DOV vs FAST: how the two businesses compare

  • Similar size: FAST and DOV each brought in about $8.2B of yearly revenue.
  • More profitable: FAST keeps 15 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 14 cents at DOV.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

Fastenal (FAST) and Dover (DOV) reported similar revenue: $8.2B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025) versus $8.1B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). DOV's net margin was 13.5% and FAST's 15.3%. The SEC classifies them differently (Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip; Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry.

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Industrials
SEC industry
Different
Separate classifications
Fiscal year ends
December 31
Same calendar
Reviewed
Feb 13, 2026

DOV vs FAST: quick comparison

Company factDOVFAST
CompanyDover CorporationFastenal Company
ExchangeNYSENASDAQ
SEC industryConstruction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & EquipRetail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply
Fiscal year-endDecember 31December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-1310-K · 2026-02-05

DOV vs FAST: audited financials

  • Scale: revenue is roughly in line ($8.2B for FAST versus $8.1B for DOV).
  • Net margin: FAST kept 15.3% of revenue as net income versus 13.5% at DOV.
  • Periods: both fiscal years end on 2025-12-31, so these annual figures cover the same months.

DOV: FY ending 2025-12-31 · FAST: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where DOV and FAST overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Shared research theme: Economic trends.
  • Same fiscal calendar: both fiscal years end December 31.

Differences

  • Different SEC industries: DOV files as Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip; FAST as Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply.

Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.

Dover Corporation (DOV)

Dover makes diversified industrial equipment spanning pumps, refrigeration, and marking systems.

Fastenal Company (FAST)

Fastenal distributes fasteners and industrial supplies through stores and on-site vending.

What moves each company

Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.

What moves DOV

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for DOV. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-13.

What moves FAST

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for FAST. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-05.

The investment question

You now know how DOV and FAST are classified, when their fiscal years end, and where their exposures overlap. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to economic trends, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

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SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. Both fiscal years end December 31, so annual reports line up, but check segment definitions before comparing growth or margins.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 8 matched transaction rows for DOV and 2 matched transaction rows for FAST. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

DOV vs FAST FAQs

Are DOV and FAST direct competitors?

Not necessarily. Dover files as Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip and Fastenal as Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply. The pair is compared because both map to the Economic trends research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.

Is DOV or FAST the bigger company by revenue?

Fastenal (FAST) and Dover (DOV) reported similar revenue: $8.2B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025) versus $8.1B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). DOV's net margin was 13.5% and FAST's 15.3%. The SEC classifies them differently (Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip; Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.

Which is better, DOV or FAST?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this DOV vs FAST comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Dover Corporation and Fastenal Company tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

DOV vs FAST compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

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