---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000815556-21-000028"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "FAST"
cik: "0000815556"
company_name: "FASTENAL CO"
filed_at: "2021-07-13T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-30T05:54:24.657985+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.65
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.65
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Fastenal Q2 2021 EPS flat at $0.42; fastener sales surge 28.4% YoY

## Summary
- Net sales $1,507.7M, essentially flat YoY; fastener daily sales +28.4%, safety daily sales -38.6% due to COVID surge comparisons.
- Gross margin improved 200 bps to 46.5% of net sales; operating margin up 20 bps to 21.1%.
- Signed 87 new Onsite locations in Q2; active sites up 9.2% to 1,323; still targeting 300-350 signings for full year.
- FMI (vending/bin/stock) daily sales +61.4%; Digital Footprint at 41.7% of sales.
- Capex guidance reaffirmed at $170-200M for 2021; total debt $405M, 12.3% of capital.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000815556-21-000028
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: FAST
- cik: 0000815556
- company_name: FASTENAL CO
- filed_at: 2021-07-13T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.65
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.65
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/815556/000081555621000028/0000815556-21-000028-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/815556/000081555621000028/fast-20210713.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000815556-21-000028
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000815556-21-000028.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000815556-21-000028.txt

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.