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

CMS Energy is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.1B vs $2.0B, roughly 1.1× Fastenal). Fastenal runs the higher net margin — 14.5% vs 13.5%, a 1.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CMS Energy posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (13.0% vs 3.5%). Over the past eight quarters, Fastenal's revenue compounded faster (2.9% CAGR vs -0.2%).

CMS Energy Corporation is an American energy company based in Jackson, Michigan, that is focused principally on utility operations in Michigan. Its principal business is Consumers Energy, a public utility that provides electricity and natural gas to more than 6 million of Michigan's 10 million residents. Its non-utility businesses are focused primarily on domestic independent power production. Consumers Energy has operated since 1886.

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.

CMS vs FAST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CMS
CMS
1.1× larger
CMS
$2.1B
$2.0B
FAST
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CMS
CMS
+9.5% gap
CMS
13.0%
3.5%
FAST
Higher net margin
FAST
FAST
1.0% more per $
FAST
14.5%
13.5%
CMS
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
FAST
FAST
Annualised
FAST
2.9%
-0.2%
CMS

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Revenue
$2.1B
$2.0B
Net Profit
$289.0M
$293.9M
Gross Margin
44.3%
Operating Margin
20.4%
18.9%
Net Margin
13.5%
14.5%
Revenue YoY
13.0%
3.5%
Net Profit YoY
9.1%
-1.6%
EPS (diluted)
$0.94
$-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
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$2.0B
Q4 25
$2.1B
$2.0B
Q3 25
$2.0B
$2.1B
Q2 25
$1.8B
$2.1B
Q1 25
$2.4B
$2.0B
Q4 24
$1.9B
$1.8B
Q3 24
$1.7B
$1.9B
Q2 24
$1.6B
$1.9B
Net Profit
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$293.9M
Q4 25
$289.0M
$293.9M
Q3 25
$277.0M
$335.5M
Q2 25
$201.0M
$330.3M
Q1 25
$304.0M
$298.7M
Q4 24
$265.0M
$262.1M
Q3 24
$253.0M
$298.1M
Q2 24
$198.0M
$292.7M
Gross Margin
CMS
CMS
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
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
18.9%
Q4 25
20.4%
18.9%
Q3 25
24.4%
20.7%
Q2 25
17.6%
21.0%
Q1 25
20.6%
20.1%
Q4 24
22.5%
18.9%
Q3 24
21.4%
20.3%
Q2 24
18.0%
20.2%
Net Margin
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
14.5%
Q4 25
13.5%
14.5%
Q3 25
14.0%
15.7%
Q2 25
11.2%
15.9%
Q1 25
12.7%
15.2%
Q4 24
14.0%
14.4%
Q3 24
14.8%
15.6%
Q2 24
12.6%
15.3%
EPS (diluted)
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$-0.01
Q4 25
$0.94
$-0.01
Q3 25
$0.92
$0.29
Q2 25
$0.66
$0.29
Q1 25
$1.01
$0.52
Q4 24
$0.88
$0.45
Q3 24
$0.84
$0.52
Q2 24
$0.65
$0.51

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$509.0M
$276.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$125.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$9.1B
$3.9B
Total Assets
$39.9B
$5.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.03×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$276.8M
Q4 25
$509.0M
$276.8M
Q3 25
$362.0M
$288.1M
Q2 25
$844.0M
$237.8M
Q1 25
$465.0M
$231.8M
Q4 24
$103.0M
$255.8M
Q3 24
$412.0M
$292.2M
Q2 24
$699.0M
$255.5M
Total Debt
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$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
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$3.9B
Q4 25
$9.1B
$3.9B
Q3 25
$8.9B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$8.4B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$8.3B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$8.2B
$3.6B
Q3 24
$8.1B
$3.6B
Q2 24
$8.0B
$3.5B
Total Assets
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$5.1B
Q4 25
$39.9B
$5.1B
Q3 25
$38.0B
$5.1B
Q2 25
$37.7B
$5.0B
Q1 25
$36.3B
$4.9B
Q4 24
$35.9B
$4.7B
Q3 24
$34.8B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$34.4B
$4.6B
Debt / Equity
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
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
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$478.0M
$368.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$308.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
15.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.65×
1.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$368.2M
Q4 25
$478.0M
$368.2M
Q3 25
$343.0M
$386.9M
Q2 25
$414.0M
$278.6M
Q1 25
$1.0B
$262.2M
Q4 24
$403.0M
$282.8M
Q3 24
$304.0M
$296.9M
Q2 24
$707.0M
$258.0M
Free Cash Flow
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
$308.2M
Q4 25
$308.2M
Q3 25
$-635.0M
$326.6M
Q2 25
$-470.0M
$209.3M
Q1 25
$112.0M
$206.5M
Q4 24
$222.6M
Q3 24
$-502.0M
$237.5M
Q2 24
$26.0M
$201.9M
FCF Margin
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
15.2%
Q4 25
15.2%
Q3 25
-32.2%
15.3%
Q2 25
-26.1%
10.1%
Q1 25
4.7%
10.5%
Q4 24
12.2%
Q3 24
-29.3%
12.4%
Q2 24
1.6%
10.5%
Capex Intensity
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
3.0%
Q4 25
3.0%
Q3 25
49.5%
2.8%
Q2 25
49.2%
3.3%
Q1 25
37.0%
2.8%
Q4 24
3.3%
Q3 24
47.1%
3.1%
Q2 24
43.2%
2.9%
Cash Conversion
CMS
CMS
FAST
FAST
Q1 26
1.25×
Q4 25
1.65×
1.25×
Q3 25
1.24×
1.15×
Q2 25
2.06×
0.84×
Q1 25
3.29×
0.88×
Q4 24
1.52×
1.08×
Q3 24
1.20×
1.00×
Q2 24
3.57×
0.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CMS
CMS

Electric Utility$1.3B59%
Gas Utility$803.0M38%
North Star Clean Energy$77.0M4%

FAST
FAST

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

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