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Side-by-side financial comparison of Alcoa Corp (AA) and Fastenal (FAST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Alcoa Corp is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.4B vs $2.0B, roughly 1.7× Fastenal). Fastenal runs the higher net margin — 14.5% vs 6.2%, a 8.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Fastenal posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (3.5% vs -1.1%). Fastenal produced more free cash flow last quarter ($308.2M vs $294.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Alcoa Corp's revenue compounded faster (15.2% CAGR vs 2.9%).

Alcoa Corporation is an American industrial corporation that produces aluminum. According to industry rankings, it is among the largest producers globally. The company operates in 10 countries and is involved in mining, refining, smelting, fabricating, and recycling aluminum products.

Fastenal Company is an American publicly traded company based in Winona, Minnesota, founded in 1967. Fastenal is a major distributor of industrial and construction supplies, and the largest fastener distributor in North America. Fastenal provides supply chain solutions including bin stock, vending machines, inventory management, and logistics services.

AA vs FAST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AA
AA
1.7× larger
AA
$3.4B
$2.0B
FAST
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
FAST
FAST
+4.5% gap
FAST
3.5%
-1.1%
AA
Higher net margin
FAST
FAST
8.3% more per $
FAST
14.5%
6.2%
AA
More free cash flow
FAST
FAST
$14.2M more FCF
FAST
$308.2M
$294.0M
AA
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AA
AA
Annualised
AA
15.2%
2.9%
FAST

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Revenue
$3.4B
$2.0B
Net Profit
$213.0M
$293.9M
Gross Margin
44.3%
Operating Margin
2.0%
18.9%
Net Margin
6.2%
14.5%
Revenue YoY
-1.1%
3.5%
Net Profit YoY
5.4%
-1.6%
EPS (diluted)
$0.80
$-0.01

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$2.0B
Q4 25
$3.4B
$2.0B
Q3 25
$3.0B
$2.1B
Q2 25
$3.0B
$2.1B
Q1 25
$3.4B
$2.0B
Q4 24
$3.5B
$1.8B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$1.9B
Q2 24
$2.9B
$1.9B
Net Profit
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$293.9M
Q4 25
$213.0M
$293.9M
Q3 25
$232.0M
$335.5M
Q2 25
$164.0M
$330.3M
Q1 25
$548.0M
$298.7M
Q4 24
$202.0M
$262.1M
Q3 24
$90.0M
$298.1M
Q2 24
$20.0M
$292.7M
Gross Margin
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
44.3%
Q4 25
44.3%
Q3 25
45.3%
Q2 25
45.3%
Q1 25
45.1%
Q4 24
44.8%
Q3 24
44.9%
Q2 24
45.1%
Operating Margin
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
18.9%
Q4 25
2.0%
18.9%
Q3 25
5.6%
20.7%
Q2 25
5.3%
21.0%
Q1 25
19.8%
20.1%
Q4 24
9.7%
18.9%
Q3 24
6.3%
20.3%
Q2 24
3.2%
20.2%
Net Margin
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
14.5%
Q4 25
6.2%
14.5%
Q3 25
7.7%
15.7%
Q2 25
5.4%
15.9%
Q1 25
16.3%
15.2%
Q4 24
5.8%
14.4%
Q3 24
3.1%
15.6%
Q2 24
0.7%
15.3%
EPS (diluted)
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$-0.01
Q4 25
$0.80
$-0.01
Q3 25
$0.88
$0.29
Q2 25
$0.62
$0.29
Q1 25
$2.07
$0.52
Q4 24
$1.18
$0.45
Q3 24
$0.38
$0.52
Q2 24
$0.11
$0.51

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.6B
$276.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.4B
$125.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$6.1B
$3.9B
Total Assets
$16.1B
$5.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.40×
0.03×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$276.8M
Q4 25
$1.6B
$276.8M
Q3 25
$1.5B
$288.1M
Q2 25
$1.5B
$237.8M
Q1 25
$1.2B
$231.8M
Q4 24
$1.1B
$255.8M
Q3 24
$1.3B
$292.2M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$255.5M
Total Debt
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$125.0M
Q4 25
$2.4B
$125.0M
Q3 25
$2.6B
$195.0M
Q2 25
$2.6B
$230.0M
Q1 25
$2.6B
$200.0M
Q4 24
$2.5B
$200.0M
Q3 24
$2.5B
$240.0M
Q2 24
$2.5B
$235.0M
Stockholders' Equity
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$3.9B
Q4 25
$6.1B
$3.9B
Q3 25
$6.3B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$6.1B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$5.8B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$5.2B
$3.6B
Q3 24
$5.3B
$3.6B
Q2 24
$3.9B
$3.5B
Total Assets
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$5.1B
Q4 25
$16.1B
$5.1B
Q3 25
$16.0B
$5.1B
Q2 25
$15.0B
$5.0B
Q1 25
$14.6B
$4.9B
Q4 24
$14.1B
$4.7B
Q3 24
$14.5B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$14.3B
$4.6B
Debt / Equity
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
0.03×
Q4 25
0.40×
0.03×
Q3 25
0.41×
0.05×
Q2 25
0.42×
0.06×
Q1 25
0.44×
0.05×
Q4 24
0.48×
0.06×
Q3 24
0.47×
0.07×
Q2 24
0.63×
0.07×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$537.0M
$368.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$294.0M
$308.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
8.5%
15.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
7.0%
3.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.52×
1.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$567.0M
$1.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$368.2M
Q4 25
$537.0M
$368.2M
Q3 25
$85.0M
$386.9M
Q2 25
$488.0M
$278.6M
Q1 25
$75.0M
$262.2M
Q4 24
$415.0M
$282.8M
Q3 24
$143.0M
$296.9M
Q2 24
$287.0M
$258.0M
Free Cash Flow
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$308.2M
Q4 25
$294.0M
$308.2M
Q3 25
$-66.0M
$326.6M
Q2 25
$357.0M
$209.3M
Q1 25
$-18.0M
$206.5M
Q4 24
$246.0M
$222.6M
Q3 24
$-3.0M
$237.5M
Q2 24
$123.0M
$201.9M
FCF Margin
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
15.2%
Q4 25
8.5%
15.2%
Q3 25
-2.2%
15.3%
Q2 25
11.8%
10.1%
Q1 25
-0.5%
10.5%
Q4 24
7.1%
12.2%
Q3 24
-0.1%
12.4%
Q2 24
4.2%
10.5%
Capex Intensity
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
3.0%
Q4 25
7.0%
3.0%
Q3 25
5.0%
2.8%
Q2 25
4.3%
3.3%
Q1 25
2.8%
2.8%
Q4 24
4.8%
3.3%
Q3 24
5.0%
3.1%
Q2 24
5.6%
2.9%
Cash Conversion
AA
AA
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
1.25×
Q4 25
2.52×
1.25×
Q3 25
0.37×
1.15×
Q2 25
2.98×
0.84×
Q1 25
0.14×
0.88×
Q4 24
2.05×
1.08×
Q3 24
1.59×
1.00×
Q2 24
14.35×
0.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AA
AA

Aluminum$2.5B72%
Third Party Sales$979.0M28%

FAST
FAST

Reportable Segment Aggregation Before Other Operating Segment$1.8B90%
Other$211.2M10%

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