DCI vs. FAST
DCI (Donaldson Company, Inc.) and FAST (Fastenal Company) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — DCI in Specialty Industrial Machinery, FAST in Industrial Distribution. Over the past 10 years, DCI returned 11.26%/yr vs 18.54%/yr for FAST. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
DCI vs. FAST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DCI achieves a -2.43% return, which is significantly lower than FAST's 16.18% return. Over the past 10 years, DCI has underperformed FAST with an annualized return of 11.26%, while FAST has yielded a comparatively higher 18.54% annualized return.
DCI
- 1D
- 0.50%
- 1M
- 3.12%
- YTD
- -2.43%
- 6M
- -6.57%
- 1Y
- 27.89%
- 3Y*
- 14.01%
- 5Y*
- 8.49%
- 10Y*
- 11.26%
FAST
- 1D
- 0.50%
- 1M
- 4.96%
- YTD
- 16.18%
- 6M
- 11.67%
- 1Y
- 15.01%
- 3Y*
- 20.35%
- 5Y*
- 15.05%
- 10Y*
- 18.54%
DCI vs. FAST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DCI Donaldson Company, Inc. | -2.43% | 33.71% | 4.62% | 12.80% | 0.96% | 7.56% | -1.41% | 34.98% | -9.95% | 18.17% |
FAST Fastenal Company | 16.18% | 13.98% | 13.53% | 41.31% | -24.34% | 34.06% | 36.60% | 45.08% | -1.61% | 19.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between DCI and FAST is 0.49, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.55 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.58 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.41 |
The correlation between DCI and FAST shifts across timeframes, from 0.41 (all time) to 0.59 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
DCI:
$10.15B
FAST:
$53.08B
DCI:
$3.72
FAST:
$1.13
DCI:
23.11
FAST:
40.83
DCI:
2.68
FAST:
4.79
DCI:
2.66
FAST:
6.29
DCI:
5.99
FAST:
13.30
DCI:
$3.81B
FAST:
$8.44B
DCI:
$1.30B
FAST:
$3.79B
DCI:
$664.30M
FAST:
$1.80B
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Return for Risk
DCI vs. FAST — Risk / Return Rank
DCI
FAST
DCI vs. FAST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Donaldson Company, Inc. (DCI) 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.
| DCI | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.46 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.63 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.12 | +0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.08 | 0.69 | +0.39 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.26 | 1.37 | +0.89 |
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Drawdowns
DCI vs. FAST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DCI drawdown since its inception was -56.90%, smaller than the maximum FAST drawdown of -63.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DCI and FAST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DCI | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -56.90% | -63.43% | +6.53% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.05% | -21.90% | -4.15% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.05% | -21.90% | -4.15% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.20% | -30.71% | -1.49% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.72% | -30.71% | -12.01% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -21.77% | -7.00% | -14.77% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.09% | -12.16% | +1.07% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.37% | 11.00% | +1.37% |
Volatility
DCI vs. FAST - Volatility Comparison
Donaldson Company, Inc. (DCI) has a higher volatility of 7.72% compared to Fastenal Company (FAST) at 6.72%. This indicates that DCI'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
| DCI | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.72% | 6.72% | +1.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.92% | 19.43% | +1.49% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.39% | 25.05% | +1.34% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.51% | 24.34% | -0.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.91% | 26.80% | -0.89% |
Dividends
DCI vs. FAST - Dividend Comparison
DCI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.42%, less than FAST's 1.99% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DCI Donaldson Company, Inc. | 1.42% | 1.32% | 1.57% | 1.50% | 1.55% | 1.47% | 1.50% | 1.42% | 1.73% | 1.45% | 1.65% | 2.36% |
FAST Fastenal Company | 1.99% | 2.18% | 2.17% | 2.75% | 2.62% | 1.75% | 2.87% | 2.35% | 2.95% | 2.34% | 2.55% | 2.74% |
Financials
DCI vs. FAST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Donaldson Company, Inc. 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
DCI vs. FAST - Profitability Comparison
DCI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Donaldson Company, Inc. reported a gross profit of 333.40M and revenue of 995.10M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 33.5%.
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%.
DCI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Donaldson Company, Inc. reported an operating income of 155.30M and revenue of 995.10M, resulting in an operating margin of 15.6%.
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%.
DCI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Donaldson Company, Inc. reported a net income of 118.10M and revenue of 995.10M, resulting in a net margin of 11.9%.
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
DCI and FAST have a correlation of 0.49, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DCI has higher volatility (7.72%) compared to FAST (6.72%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DCI dropped -56.90% vs FAST's -63.43%.
DCI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.06 vs 0.60), 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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