.37
25.84
27.93
22.73
21.10
25.19
21.32
19.16
20.20
17.92
22.17
22.37
20.79
24.57
21.98
30.58
28.33
31.75
31.15
32.89
31.15
36.23
32.15
26.74
22.37
24.21
26.46
29.59
25.58
30.21
36.50
29.76
32.47
34.62
34.75
36.47
38.60
33.59
37.61
FRA:FAS vs FERG, GWW, WCC: Forward PE Ratio Comparison
For the Industrial Distribution subindustry, Fastenal Co's Forward PE Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward PE Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Fastenal Co Forward PE Ratio vs Industrial Distribution Industry
For the Industrial Distribution industry and Industrials sector, Fastenal Co's Forward PE Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Fastenal Co's Forward PE Ratio falls into.
It's a measure of the price-to-earnings ratio (PE Ratio) using forecasted earnings for the calculation. While the earnings used are just an estimate and are not as reliable as current earnings data, there is still benefit in estimated P/E analysis. The forecasted earnings used in the formula can either be for the next 12 months or for the next full-year fiscal period.
Fastenal Co (FRA:FAS) has a Forward PE Ratio of 38.47 as of Jul. 07, 2026. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Fastenal Co and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Fastenal Co ranks #58 out of 64 companies in the Industrial Distribution industry, placing it in the top 90.6%.
Is Fastenal Co's Forward PE Ratio too high?
Fastenal Co's current Forward PE Ratio is 38.47. The Industrial Distribution industry median Forward PE Ratio is 19.57. Fastenal Co's value of 38.47 is 96.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Fastenal Co ranks #58 out of 64 companies in the Industrial Distribution industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Fastenal Co has a GF Score™ of 97/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Fastenal Co's Forward PE Ratio compare to FERG and GWW?
According to the Industrial Distribution industry distribution chart, Fastenal Co ranks #58 out of 64 companies for Forward PE Ratio. This places Fastenal Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward PE Ratio is 19.57. Fastenal Co's value of 38.47 is 96.6% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward PE Ratio for an Industrial Distribution company?
The median Forward PE Ratio among Industrial Distribution companies is 19.57, based on 64 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward PE Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward PE Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Fastenal Co's current Forward PE Ratio of 38.47 is 96.6% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward PE Ratio mean?
A high Forward PE Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Fastenal Co and its competitors. For the Industrial Distribution industry, the median Forward PE Ratio is 19.57 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Fastenal Co's current Forward PE Ratio is 38.47. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Fastenal Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Fastenal Co (FRA:FAS) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €37.79, compared to a current price of €41.91 — trading 10.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward PE Ratio is 38.47 and 96.6% above the Industrial Distribution industry median of 19.57. Fastenal Co's overall GF Score™ is 97/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward PE Ratio calculated?
Forward PE Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Fastenal Co (FRA:FAS), the current Forward PE Ratio is 38.47 as of Jul. 07, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Fastenal Co (FRA:FAS) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Fastenal Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €41.91 is trading 10.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of €37.79.
GuruFocus considers Fastenal Co to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for FRA:FAS:
Forward PE Ratio: 38.47
GF Value™: €37.79 vs. price of €41.91 (10.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 96.6% above the Industrial Distribution median (#58 of 64)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FRA:FAS stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Fastenal began as an industrial retailer, expanding its product portfolio from nuts and bolts to cutting tools, safety equipment, and janitorial supplies. It transitioned into a distributor by building out a dense network of branches close to its business customers. Once a customer becomes large enough, Fastenal installs vending machines and its own personnel on-site. Today, these on-site locations exceed Fastenal's branch count and remain the firm's main focus for expansion. Fastenal acts as a one-stop outsourcing partner for its industrial customers, offering value-added services along with a wide breadth of maintenance, repair, and operations supplies.
97GF Score
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Forward PE Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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