FAST vs. APD
FAST (Fastenal Company) and APD (Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.) are both stocks. FAST operates in Industrial Distribution (Industrials), while APD operates in Chemicals (Basic Materials). Over the past 10 years, FAST returned 18.29%/yr vs 9.22%/yr for APD. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
FAST vs. APD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FAST achieves a 15.88% return, which is significantly higher than APD's 13.57% return. Over the past 10 years, FAST has outperformed APD with an annualized return of 18.29%, while APD has yielded a comparatively lower 9.22% annualized return.
FAST
- 1D
- -1.69%
- 1M
- 4.14%
- YTD
- 15.88%
- 6M
- 13.97%
- 1Y
- 11.66%
- 3Y*
- 21.78%
- 5Y*
- 14.55%
- 10Y*
- 18.29%
APD
- 1D
- -1.98%
- 1M
- -6.31%
- YTD
- 13.57%
- 6M
- 18.85%
- 1Y
- 1.58%
- 3Y*
- 2.39%
- 5Y*
- 1.07%
- 10Y*
- 9.22%
FAST vs. APD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAST Fastenal Company | 15.88% | 13.98% | 13.53% | 41.31% | -24.34% | 34.06% | 36.60% | 45.08% | -1.61% | 19.66% |
APD Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. | 13.57% | -12.66% | 8.09% | -8.95% | 3.91% | 13.75% | 18.82% | 50.02% | 0.26% | 17.04% |
Correlation
The correlation between FAST and APD is 0.25, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.37 |
The correlation between FAST and APD shifts across timeframes, from 0.25 (1 year) to 0.45 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
FAST:
$52.94B
APD:
$61.69B
FAST:
$1.13
APD:
$9.45
FAST:
40.72
APD:
29.28
FAST:
4.78
APD:
1.36
FAST:
6.27
APD:
4.95
FAST:
13.27
APD:
3.94
FAST:
$8.44B
APD:
$12.46B
FAST:
$3.79B
APD:
$3.99B
FAST:
$1.80B
APD:
$4.36B
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Return for Risk
FAST vs. APD — Risk / Return Rank
FAST
APD
FAST vs. APD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Fastenal Company (FAST) and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD). 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.
| FAST | APD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.41 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.53 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.04 | +0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.53 | 0.07 | +0.46 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.07 | 0.18 | +0.89 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| FAST | APD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.47 | 0.06 | +0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.60 | 0.04 | +0.56 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.69 | 0.36 | +0.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.53 | 0.41 | +0.11 |
Drawdowns
FAST vs. APD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FAST drawdown since its inception was -63.43%, which is greater than APD's maximum drawdown of -60.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FAST and APD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FAST | APD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.43% | -60.30% | -3.13% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.90% | -22.39% | +0.49% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.90% | -30.43% | +8.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.71% | -31.77% | +1.06% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.71% | -31.77% | +1.06% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.24% | -15.42% | +8.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.17% | -11.05% | -1.12% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.94% | 8.90% | +2.04% |
Volatility
FAST vs. APD - Volatility Comparison
Fastenal Company (FAST) has a higher volatility of 6.42% compared to Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD) at 5.35%. This indicates that FAST's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than APD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FAST | APD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.42% | 5.35% | +1.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.37% | 18.93% | +0.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.92% | 24.63% | +0.29% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.31% | 26.00% | -1.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.78% | 25.90% | +0.88% |
Dividends
FAST vs. APD - Dividend Comparison
FAST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.00%, less than APD's 2.59% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
APD Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. | 2.59% | 2.89% | 1.83% | 2.56% | 2.10% | 1.97% | 1.96% | 1.97% | 2.75% | 2.32% | 2.39% | 2.49% |
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. APD - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Fastenal Company and Air Products and Chemicals, 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. APD - 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%.
APD - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. reported a gross profit of 987.40M and revenue of 3.17B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 31.1%.
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%.
APD - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. reported an operating income of 752.70M and revenue of 3.17B, resulting in an operating margin of 23.7%.
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%.
APD - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. reported a net income of 710.40M and revenue of 3.17B, resulting in a net margin of 22.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAST and APD have a correlation of 0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FAST has higher volatility (6.42%) compared to APD (5.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FAST dropped -63.43% vs APD's -60.30%.
FAST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.47 vs 0.06), 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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