VRTX vs. FAST
VRTX (Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated) and FAST (Fastenal Company) are both stocks. VRTX operates in Biotechnology (Healthcare), while FAST operates in Industrial Distribution (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, VRTX returned 17.15%/yr vs 18.53%/yr for FAST. At a 0.24 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
VRTX vs. FAST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VRTX achieves a -1.86% return, which is significantly lower than FAST's 17.31% return. Over the past 10 years, VRTX has underperformed FAST with an annualized return of 17.15%, while FAST has yielded a comparatively higher 18.53% annualized return.
VRTX
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- -1.22%
- YTD
- -1.86%
- 6M
- -1.57%
- 1Y
- -2.31%
- 3Y*
- 9.16%
- 5Y*
- 18.18%
- 10Y*
- 17.15%
FAST
- 1D
- 0.39%
- 1M
- 5.89%
- YTD
- 17.31%
- 6M
- 12.06%
- 1Y
- 12.75%
- 3Y*
- 21.28%
- 5Y*
- 14.88%
- 10Y*
- 18.53%
VRTX vs. FAST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | -1.86% | 12.58% | -1.03% | 40.90% | 31.50% | -7.08% | 7.94% | 32.13% | 10.58% | 103.42% |
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 VRTX and FAST is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 24, 1991 | 0.24 |
Fundamentals
VRTX:
$114.03B
FAST:
$53.60B
VRTX:
$16.87
FAST:
$1.13
VRTX:
26.38
FAST:
41.23
VRTX:
2.19
FAST:
4.84
VRTX:
9.34
FAST:
6.35
VRTX:
4.31
FAST:
13.43
VRTX:
$12.26B
FAST:
$8.44B
VRTX:
$10.57B
FAST:
$3.79B
VRTX:
$5.19B
FAST:
$1.80B
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Return for Risk
VRTX vs. FAST — Risk / Return Rank
VRTX
FAST
VRTX vs. FAST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) 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.
| VRTX | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.54 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.66 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.02 | 1.10 | -0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.14 | 0.50 | -0.64 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.29 | 1.00 | -1.29 |
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Drawdowns
VRTX vs. FAST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VRTX drawdown since its inception was -91.77%, which is greater than FAST's maximum drawdown of -63.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VRTX and FAST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VRTX | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.77% | -63.43% | -28.34% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -23.56% | -21.90% | -1.66% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.07% | -21.90% | -7.17% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.07% | -30.71% | +1.64% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.60% | -30.71% | -10.89% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.90% | -6.09% | -7.81% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -37.73% | -12.16% | -25.57% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.30% | 10.97% | +0.33% |
Volatility
VRTX vs. FAST - Volatility Comparison
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) has a higher volatility of 7.47% compared to Fastenal Company (FAST) at 6.20%. This indicates that VRTX'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
| VRTX | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.47% | 6.20% | +1.27% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.71% | 19.27% | +1.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 34.13% | 24.90% | +9.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 28.53% | 24.31% | +4.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.82% | 26.77% | +6.05% |
Dividends
VRTX vs. FAST - Dividend Comparison
VRTX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while FAST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.98%.
| 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% |
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
VRTX vs. FAST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated 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
VRTX vs. FAST - Profitability Comparison
VRTX - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated reported a gross profit of 2.59B and revenue of 2.99B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 86.9%.
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%.
VRTX - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated reported an operating income of 1.14B and revenue of 2.99B, resulting in an operating margin of 38.1%.
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%.
VRTX - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated reported a net income of 1.03B and revenue of 2.99B, resulting in a net margin of 34.5%.
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
VRTX and FAST have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VRTX has higher volatility (7.47%) compared to FAST (6.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VRTX dropped -91.77% vs FAST's -63.43%.
FAST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.44 vs -0.10), 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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