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Side-by-side financial comparison of COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS INC (CYH) and Fastenal (FAST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.1B vs $2.0B, roughly 1.5× Fastenal). Fastenal runs the higher net margin — 14.5% vs 3.5%, a 11.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Fastenal posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (3.5% vs -4.8%). Fastenal produced more free cash flow last quarter ($308.2M vs $172.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Fastenal's revenue compounded faster (2.9% CAGR vs -0.5%).
Community Health Systems (CHS) is a Fortune 500 company based in Franklin, Tennessee. It was the largest provider of general hospital healthcare services in the United States in terms of number of acute care facilities. In 2014, CHS had around 200 hospitals, but the number had declined to around 85 in 2021.
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.
CYH vs FAST — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $3.1B | $2.0B |
| Net Profit | $110.0M | $293.9M |
| Gross Margin | 85.6% | 44.3% |
| Operating Margin | 14.5% | 18.9% |
| Net Margin | 3.5% | 14.5% |
| Revenue YoY | -4.8% | 3.5% |
| Net Profit YoY | 254.9% | -1.6% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.82 | $-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.
| Q1 26 | — | $2.0B | ||
| Q4 25 | $3.1B | $2.0B | ||
| Q3 25 | $3.1B | $2.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.1B | $2.1B | ||
| Q1 25 | $3.2B | $2.0B | ||
| Q4 24 | $3.3B | $1.8B | ||
| Q3 24 | $3.1B | $1.9B | ||
| Q2 24 | $3.1B | $1.9B |
| Q1 26 | — | $293.9M | ||
| Q4 25 | $110.0M | $293.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $130.0M | $335.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $282.0M | $330.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-13.0M | $298.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-71.0M | $262.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-391.0M | $298.1M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-13.0M | $292.7M |
| Q1 26 | — | 44.3% | ||
| Q4 25 | 85.6% | 44.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 85.1% | 45.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 85.0% | 45.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 84.5% | 45.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | 84.5% | 44.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 84.8% | 44.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 84.6% | 45.1% |
| Q1 26 | — | 18.9% | ||
| Q4 25 | 14.5% | 18.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 7.9% | 20.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 16.3% | 21.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 9.0% | 20.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | 8.5% | 18.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | -6.6% | 20.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 7.6% | 20.2% |
| Q1 26 | — | 14.5% | ||
| Q4 25 | 3.5% | 14.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | 4.2% | 15.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 9.0% | 15.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | -0.4% | 15.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | -2.2% | 14.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | -12.7% | 15.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | -0.4% | 15.3% |
| Q1 26 | — | $-0.01 | ||
| Q4 25 | $0.82 | $-0.01 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.96 | $0.29 | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.09 | $0.29 | ||
| Q1 25 | $-0.10 | $0.52 | ||
| Q4 24 | $-0.53 | $0.45 | ||
| Q3 24 | $-2.95 | $0.52 | ||
| Q2 24 | $-0.10 | $0.51 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $260.0M | $276.8M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $10.4B | $125.0M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $-1.4B | $3.9B |
| Total Assets | $13.2B | $5.1B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | 0.03× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $276.8M | ||
| Q4 25 | $260.0M | $276.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $123.0M | $288.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $456.0M | $237.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $431.0M | $231.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $37.0M | $255.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $33.0M | $292.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $39.0M | $255.5M |
| Q1 26 | — | $125.0M | ||
| Q4 25 | $10.4B | $125.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $195.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $230.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $200.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $11.5B | $200.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $240.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | — | $235.0M |
| Q1 26 | — | $3.9B | ||
| Q4 25 | $-1.4B | $3.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $-1.5B | $3.9B | ||
| Q2 25 | $-1.6B | $3.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | $-1.9B | $3.7B | ||
| Q4 24 | $-1.9B | $3.6B | ||
| Q3 24 | $-1.8B | $3.6B | ||
| Q2 24 | $-1.4B | $3.5B |
| Q1 26 | — | $5.1B | ||
| Q4 25 | $13.2B | $5.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $13.2B | $5.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $13.6B | $5.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $13.9B | $4.9B | ||
| Q4 24 | $14.1B | $4.7B | ||
| Q3 24 | $13.9B | $4.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | $14.4B | $4.6B |
| 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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $266.0M | $368.2M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $172.0M | $308.2M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 5.5% | 15.2% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 2.42× | 1.25× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $208.0M | $1.2B |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $368.2M | ||
| Q4 25 | $266.0M | $368.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $69.0M | $386.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $88.0M | $278.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $120.0M | $262.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $216.0M | $282.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $67.0M | $296.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $101.0M | $258.0M |
| Q1 26 | — | $308.2M | ||
| Q4 25 | $172.0M | $308.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $4.0M | $326.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-3.0M | $209.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $35.0M | $206.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $107.0M | $222.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-3.0M | $237.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $13.0M | $201.9M |
| Q1 26 | — | 15.2% | ||
| Q4 25 | 5.5% | 15.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.1% | 15.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | -0.1% | 10.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.1% | 10.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.3% | 12.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | -0.1% | 12.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.4% | 10.5% |
| Q1 26 | — | 3.0% | ||
| Q4 25 | 3.0% | 3.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | 2.1% | 2.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.9% | 3.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 2.7% | 2.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.3% | 3.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | 2.3% | 3.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.8% | 2.9% |
| Q1 26 | — | 1.25× | ||
| Q4 25 | 2.42× | 1.25× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.53× | 1.15× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.31× | 0.84× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 0.88× | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 1.08× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 1.00× | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 0.88× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
CYH
| Managed Care And Other Third Party Payors | $1.5B | 49% |
| Medicare Managed Care | $570.0M | 18% |
| Medicare | $512.0M | 16% |
| Medicaid | $464.0M | 15% |
| Self Pay Revenue | $34.0M | 1% |
FAST
| Reportable Segment Aggregation Before Other Operating Segment | $1.8B | 90% |
| Other | $211.2M | 10% |
