FAST vs. AAPL
FAST (Fastenal Company) and AAPL (Apple Inc) are both stocks. FAST operates in Industrial Distribution (Industrials), while AAPL operates in Consumer Electronics (Technology). Over the past 10 years, FAST returned 18.35%/yr vs 29.88%/yr for AAPL. At a 0.28 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
FAST vs. AAPL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FAST achieves a 16.13% return, which is significantly higher than AAPL's 9.24% return. Over the past 10 years, FAST has underperformed AAPL with an annualized return of 18.35%, while AAPL has yielded a comparatively higher 29.88% annualized return.
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%
AAPL
- 1D
- 1.82%
- 1M
- -1.27%
- YTD
- 9.24%
- 6M
- 8.34%
- 1Y
- 51.49%
- 3Y*
- 17.58%
- 5Y*
- 18.50%
- 10Y*
- 29.88%
FAST vs. AAPL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAST Fastenal Company | 16.13% | 13.98% | 13.53% | 41.31% | -24.34% | 34.06% | 36.60% | 45.08% | -1.61% | 19.66% |
AAPL Apple Inc | 9.24% | 9.05% | 30.71% | 49.01% | -26.40% | 34.65% | 82.31% | 88.96% | -5.39% | 48.46% |
Correlation
The correlation between FAST and AAPL 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 | 0.28 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.28 |
The correlation between FAST and AAPL shifts across timeframes, from 0.21 (1 year) to 0.39 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
FAST:
$53.06B
AAPL:
$4.38T
FAST:
$1.13
AAPL:
$8.24
FAST:
40.81
AAPL:
35.99
FAST:
4.79
AAPL:
4.74
FAST:
6.28
AAPL:
9.77
FAST:
13.30
AAPL:
41.11
FAST:
$8.44B
AAPL:
$451.44B
FAST:
$3.79B
AAPL:
$216.07B
FAST:
$1.80B
AAPL:
$153.63B
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Return for Risk
FAST vs. AAPL — Risk / Return Rank
FAST
AAPL
FAST vs. AAPL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Fastenal Company (FAST) and Apple Inc (AAPL). 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.
| FAST | AAPL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.82 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.37 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.41 | -0.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.53 | 3.75 | -3.22 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.06 | 9.31 | -8.25 |
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Drawdowns
FAST vs. AAPL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FAST drawdown since its inception was -63.43%, smaller than the maximum AAPL drawdown of -81.80%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FAST and AAPL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FAST | AAPL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.43% | -81.80% | +18.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.90% | -13.80% | -8.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.90% | -33.36% | +11.46% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.71% | -33.36% | +2.65% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.71% | -38.52% | +7.81% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.04% | -5.96% | -1.08% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.16% | -29.59% | +17.43% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.96% | 5.54% | +5.42% |
Volatility
FAST vs. AAPL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Fastenal Company (FAST) is 6.33%, while Apple Inc (AAPL) has a volatility of 7.00%. This indicates that FAST experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AAPL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FAST | AAPL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.33% | 7.00% | -0.67% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.21% | 16.62% | +2.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.91% | 22.70% | +2.21% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.30% | 27.52% | -3.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.78% | 28.94% | -2.16% |
Dividends
FAST vs. AAPL - Dividend Comparison
FAST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.00%, more than AAPL's 0.35% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAPL Apple Inc | 0.35% | 0.38% | 0.40% | 0.49% | 0.70% | 0.49% | 0.61% | 1.04% | 1.79% | 1.45% | 1.93% | 1.93% |
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
FAST vs. AAPL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Fastenal Company and Apple Inc. 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
FAST vs. AAPL - Profitability Comparison
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%.
AAPL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Apple Inc reported a gross profit of 54.78B and revenue of 111.18B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 49.3%.
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%.
AAPL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Apple Inc reported an operating income of 35.89B and revenue of 111.18B, resulting in an operating margin of 32.3%.
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%.
AAPL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Apple Inc reported a net income of 29.58B and revenue of 111.18B, resulting in a net margin of 26.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAST and AAPL 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.
AAPL has higher volatility (7.00%) compared to FAST (6.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FAST dropped -63.43% vs AAPL's -81.80%.
AAPL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.28 vs 0.47), 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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