The structural profiles are close, with Fastenal Company carrying a narrow edge on profitability. Applied Industrial Technologies still has the edge on valuation, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is broadly comparable for both — no clear directional signal from price behavior. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.
The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels.
The result is anchored in profitability, but stability also reinforces the same direction.
Both operate in: Industrial Distribution
This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. AIT and FAST share the same industry classification.
For a similarity-based comparison, see how AIT and Fastenal Company each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.
Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.
The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.
Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.
Fastenal Company occupies the cheaper side of the setup map, although Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. still holds the stronger structural profile.
Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.
The profitability lead is mainly driven by a 8.4-point operating margin advantage.
Absolute pricing still looks more supportive for Applied Industrial Technologies, with a forward P/E that is 11 turns lower there.
The lead is built on both profitability and valuation — though valuation still provides a counterweight.
Break down the AIT vs FAST comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.
Explore how AIT and FAST each compare against other companies in their peer groups.
Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.
AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.
Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.
Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.