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Side-by-side financial comparison of APPLIED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES INC (AIT) 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 $1.3B, roughly 1.6× APPLIED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES INC). Fastenal runs the higher net margin — 14.5% vs 8.0%, a 6.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, APPLIED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (7.3% vs 3.5%). Fastenal produced more free cash flow last quarter ($308.2M vs $95.4M). Over the past eight quarters, APPLIED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES INC's revenue compounded faster (3.8% CAGR vs 2.9%).

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) is a public, global company based in the U.S. and focused on the distribution of bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control products, and other industrial supplies. AIT provides engineering, design and system integration for industrial and fluid power applications, as well as customized mechanical, fabricated rubber, fluid power, and flow control shop services.

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.

AIT vs FAST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
FAST
FAST
1.6× larger
FAST
$2.0B
$1.3B
AIT
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AIT
AIT
+3.8% gap
AIT
7.3%
3.5%
FAST
Higher net margin
FAST
FAST
6.5% more per $
FAST
14.5%
8.0%
AIT
More free cash flow
FAST
FAST
$212.8M more FCF
FAST
$308.2M
$95.4M
AIT
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AIT
AIT
Annualised
AIT
3.8%
2.9%
FAST

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Revenue
$1.3B
$2.0B
Net Profit
$99.8M
$293.9M
Gross Margin
30.4%
44.3%
Operating Margin
11.0%
18.9%
Net Margin
8.0%
14.5%
Revenue YoY
7.3%
3.5%
Net Profit YoY
-0.0%
-1.6%
EPS (diluted)
$2.65
$-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
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$1.3B
$2.0B
Q4 25
$1.2B
$2.0B
Q3 25
$1.2B
$2.1B
Q2 25
$1.2B
$2.1B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$2.0B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$1.8B
Q3 24
$1.1B
$1.9B
Q2 24
$1.2B
$1.9B
Net Profit
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$99.8M
$293.9M
Q4 25
$95.3M
$293.9M
Q3 25
$100.8M
$335.5M
Q2 25
$107.8M
$330.3M
Q1 25
$99.8M
$298.7M
Q4 24
$93.3M
$262.1M
Q3 24
$92.1M
$298.1M
Q2 24
$103.5M
$292.7M
Gross Margin
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
30.4%
44.3%
Q4 25
30.4%
44.3%
Q3 25
30.1%
45.3%
Q2 25
30.6%
45.3%
Q1 25
30.5%
45.1%
Q4 24
30.6%
44.8%
Q3 24
29.6%
44.9%
Q2 24
30.7%
45.1%
Operating Margin
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
11.0%
18.9%
Q4 25
10.6%
18.9%
Q3 25
10.8%
20.7%
Q2 25
11.0%
21.0%
Q1 25
11.1%
20.1%
Q4 24
11.3%
18.9%
Q3 24
10.3%
20.3%
Q2 24
12.0%
20.2%
Net Margin
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
8.0%
14.5%
Q4 25
8.2%
14.5%
Q3 25
8.4%
15.7%
Q2 25
8.8%
15.9%
Q1 25
8.6%
15.2%
Q4 24
8.7%
14.4%
Q3 24
8.4%
15.6%
Q2 24
8.9%
15.3%
EPS (diluted)
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$2.65
$-0.01
Q4 25
$2.51
$-0.01
Q3 25
$2.63
$0.29
Q2 25
$2.80
$0.29
Q1 25
$2.57
$0.52
Q4 24
$2.39
$0.45
Q3 24
$2.36
$0.52
Q2 24
$2.64
$0.51

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$171.6M
$276.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$365.3M
$125.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$3.9B
Total Assets
$3.0B
$5.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.20×
0.03×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$171.6M
$276.8M
Q4 25
$406.0M
$276.8M
Q3 25
$418.7M
$288.1M
Q2 25
$388.4M
$237.8M
Q1 25
$352.8M
$231.8M
Q4 24
$303.4M
$255.8M
Q3 24
$538.5M
$292.2M
Q2 24
$460.6M
$255.5M
Total Debt
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$365.3M
$125.0M
Q4 25
$125.0M
Q3 25
$195.0M
Q2 25
$230.0M
Q1 25
$200.0M
Q4 24
$200.0M
Q3 24
$240.0M
Q2 24
$235.0M
Stockholders' Equity
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$1.9B
$3.9B
Q4 25
$1.9B
$3.9B
Q3 25
$1.9B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$1.8B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$1.8B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$1.8B
$3.6B
Q3 24
$1.8B
$3.6B
Q2 24
$1.7B
$3.5B
Total Assets
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$3.0B
$5.1B
Q4 25
$3.2B
$5.1B
Q3 25
$3.2B
$5.1B
Q2 25
$3.2B
$5.0B
Q1 25
$3.1B
$4.9B
Q4 24
$3.0B
$4.7B
Q3 24
$3.0B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$4.6B
Debt / Equity
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
0.20×
0.03×
Q4 25
0.03×
Q3 25
0.05×
Q2 25
0.06×
Q1 25
0.05×
Q4 24
0.06×
Q3 24
0.07×
Q2 24
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
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$319.1M
$368.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$95.4M
$308.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.6%
15.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.5%
3.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.20×
1.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$438.9M
$1.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$319.1M
$368.2M
Q4 25
$99.7M
$368.2M
Q3 25
$119.3M
$386.9M
Q2 25
$147.0M
$278.6M
Q1 25
$122.5M
$262.2M
Q4 24
$95.1M
$282.8M
Q3 24
$127.7M
$296.9M
Q2 24
$119.2M
$258.0M
Free Cash Flow
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$95.4M
$308.2M
Q4 25
$93.4M
$308.2M
Q3 25
$112.0M
$326.6M
Q2 25
$138.2M
$209.3M
Q1 25
$114.9M
$206.5M
Q4 24
$89.9M
$222.6M
Q3 24
$122.2M
$237.5M
Q2 24
$111.7M
$201.9M
FCF Margin
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
7.6%
15.2%
Q4 25
8.0%
15.2%
Q3 25
9.3%
15.3%
Q2 25
11.3%
10.1%
Q1 25
9.8%
10.5%
Q4 24
8.4%
12.2%
Q3 24
11.1%
12.4%
Q2 24
9.6%
10.5%
Capex Intensity
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
1.5%
3.0%
Q4 25
0.5%
3.0%
Q3 25
0.6%
2.8%
Q2 25
0.7%
3.3%
Q1 25
0.6%
2.8%
Q4 24
0.5%
3.3%
Q3 24
0.5%
3.1%
Q2 24
0.6%
2.9%
Cash Conversion
AIT
AIT
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
3.20×
1.25×
Q4 25
1.05×
1.25×
Q3 25
1.18×
1.15×
Q2 25
1.36×
0.84×
Q1 25
1.23×
0.88×
Q4 24
1.02×
1.08×
Q3 24
1.39×
1.00×
Q2 24
1.15×
0.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AIT
AIT

Segment breakdown not available.

FAST
FAST

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

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