Dividend Growth Stocks: 25 Aristocrats

5. Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST)

5-Year Average Dividend Growth Rate: 11.81%

On January 21, Barclays lowered its price target on Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) to $43 from $44 and kept an Equal Weight rating following the company’s fourth-quarter results. The firm said Fastenal is still seeing volume growth, but much of that is being driven by lower pricing, which is weighing on overall performance.

A day earlier, on January 20, Fastenal reported fourth-quarter revenue that came in slightly below Wall Street expectations. The company said higher tariffs pushed prices up and softened demand for some of its products. Strong sales to contract customers helped, but that strength was partly offset by weaker overall business activity. Gains in transportation and data center end markets were also balanced out by softer demand from resellers.

Revenue for the quarter totaled $2.03 billion, just under the $2.04 billion analysts were expecting, according to data from LSEG. Earnings held up better, with profit of 26 cents per share, matching estimates. Looking ahead, Fastenal said it plans to step up spending on property and equipment, projecting investments of $310 million to $330 million in 2026, up from $230.6 million in 2025. The company expects higher costs as it replaces its Atlanta hub facility, faces rising trucking expenses, and increases IT spending tied to project delays.

Fastenal Company (NASDAQ:FAST) is a wholesale distributor of industrial and construction supplies, with a core focus on threaded fasteners.