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Side-by-side financial comparison of ADVANCE AUTO PARTS INC (AAP) and Fastenal (FAST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Fastenal is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.0B vs $2.0B, roughly 1.0× ADVANCE AUTO PARTS INC). Fastenal runs the higher net margin — 14.5% vs 0.3%, a 14.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (130.1% vs 3.5%). Fastenal produced more free cash flow last quarter ($308.2M vs $-21.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Fastenal's revenue compounded faster (2.9% CAGR vs -15.7%).

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is an American automotive aftermarket parts provider. Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, it serves professional installer and do it yourself (DIY) customers.

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.

AAP vs FAST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
FAST
FAST
1.0× larger
FAST
$2.0B
$2.0B
AAP
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AAP
AAP
+126.6% gap
AAP
130.1%
3.5%
FAST
Higher net margin
FAST
FAST
14.2% more per $
FAST
14.5%
0.3%
AAP
More free cash flow
FAST
FAST
$329.2M more FCF
FAST
$308.2M
$-21.0M
AAP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
FAST
FAST
Annualised
FAST
2.9%
-15.7%
AAP

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Revenue
$2.0B
$2.0B
Net Profit
$6.0M
$293.9M
Gross Margin
44.1%
44.3%
Operating Margin
2.2%
18.9%
Net Margin
0.3%
14.5%
Revenue YoY
130.1%
3.5%
Net Profit YoY
101.4%
-1.6%
EPS (diluted)
$0.10
$-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
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$2.0B
$2.0B
Q4 25
$2.0B
$2.0B
Q3 25
$2.0B
$2.1B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$2.1B
Q1 25
$2.0B
Q4 24
$2.1B
$1.8B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$1.9B
Q2 24
$2.8B
$1.9B
Net Profit
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$6.0M
$293.9M
Q4 25
$-1.0M
$293.9M
Q3 25
$15.0M
$335.5M
Q2 25
$24.0M
$330.3M
Q1 25
$298.7M
Q4 24
$-6.0M
$262.1M
Q3 24
$45.0M
$298.1M
Q2 24
$40.0M
$292.7M
Gross Margin
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
44.1%
44.3%
Q4 25
43.3%
44.3%
Q3 25
43.5%
45.3%
Q2 25
42.9%
45.3%
Q1 25
45.1%
Q4 24
42.3%
44.8%
Q3 24
43.6%
44.9%
Q2 24
43.4%
45.1%
Operating Margin
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
2.2%
18.9%
Q4 25
1.1%
18.9%
Q3 25
1.1%
20.7%
Q2 25
-5.1%
21.0%
Q1 25
20.1%
Q4 24
18.9%
Q3 24
2.5%
20.3%
Q2 24
1.9%
20.2%
Net Margin
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
0.3%
14.5%
Q4 25
-0.0%
14.5%
Q3 25
0.7%
15.7%
Q2 25
0.9%
15.9%
Q1 25
15.2%
Q4 24
-0.3%
14.4%
Q3 24
2.1%
15.6%
Q2 24
1.4%
15.3%
EPS (diluted)
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$0.10
$-0.01
Q4 25
$-0.02
$-0.01
Q3 25
$0.25
$0.29
Q2 25
$0.40
$0.29
Q1 25
$0.52
Q4 24
$-0.10
$0.45
Q3 24
$0.75
$0.52
Q2 24
$0.67
$0.51

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$3.1B
$276.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$3.4B
$125.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.2B
$3.9B
Total Assets
$11.8B
$5.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.55×
0.03×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$3.1B
$276.8M
Q4 25
$3.2B
$276.8M
Q3 25
$1.7B
$288.1M
Q2 25
$1.7B
$237.8M
Q1 25
$231.8M
Q4 24
$464.5M
$255.8M
Q3 24
$479.4M
$292.2M
Q2 24
$451.0M
$255.5M
Total Debt
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$3.4B
$125.0M
Q4 25
$3.4B
$125.0M
Q3 25
$1.8B
$195.0M
Q2 25
$1.8B
$230.0M
Q1 25
$200.0M
Q4 24
$1.8B
$200.0M
Q3 24
$1.8B
$240.0M
Q2 24
$1.8B
$235.0M
Stockholders' Equity
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$2.2B
$3.9B
Q4 25
$2.2B
$3.9B
Q3 25
$2.2B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$2.2B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$3.7B
Q4 24
$2.6B
$3.6B
Q3 24
$2.6B
$3.6B
Q2 24
$2.6B
$3.5B
Total Assets
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$11.8B
$5.1B
Q4 25
$12.1B
$5.1B
Q3 25
$10.5B
$5.1B
Q2 25
$10.6B
$5.0B
Q1 25
$4.9B
Q4 24
$12.5B
$4.7B
Q3 24
$12.3B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$12.2B
$4.6B
Debt / Equity
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
1.55×
0.03×
Q4 25
1.55×
0.03×
Q3 25
0.81×
0.05×
Q2 25
0.81×
0.06×
Q1 25
0.05×
Q4 24
0.69×
0.06×
Q3 24
0.69×
0.07×
Q2 24
0.70×
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
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$72.0M
$368.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-21.0M
$308.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-1.1%
15.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
4.7%
3.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
12.00×
1.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-298.0M
$1.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$72.0M
$368.2M
Q4 25
$-12.0M
$368.2M
Q3 25
$50.0M
$386.9M
Q2 25
$-156.0M
$278.6M
Q1 25
$262.2M
Q4 24
$70.0M
$282.8M
Q3 24
$85.0M
$296.9M
Q2 24
$3.0M
$258.0M
Free Cash Flow
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$-21.0M
$308.2M
Q4 25
$-76.0M
$308.2M
Q3 25
$-3.0M
$326.6M
Q2 25
$-198.0M
$209.3M
Q1 25
$206.5M
Q4 24
$27.0M
$222.6M
Q3 24
$44.0M
$237.5M
Q2 24
$-43.0M
$201.9M
FCF Margin
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
-1.1%
15.2%
Q4 25
-3.7%
15.2%
Q3 25
-0.1%
15.3%
Q2 25
-7.7%
10.1%
Q1 25
10.5%
Q4 24
1.3%
12.2%
Q3 24
2.0%
12.4%
Q2 24
-1.6%
10.5%
Capex Intensity
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
4.7%
3.0%
Q4 25
3.1%
3.0%
Q3 25
2.6%
2.8%
Q2 25
1.6%
3.3%
Q1 25
2.8%
Q4 24
2.0%
3.3%
Q3 24
1.9%
3.1%
Q2 24
1.7%
2.9%
Cash Conversion
AAP
AAP
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
12.00×
1.25×
Q4 25
1.25×
Q3 25
3.33×
1.15×
Q2 25
-6.50×
0.84×
Q1 25
0.88×
Q4 24
1.08×
Q3 24
1.89×
1.00×
Q2 24
0.07×
0.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AAP
AAP

Segment breakdown not available.

FAST
FAST

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

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