FA
FAST
Jun 30, 2023
Quarter ended Jun 30, 2023 · FY2023 Q2

Fastenal Company stock research

Fastenal (FAST) Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Jun 30, 2023

In the current quarter, free cash flow and margin improved substantially compared to the same quarter last year, but declined from the prior quarter. Operating cash flow was the primary driver of the year-over-year improvement, while higher capital expenditure contributed to the sequential decline.

Free cash flow takeaway

A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.

In the current quarter, free cash flow and margin improved substantially compared to the same quarter last year, but declined from the prior quarter. Operating cash flow was the primary driver of the year-over-year improvement, while higher capital expenditure contributed to the sequential decline.

  • Revenue was stable sequentially and higher year-over-year. Operating cash flow as a percentage of net earnings improved significantly year-over-year, as noted in the filing, due to reduced working capital expansion. Free cash flow margin followed a similar pattern.
  • Compared to the prior quarter, free cash flow and margin were lower, driven by a decrease in operating cash flow and an increase in capital expenditure. Compared to the same quarter a year ago, all metrics improved, with operating cash flow and free cash flow showing notable increases.

FCF snapshot

Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.

TTM free cash flow

$1.1B

Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.

Quarter free cash flow

$246.2M

Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.

Operating cash flow

$302.1M

Cash generated by operations before capital spending.

CapEx

$55.9M

Capital spending and related asset purchases.

FCF margin

13.1%

The share of revenue converted into free cash flow.

Cash flow trend

A short quarterly history shows whether FCF is scaling with revenue or only spiking for one period.

PeriodRevenueOperating CFCapExFCFFCF margin
2022-09-30$1.8B$257.9M$48.0M$209.9M11.6%
2022-12-31$1.7B$301.9M$42.8M$259.1M15.3%
2023-03-31$1.9B$388.5M$33.7M$354.8M19.1%
2023-06-30$1.9B$302.1M$55.9M$246.2M13.1%

Cash conversion quality

Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.

FCF / net income82.6%Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash.
CapEx / revenue3.0%Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin.
Net cash-$106.4MCash and equivalents minus total debt.

Recent events shaping cash flow

Near-term business events that help explain the free cash flow result.

Supportive

Operating Cash Flow Improvement

Operating cash flow increased significantly year-over-year, supported by reduced working capital usage as supply chains normalized, as noted in the filing.

This improvement was the primary factor behind the higher free cash flow and margin compared to the prior year.

What the cash flow says

How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.

Revenue was stable sequentially and higher year-over-year. Operating cash flow as a percentage of net earnings improved significantly year-over-year, as noted in the filing, due to reduced working capital expansion. Free cash flow margin followed a similar pattern.

Compared to the prior quarter, free cash flow and margin were lower, driven by a decrease in operating cash flow and an increase in capital expenditure. Compared to the same quarter a year ago, all metrics improved, with operating cash flow and free cash flow showing notable increases.

Monitor the trend in working capital changes, as the filing indicated that normalized supply chains reduced the rate of working capital expansion.