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

Western Digital is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($3.3B vs $2.0B, roughly 1.6× Fastenal). Western Digital runs the higher net margin — 96.0% vs 14.5%, a 81.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Western Digital posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (45.5% vs 3.5%). Western Digital produced more free cash flow last quarter ($978.0M vs $308.2M). Over the past eight quarters, Fastenal's revenue compounded faster (2.9% CAGR vs -9.7%).

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.

Western Digital Corporation, doing business as WD, is an American data storage company headquartered in San Jose, California. Established in 1970, the company is one of the world's largest manufacturers of hard disk drives (HDDs).

FAST vs WDC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WDC
WDC
1.6× larger
WDC
$3.3B
$2.0B
FAST
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WDC
WDC
+42.0% gap
WDC
45.5%
3.5%
FAST
Higher net margin
WDC
WDC
81.5% more per $
WDC
96.0%
14.5%
FAST
More free cash flow
WDC
WDC
$669.8M more FCF
WDC
$978.0M
$308.2M
FAST
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
FAST
FAST
Annualised
FAST
2.9%
-9.7%
WDC

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2027

Metric
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Revenue
$2.0B
$3.3B
Net Profit
$293.9M
$3.2B
Gross Margin
44.3%
50.2%
Operating Margin
18.9%
35.7%
Net Margin
14.5%
96.0%
Revenue YoY
3.5%
45.5%
Net Profit YoY
-1.6%
516.3%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.01
$8.20

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
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
$3.3B
Q2 26
$3.0B
Q1 26
$2.0B
$3.0B
Q4 25
$2.0B
$2.8B
Q3 25
$2.1B
Q2 25
$2.1B
$-1.2B
Q1 25
$2.0B
$2.3B
Q4 24
$1.8B
$4.3B
Net Profit
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
$3.2B
Q2 26
$1.8B
Q1 26
$293.9M
$1.8B
Q4 25
$293.9M
$1.2B
Q3 25
$335.5M
Q2 25
$330.3M
$282.0M
Q1 25
$298.7M
$520.0M
Q4 24
$262.1M
$594.0M
Gross Margin
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
50.2%
Q2 26
45.7%
Q1 26
44.3%
45.7%
Q4 25
44.3%
43.5%
Q3 25
45.3%
Q2 25
45.3%
Q1 25
45.1%
39.8%
Q4 24
44.8%
35.4%
Operating Margin
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
35.7%
Q2 26
30.1%
Q1 26
18.9%
30.1%
Q4 25
18.9%
28.1%
Q3 25
20.7%
Q2 25
21.0%
Q1 25
20.1%
33.1%
Q4 24
18.9%
19.9%
Net Margin
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
96.0%
Q2 26
61.1%
Q1 26
14.5%
61.1%
Q4 25
14.5%
41.9%
Q3 25
15.7%
Q2 25
15.9%
-24.4%
Q1 25
15.2%
22.7%
Q4 24
14.4%
13.9%
EPS (diluted)
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
$8.20
Q2 26
$4.73
Q1 26
$-0.01
$4.73
Q4 25
$-0.01
$3.07
Q3 25
$0.29
Q2 25
$0.29
$0.72
Q1 25
$0.52
$1.42
Q4 24
$0.45
$1.63

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$276.8M
$2.0B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$125.0M
$1.6B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$3.9B
$9.7B
Total Assets
$5.1B
$15.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.03×
0.16×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
$2.0B
Q2 26
$2.0B
Q1 26
$276.8M
$2.0B
Q4 25
$276.8M
$2.0B
Q3 25
$288.1M
Q2 25
$237.8M
$2.1B
Q1 25
$231.8M
$3.5B
Q4 24
$255.8M
$2.3B
Total Debt
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
$1.6B
Q2 26
$4.7B
Q1 26
$125.0M
$4.7B
Q4 25
$125.0M
$4.7B
Q3 25
$195.0M
Q2 25
$230.0M
$4.7B
Q1 25
$200.0M
$7.3B
Q4 24
$200.0M
$7.4B
Stockholders' Equity
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
$9.7B
Q2 26
$7.1B
Q1 26
$3.9B
$7.1B
Q4 25
$3.9B
$5.9B
Q3 25
$3.9B
Q2 25
$3.8B
$5.3B
Q1 25
$3.7B
$5.2B
Q4 24
$3.6B
$12.1B
Total Assets
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
$15.0B
Q2 26
$15.6B
Q1 26
$5.1B
$15.6B
Q4 25
$5.1B
$14.4B
Q3 25
$5.1B
Q2 25
$5.0B
$14.0B
Q1 25
$4.9B
$16.4B
Q4 24
$4.7B
$25.5B
Debt / Equity
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
0.16×
Q2 26
0.65×
Q1 26
0.03×
0.65×
Q4 25
0.03×
0.80×
Q3 25
0.05×
Q2 25
0.06×
0.89×
Q1 25
0.05×
1.42×
Q4 24
0.06×
0.61×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$368.2M
$1.1B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$308.2M
$978.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
15.2%
29.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.25×
0.35×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
$1.1B
Q2 26
$745.0M
Q1 26
$368.2M
Q4 25
$368.2M
$672.0M
Q3 25
$386.9M
Q2 25
$278.6M
$746.0M
Q1 25
$262.2M
$508.0M
Q4 24
$282.8M
$403.0M
Free Cash Flow
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
$978.0M
Q2 26
$653.0M
Q1 26
$308.2M
Q4 25
$308.2M
$599.0M
Q3 25
$326.6M
Q2 25
$209.3M
$675.0M
Q1 25
$206.5M
$379.0M
Q4 24
$222.6M
$287.0M
FCF Margin
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
29.3%
Q2 26
21.6%
Q1 26
15.2%
Q4 25
15.2%
21.3%
Q3 25
15.3%
Q2 25
10.1%
-58.5%
Q1 25
10.5%
16.5%
Q4 24
12.2%
6.7%
Capex Intensity
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
Q2 26
Q1 26
3.0%
Q4 25
3.0%
2.6%
Q3 25
2.8%
Q2 25
3.3%
-6.2%
Q1 25
2.8%
5.6%
Q4 24
3.3%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
FAST
FAST
WDC
WDC
Q3 26
0.35×
Q2 26
0.40×
Q1 26
1.25×
Q4 25
1.25×
0.57×
Q3 25
1.15×
Q2 25
0.84×
2.65×
Q1 25
0.88×
0.98×
Q4 24
1.08×
0.68×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

FAST
FAST

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

WDC
WDC

Segment breakdown not available.

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