FERG vs. FAST
FERG (Ferguson plc) and FAST (Fastenal Company) are both stocks. Both operate in the Industrial Distribution industry within the Industrials sector. Over the past 10 years, FERG returned 17.73%/yr vs 17.99%/yr for FAST. At a 0.22 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
FERG vs. FAST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FERG achieves a 2.74% return, which is significantly lower than FAST's 17.03% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with FERG having a 17.73% annualized return and FAST not far ahead at 17.99%.
FERG
- 1D
- -0.66%
- 1M
- -12.98%
- YTD
- 2.74%
- 6M
- -9.54%
- 1Y
- 9.04%
- 3Y*
- 17.34%
- 5Y*
- 12.27%
- 10Y*
- 17.73%
FAST
- 1D
- 3.87%
- 1M
- 3.52%
- YTD
- 17.03%
- 6M
- 13.94%
- 1Y
- 15.16%
- 3Y*
- 21.74%
- 5Y*
- 14.57%
- 10Y*
- 17.99%
FERG vs. FAST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FERG Ferguson plc | 2.74% | 29.90% | -8.62% | 55.10% | -27.17% | 56.42% | 33.97% | 49.90% | -14.35% | 23.91% |
FAST Fastenal Company | 17.03% | 13.98% | 13.53% | 41.31% | -24.34% | 34.06% | 36.60% | 45.08% | -1.61% | 19.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between FERG and FAST is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 6, 2010 | 0.22 |
The correlation between FERG and FAST shifts across timeframes, from 0.22 (all time) to 0.51 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
FERG:
$44.04B
FAST:
$53.47B
FERG:
$10.54
FAST:
$1.13
FERG:
21.44
FAST:
41.13
FERG:
1.93
FAST:
4.83
FERG:
1.41
FAST:
6.33
FERG:
7.50
FAST:
13.40
FERG:
$31.63B
FAST:
$8.44B
FERG:
$9.72B
FAST:
$3.79B
FERG:
$2.75B
FAST:
$1.80B
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Return for Risk
FERG vs. FAST — Risk / Return Rank
FERG
FAST
FERG vs. FAST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ferguson plc (FERG) 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.
| FERG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.29 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.08 | 1.13 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.50 | 0.70 | -0.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.26 | 1.39 | -0.13 |
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
| FERG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.32 | 0.61 | -0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.41 | 0.60 | -0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 | 0.67 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.59 | 0.53 | +0.06 |
Drawdowns
FERG vs. FAST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FERG drawdown since its inception was -55.35%, smaller than the maximum FAST drawdown of -63.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FERG and FAST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FERG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.35% | -63.43% | +8.08% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.32% | -21.90% | +3.58% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -32.92% | -21.90% | -11.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.31% | -30.71% | -12.60% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -55.35% | -30.71% | -24.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -15.22% | -6.31% | -8.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.81% | -12.17% | +2.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.17% | 10.92% | -3.75% |
Volatility
FERG vs. FAST - Volatility Comparison
Ferguson plc (FERG) has a higher volatility of 7.17% compared to Fastenal Company (FAST) at 6.18%. This indicates that FERG'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
| FERG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.17% | 6.18% | +0.99% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 21.60% | 19.34% | +2.26% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 33.15% | 24.85% | +8.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.04% | 24.29% | +5.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.51% | 26.77% | +4.74% |
Dividends
FERG vs. FAST - Dividend Comparison
FERG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.92%, less than FAST's 1.98% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAST Fastenal Company | 1.98% | 2.18% | 2.17% | 2.75% | 2.62% | 1.75% | 2.87% | 2.35% | 2.95% | 2.34% | 2.55% | 2.74% |
FERG Ferguson plc | 1.92% | 1.12% | 1.84% | 1.57% | 2.76% | 2.34% | 2.33% | 2.43% | 3.75% | 3.52% | 1.11% | 0.00% |
Financials
FERG vs. FAST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Ferguson plc 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
FERG vs. FAST - Profitability Comparison
FERG - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ferguson plc reported a gross profit of 2.32B and revenue of 7.47B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 31.0%.
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%.
FERG - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ferguson plc reported an operating income of 612.00M and revenue of 7.47B, resulting in an operating margin of 8.2%.
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%.
FERG - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ferguson plc reported a net income of 414.00M and revenue of 7.47B, resulting in a net margin of 5.5%.
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
FERG and FAST have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FERG has higher volatility (7.17%) compared to FAST (6.18%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FERG dropped -55.35% vs FAST's -63.43%.
FAST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.61 vs 0.32), 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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