Thursday, February 23, 2017

Dividend Stock To Watch: Fastenal Company (FAST)

Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) share price jumped at US$ 50.99 before falling back to end the trade at US$ 50.87 a share. The dividend stock is -0.7% off a 52-week high stock price of US$ 51.56 but is up 36.86% since hitting the US$ 37.7. Investors are buying the stock with a trailing-twelve-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 29.46.

After a 0% fall from previous close of US$ 50.87, Fastenal Company (FAST) has a US$ 14.69 Billion market cap. The company pays a US$ 0.32-cent-per-share quarterly dividend, giving it a 2.52% yield. That brings its full year payout to US$ 1.28 and 69.4% annual payout ratio based on EPS. According to FT, Year on year, growth in dividends per share increased 7.14% while earnings per share excluding extraordinary items fell by -2.30%. The positive trend in dividend payments is noteworthy since only some companies in the Constr. & Agric. Machinery industry pay a dividend. Additionally when measured on a five year annualized basis, both dividend per share and earnings per share growth ranked in-line with the industry average relative to its peers.

The FAST has soared 8.98% year-to-date. The equity has gained steam in recent weeks, with shares up about 14.28% in the past three months. It added 0.95%, climbed 0.42% and jumped 16.84% in the week, one month and six months, respectively. Revenue growth rate was recorded at 7.4% and net income per share was seen moving at a 7.4% rate in the past five years.

Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) is over -3% below analysts’ consensus price target of US$ 50.4. The stock has blown through analysts’ low price target of US$ 40, but is still below the high US$ 56 target. On a price appreciation basis over the past 12 months, the stock returned 17.45%.

Financial Times data shows, In 2016, Fastenal Co reported a dividend of 1.20 USD, which represents a 7.14% increase over last year. The 12 analysts covering the company expect dividends of 1.27 USD for the upcoming fiscal year, an increase of 5.42%. The most recent short interest data show 6.67% of the company’s stock are short sold. It would take about 7.63 days to cover all short positions. In terms of volatility, it has a beta coefficient of 0.96 and technical analysis volatility indicator called Average True Range or ATR around 0.85.

Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) closed 15.33% above its 200-day moving average which many technicians use as a guide to the long-term trend, so stocks above the line are considered to be in longer-term uptrends, while those below it are considered to be in downtrends. The stock is 4.26% above another chart threshold, its 50-day moving average and 1.52% above its 20-day simple moving average.

The Wellesleys News

Dividend Stock To Watch: Fastenal Company (FAST)

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