Fastenal(US:FAST) ZACKSยท2025-07-09 14:56Core Viewpoint - Fastenal Company (FAST) is expected to report its second-quarter 2025 results on July 14, with earnings per share estimated at 28 cents, reflecting a 12% year-over-year growth, and net sales projected at $2.06 billion, indicating a 7.6% increase from the previous year [1][2]. Group 1: Sales Performance - Fastenal's net sales in the last reported quarter exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.5%, with a year-over-year increase of 3.4% [1]. - The average daily sales (ADS) for May 2025 grew by 9.3% to $32.7 million, showing a 4.1% increase from April 2025 [3]. - In May 2025, daily sales in Heavy Manufacturing and Other Manufacturing increased by 8.6% and 12.8%, respectively, while Non-residential Construction grew by 3.3% [4]. Group 2: Growth Drivers - The anticipated growth in sales is attributed to improved customer contract signing trends, enhanced digital presence, and increased investments in sales resources [2]. - A balanced mix of onsite and offsite services, along with market share gains across various product categories, is expected to contribute to the sales uptick [2]. - Daily sales growth for contract and non-contract customers was 12% and 4%, respectively, with eBusiness sales increasing by 14% in May [4]. Group 3: Margin and Cost Management - Fastenal's bottom line is projected to improve due to active cost control measures aimed at countering cost inflation, including warehouse automation and increased delivery efficiency [6]. - Despite facing elevated occupancy and employee-related expenses, the company is expected to achieve a 12% growth in EPS driven by sales growth and margin expansion initiatives [7]. - Total operating expenses as a percentage of net sales are expected to contract by 60 basis points to 24.3% for the upcoming quarter [8]. Group 4: Earnings Prediction - The Zacks model predicts an earnings beat for Fastenal, supported by a positive Earnings ESP of +3.05% and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [9][10].