NRG vs. FAST
NRG (NRG Energy, Inc.) and FAST (Fastenal Company) are both stocks. NRG operates in Utilities - Independent Power Producers (Utilities), while FAST operates in Industrial Distribution (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, NRG returned 26.90%/yr vs 18.53%/yr for FAST. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
NRG vs. FAST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NRG achieves a -20.72% return, which is significantly lower than FAST's 17.31% return. Over the past 10 years, NRG has outperformed FAST with an annualized return of 26.90%, while FAST has yielded a comparatively lower 18.53% annualized return.
NRG
- 1D
- 1.43%
- 1M
- -4.28%
- YTD
- -20.72%
- 6M
- -21.80%
- 1Y
- -15.96%
- 3Y*
- 57.21%
- 5Y*
- 30.96%
- 10Y*
- 26.90%
FAST
- 1D
- 0.39%
- 1M
- 6.40%
- YTD
- 17.31%
- 6M
- 12.06%
- 1Y
- 10.93%
- 3Y*
- 21.28%
- 5Y*
- 14.88%
- 10Y*
- 18.53%
NRG vs. FAST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NRG NRG Energy, Inc. | -20.72% | 78.91% | 78.58% | 69.36% | -23.47% | 18.54% | -2.14% | 0.69% | 39.59% | 133.69% |
FAST Fastenal Company | 17.31% | 13.98% | 13.53% | 41.31% | -24.34% | 34.06% | 36.60% | 45.08% | -1.61% | 19.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between NRG and FAST is 0.12, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 2, 2003 | 0.29 |
The correlation between NRG and FAST shifts across timeframes, from 0.12 (1 year) to 0.29 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
NRG:
$26.10B
FAST:
$53.60B
NRG:
$1.21
FAST:
$1.13
NRG:
103.60
FAST:
41.23
NRG:
1.56
FAST:
4.84
NRG:
0.76
FAST:
6.35
NRG:
6.18
FAST:
13.43
NRG:
$32.38B
FAST:
$8.44B
NRG:
$4.69B
FAST:
$3.79B
NRG:
$2.57B
FAST:
$1.80B
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Return for Risk
NRG vs. FAST — Risk / Return Rank
NRG
FAST
NRG vs. FAST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG) 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.
| NRG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.80 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.98 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.97 | 1.10 | -0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.47 | 0.50 | -0.97 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.16 | 1.00 | -2.16 |
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Drawdowns
NRG vs. FAST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NRG drawdown since its inception was -79.41%, which is greater than FAST's maximum drawdown of -63.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NRG and FAST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NRG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -79.41% | -63.43% | -15.98% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -34.24% | -21.90% | -12.34% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -34.24% | -21.90% | -12.34% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.24% | -30.71% | -3.53% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -48.76% | -30.71% | -18.05% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -31.61% | -6.09% | -25.52% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.99% | -12.16% | -15.83% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.73% | 10.97% | +2.76% |
Volatility
NRG vs. FAST - Volatility Comparison
NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG) has a higher volatility of 15.26% compared to Fastenal Company (FAST) at 6.20%. This indicates that NRG'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
| NRG | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.26% | 6.20% | +9.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 35.10% | 19.27% | +15.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 44.88% | 24.90% | +19.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 40.03% | 24.31% | +15.72% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 39.16% | 26.77% | +12.39% |
Dividends
NRG vs. FAST - Dividend Comparison
NRG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.46%, 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% |
NRG NRG Energy, Inc. | 1.46% | 1.11% | 1.81% | 2.92% | 4.40% | 3.02% | 3.20% | 0.30% | 0.30% | 0.42% | 1.92% | 4.93% |
Financials
NRG vs. FAST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between NRG Energy, 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
NRG vs. FAST - Profitability Comparison
NRG - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, NRG Energy, Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 10.26B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
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%.
NRG - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, NRG Energy, Inc. reported an operating income of 328.00M and revenue of 10.26B, resulting in an operating margin of 3.2%.
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%.
NRG - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, NRG Energy, Inc. reported a net income of 125.00M and revenue of 10.26B, resulting in a net margin of 1.2%.
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
NRG and FAST have a correlation of 0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NRG has higher volatility (15.26%) compared to FAST (6.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NRG dropped -79.41% vs FAST's -63.43%.
FAST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.44 vs -0.36), 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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