Fastenal (FAST) Q2 Earnings Preview: What You Should Know Beyond the Headline Estimates

Group 1 - Fastenal is predicted to post quarterly earnings of $0.28 per share, reflecting a 12% increase year-over-year, with revenues forecasted at $2.06 billion, representing a 7.6% increase [1] - Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate has been adjusted upward by 1.2%, indicating a reassessment of initial projections by analysts [2] - Changes in earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor reactions, with empirical studies showing a strong correlation between earnings estimate trends and short-term stock price movements [3] Group 2 - Analysts expect 'Business days' to remain at 64 days, unchanged from the previous year [4] - The consensus estimate for 'Daily sales' is $32.12, up from $29.90 a year ago, while 'Weighted FASTBin/FASTVend signings (MEUs)' are expected to reach 7,615, compared to 7,188 in the same quarter last year [5] - The forecast for 'Weighted FASTBin/FASTVend installations (MEUs; end of period)' is 133,889, an increase from 119,306 reported in the same quarter last year [6] Group 3 - Fastenal shares have changed by +0.3% in the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.9% movement, indicating that FAST is expected to closely follow overall market performance [6]