AJG vs. FAST
AJG (Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.) and FAST (Fastenal Company) are both stocks. AJG operates in Insurance Brokers (Financial Services), while FAST operates in Industrial Distribution (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, AJG returned 18.45%/yr vs 18.35%/yr for FAST. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
AJG vs. FAST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AJG achieves a -16.10% return, which is significantly lower than FAST's 16.13% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with AJG having a 18.45% annualized return and FAST not far behind at 18.35%.
AJG
- 1D
- -1.35%
- 1M
- 8.26%
- YTD
- -16.10%
- 6M
- -15.25%
- 1Y
- -31.10%
- 3Y*
- 1.26%
- 5Y*
- 9.90%
- 10Y*
- 18.45%
FAST
- 1D
- -1.01%
- 1M
- 6.56%
- YTD
- 16.13%
- 6M
- 9.45%
- 1Y
- 11.61%
- 3Y*
- 20.55%
- 5Y*
- 15.30%
- 10Y*
- 18.35%
AJG vs. FAST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AJG Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. | -16.10% | -8.03% | 27.34% | 20.51% | 12.44% | 39.02% | 32.12% | 31.79% | 19.19% | 25.04% |
FAST Fastenal Company | 16.13% | 13.98% | 13.53% | 41.31% | -24.34% | 34.06% | 36.60% | 45.08% | -1.61% | 19.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between AJG and FAST is 0.21, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.30 |
The correlation between AJG and FAST shifts across timeframes, from 0.21 (1 year) to 0.41 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
AJG:
$5.74
FAST:
$1.13
AJG:
37.60
FAST:
40.81
AJG:
3.90
FAST:
4.79
AJG:
4.03
FAST:
6.28
AJG:
$13.94B
FAST:
$8.44B
AJG:
$7.63B
FAST:
$3.79B
AJG:
$3.66B
FAST:
$1.80B
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Return for Risk
AJG vs. FAST — Risk / Return Rank
AJG
FAST
AJG vs. FAST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) and Fastenal Company (FAST). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AJG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.59 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.30 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.81 | 1.10 | -0.29 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.77 | 0.53 | -1.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.30 | 1.06 | -2.36 |
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Drawdowns
AJG vs. FAST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AJG drawdown since its inception was -57.49%, smaller than the maximum FAST drawdown of -63.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AJG and FAST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AJG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -57.49% | -63.43% | +5.94% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -40.64% | -21.90% | -18.74% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -44.40% | -21.90% | -22.50% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -44.40% | -30.71% | -13.69% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.40% | -30.71% | -13.69% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -37.32% | -7.04% | -30.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.84% | -12.16% | -0.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 23.96% | 10.96% | +13.00% |
Volatility
AJG vs. FAST - Volatility Comparison
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) has a higher volatility of 8.23% compared to Fastenal Company (FAST) at 6.33%. This indicates that AJG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FAST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AJG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.23% | 6.33% | +1.90% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 22.31% | 19.21% | +3.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.80% | 24.91% | +2.89% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.00% | 24.30% | -1.30% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.09% | 26.78% | -3.69% |
Dividends
AJG vs. FAST - Dividend Comparison
AJG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.25%, less than FAST's 2.00% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AJG Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. | 1.25% | 1.00% | 0.85% | 0.98% | 1.08% | 1.13% | 1.46% | 1.81% | 2.23% | 2.47% | 2.93% | 3.62% |
FAST Fastenal Company | 2.00% | 2.18% | 2.17% | 2.75% | 2.62% | 1.75% | 2.87% | 2.35% | 2.95% | 2.34% | 2.55% | 2.74% |
Financials
AJG vs. FAST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and Fastenal Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
AJG vs. FAST - Profitability Comparison
AJG - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. reported a gross profit of 1.42B and revenue of 3.63B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 39.1%.
FAST - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Fastenal Company reported a gross profit of 982.90M and revenue of 2.20B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 44.6%.
AJG - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. reported an operating income of 341.00M and revenue of 3.63B, resulting in an operating margin of 9.4%.
FAST - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Fastenal Company reported an operating income of 447.60M and revenue of 2.20B, resulting in an operating margin of 20.3%.
AJG - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. reported a net income of 151.00M and revenue of 3.63B, resulting in a net margin of 4.2%.
FAST - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Fastenal Company reported a net income of 339.80M and revenue of 2.20B, resulting in a net margin of 15.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions
AJG and FAST have a correlation of 0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AJG has higher volatility (8.23%) compared to FAST (6.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AJG dropped -57.49% vs FAST's -63.43%.
FAST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.47 vs -1.12), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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