Fastenal Company Announces Cash Dividend and Share Repurchase Activity

Key Terms

common stock repurchase financial

A common stock repurchase is when a company uses cash to buy back its own shares from the market, reducing the number of shares that remain outstanding. For investors this matters because fewer shares can raise per-share earnings and ownership percentage—similar to slicing a pie into fewer pieces—while also signaling management’s view of the stock’s value and affecting the company’s cash available for other uses.

dividends per share financial

Dividends per share is the cash amount a company pays to each individual share of its stock over a set period (for example, a quarter or a year). It tells investors how much income they can expect from owning one share—like the rent from a small piece of property or interest from a savings account—and helps compare income from different stocks and judge how reliable a company’s payouts are.

stock split financial

A stock split increases the number of a company's shares by dividing each existing share into multiple new shares while reducing the price per share by the same proportion, so an investor's total value and ownership percentage stay the same. It matters because lower per-share prices can make trading easier and attract more buyers, similar to breaking a large chocolate bar into smaller pieces to make it easier to share, which can boost liquidity and market interest.

View in glossary

authorization financial

Authorization is a formal permission granted by an authority—such as a regulator, board of directors, or government—to carry out a specific activity, sell a product, or use funds. For investors, authorization matters because it often unlocks a company’s ability to generate revenue, launch products, or execute transactions; think of it like a license or green light that reduces uncertainty and can materially change a company’s prospects.

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WINONA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fastenal Company (Nasdaq:FAST) ('Fastenal,' 'we,' 'our,' or 'us') reported its board of directors declared a dividend of $0.24 per share to be paid in cash on May 26, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 28, 2026. Except for share and per share information, dollar amounts are stated in millions.

We began paying annual dividends in 1991, semi-annual dividends in 2003, and then expanded to quarterly dividends in 2011. In addition to these regular dividend payments, we have previously paid special one-time dividends in December 2008, December 2012, December 2020, and December 2023. Our board of directors currently intends to continue paying quarterly dividends, though all future determinations as to payment of dividends will depend upon the financial condition and results of operations of Fastenal and such other factors as are deemed relevant by the board of directors at that time.

In 2026, 2025, and 2024, we paid (or declared) dividends as follows:

Year		First Quarter			Second Quarter			Third Quarter			Fourth Quarter			Total
2026		$	0.240		$	0.240
2025		$	0.215		$	0.220		$	0.220		$	0.220		$	0.875
2024		$	0.195		$	0.195		$	0.195		$	0.195		$	0.780

Dividend and common stock repurchase activity during the last ten years is as follows:

																										Average Per
		Total				Dividends per Share												Total Value of				Total Number				Share Price of
	Dividend	Dividends				Regular					Special				Total			Common Stock				of Shares				Common Stock
Year	Payments	Paid				Dividend					Dividend				Dividend			Purchased				Purchased				Purchased
2026	Two (1)		$	551.1			$	0.480			$	—			$	0.480			$	20.1				425,000			$	47.27
2025	Four		$	1,004.2			$	0.875			$	—			$	0.875			$	—				—			$	—
2024	Four		$	893.3			$	0.780			$	—			$	0.780			$	—				—			$	—
2023	Five (2)		$	1,016.8			$	0.700			$	0.190			$	0.890			$	—				—			$	—
2022	Four		$	711.3			$	0.620			$	—			$	0.620			$	237.8				10,000,000			$	23.79
2021	Four		$	643.7			$	0.560			$	—			$	0.560			$	—				—			$	—
2020	Five (2)		$	803.4			$	0.500			$	0.200			$	0.700			$	52.0				3,200,000			$	16.27
2019	Four		$	498.6			$	0.435			$	—			$	0.435			$	—				—			$	—
2018	Four		$	441.9			$	0.385			$	—			$	0.385			$	103.0				8,000,000			$	12.88
2017	Four		$	369.1			$	0.320			$	—			$	0.320			$	82.6				7,600,000			$	10.86
Ten Year Total			$	6,933.4			$	5.655			$	0.390			$	6.045			$	495.5				29,225,000			$	16.96

(1)	The dividends per share and total dividends paid include the estimated impact from this announcement. The total dividends paid estimate is calculated using the 1,148.0 million shares outstanding at March 31, 2026.
(2)	There was a supplemental dividend paid in December 2020 and December 2023.

In the first quarter of 2026, we purchased 425,000 shares of our common stock at an average price of $47.27 per share.

We have authority to purchase up to 11,975,000 shares of our common stock under the July 12, 2022 authorization. This authorization does not have an expiration date.

All share and per share information reflects the two-for-one stock split in each of 2019 and 2025.

About Fastenal

Organizations around the world rely on Fastenal to help them reduce cost, risk, and constraints in the supply chain for a broad range of industrial products. To understand our customers' challenges and provide services and solutions that fit their unique needs, we've built out the most extensive presence in our industry with a vast network of teams and embedded technology. At the heart of it all is a simple commitment: great people, close to your business, backed by world-class logistics, technology, and resources.

Additional information regarding Fastenal is available on our website at www.fastenal.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that are not historical in nature and that are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forward looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding expectations as to payment of a quarterly cash dividend and stock repurchase activity in the foreseeable future. Any future determination as to payment of dividends or stock repurchases will depend upon the financial condition and results of operations of Fastenal and such other factors as are deemed relevant by the board of directors. For example, a change in business needs including working capital and funding for acquisitions, or a change in income tax law relating to dividends or stock repurchases, could cause us to decide not to pay a dividend in the future or not to repurchase common stock pursuant to the existing share repurchase authorization. A discussion of other risks and uncertainties is included in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual report and subsequent quarterly reports. FAST-D

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260410042864/en/

Dray Schreiber
Accounting Manager
507.313.7324

Source: Fastenal Company