Fastenal Company (FAST) is Growing Amid End Market Weakness

Core Insights - Mairs & Power Balanced Fund experienced a challenging start to Q2 2025 due to tariff uncertainties, Middle East conflicts, rising national debt, and a poor dollar performance, but managed to recover and rise 25% by the end of the quarter [1] - The fund returned 2.66% in the first half of 2025, underperforming against benchmark indexes which rose 5.43% and the Morningstar Moderate Allocation peer group which increased by 5.67% [1] Company Performance - Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) reported a one-month return of -4.40% but saw a significant 35.74% increase in value over the last 52 weeks, closing at $47.99 per share with a market capitalization of $55.075 billion on September 23, 2025 [2] - The fund's overweight position in the Industrials sector contributed positively in the first half of 2025, but poor stock selection led to an overall negative impact [3] - Toro (TTC), another significant holding, reported slowing revenue growth and lowered guidance, negatively affecting its stock price, while Fastenal's growth indicated market share gains despite similar market weaknesses [3] Hedge Fund Interest - Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) was held by 42 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q2 2025, an increase from 39 in the previous quarter, indicating growing interest among institutional investors [4]