AIT
Price
$359.90
Change
+$0.99 (+0.28%)
Updated
Aug 7 closing price
Capitalization
13.3B
4 days until earnings call
Intraday BUY SELL Signals
FAST
Price
$51.84
Change
+$1.04 (+2.05%)
Updated
Aug 7 closing price
Capitalization
59.49B
66 days until earnings call
Intraday BUY SELL Signals
GWW
Price
$1277.55
Change
-$5.03 (-0.39%)
Updated
Aug 7 closing price
Capitalization
60.17B
87 days until earnings call
Intraday BUY SELL Signals
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AIT or FAST or GWW

AIT vs FAST vs GWW Comparison Chart in %
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A.I.Advisor
Aug 03, 2026

Which Stock Would AI Choose? Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) vs. Fastenal (FAST) vs. W.W. Grainger (GWW) Stock Comparison

Key Takeaways

  • AIT, FAST, and GWW are leading industrial distributors focused on maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) products, serving overlapping end markets such as manufacturing and construction.
  • Year-to-date through late July 2026, GWW posted the strongest gains at approximately 37.5%, followed by AIT at 34.9% and FAST at 20.8%, reflecting differentiated momentum amid steady industrial demand.
  • FAST reported robust second-quarter 2026 results with sales up 14.7% year-over-year, while AIT and GWW delivered double-digit organic growth in their most recent reported quarters.
  • All three companies maintain healthy operating margins and consistent dividend policies, with limited sector-specific volatility observed in recent market activity.
  • Valuation sensitivity varies, as larger-scale operators like GWW trade at premiums relative to peers amid growth expectations.
  • Relative performance highlights trade-offs between scale advantages at GWW and FAST versus niche positioning at AIT.

Introduction

Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT), Fastenal (FAST), and W.W. Grainger (GWW) represent core holdings in the industrial distribution sector. These companies supply essential maintenance, repair, and operations products to manufacturing, construction, and other commercial end markets. Investors and traders often compare the three to assess relative positioning within a cyclical yet resilient industry. The comparison is particularly relevant for those evaluating exposure to industrial production trends, supply-chain efficiency, and pricing power in the current market environment.

AIT Overview and Recent Performance

Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) specializes in distributing bearings, power transmission components, and fluid power products, serving a broad customer base in industrial and maintenance applications. In recent weeks, the stock has traded near its 52-week highs around $350, closing at $345.21 on July 31, 2026. Year-to-date returns reached 34.9%, supported by steady demand and a recent quarterly dividend declaration of $0.51 per share. Upcoming fiscal fourth-quarter earnings scheduled for mid-August have contributed to ongoing market attention without notable sentiment shifts in the immediate period.

FAST Overview and Recent Performance

Fastenal (FAST) operates an extensive network of branches and vending solutions focused on fasteners, tools, and safety products. The company delivered strong second-quarter 2026 results with net sales rising 14.7% year-over-year to $2.39 billion and earnings per share increasing 15.9%. As of the July 31, 2026 close, shares stood at $47.71, contributing to year-to-date gains of 20.8%. Recent market activity reflects continued emphasis on digital tools and contract customer growth, maintaining stable performance relative to broader industrial peers.

GWW Overview and Recent Performance

W.W. Grainger (GWW) provides a comprehensive range of maintenance, repair, and operating supplies through its distribution network and digital platforms. First-quarter 2026 results showed sales of $4.7 billion, up 10.1% year-over-year, prompting raised full-year guidance. The stock closed at $1,382.22 on July 31, 2026, delivering year-to-date returns of 37.5%. Recent market activity has been influenced by consistent operational execution and dividend increases, positioning the company with measured resilience amid industrial sector dynamics.

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Head-to-Head Comparison

The three companies share exposure to industrial MRO demand but differ in scale and focus. GWW and FAST operate larger national footprints with broader product assortments, providing scale advantages in pricing and logistics. AIT emphasizes specialized technical products such as bearings and fluid power, offering differentiated exposure within the sector. Recent momentum has favored GWW and AIT on a year-to-date basis compared with FAST, though all posted positive returns amid stable industrial activity. Risk factors include sensitivity to manufacturing cycles and input costs, with valuation multiples reflecting varying growth expectations. Market sentiment remains constructive across the group, supported by earnings consistency rather than outsized catalysts.

Tickeron AI Verdict

Based on observable factors such as trend consistency and relative positioning in recent market activity, Tickeron’s AI would currently assign a modest probabilistic preference to GWW for its stronger year-to-date performance and scale-driven stability, while recognizing competitive positioning at AIT and FAST. Outcomes remain subject to evolving industrial demand patterns and broader market conditions.

Disclaimer

The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.

Disclaimers and Limitations

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COMPARISON
Comparison
Aug 09, 2026
Stock price -- (AIT: $359.90FAST: $51.84GWW: $1277.55)
Brand notoriety: AIT and GWW are not notable and FAST is notable
The three companies represent the Electronics Distributors industry
Current volume relative to the 65-day Moving Average: AIT: 46%, FAST: 98%, GWW: 92%
Market capitalization -- AIT: $13.3B, FAST: $59.49B, GWW: $60.17B
$AIT is valued at $13.3B, while FAST has a market capitalization of $59.49B, and GWW's market capitalization is $60.17B. The market cap for tickers in this @Electronics Distributors ranges from $60.17B to $0. The average market capitalization across the @Electronics Distributors industry is $12.67B.

Long-Term Analysis

It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).

AIT’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileFAST’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s), and GWW’s FA Score reflects 3 green FA rating(s).

  • AIT’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
  • FAST’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
  • GWW’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
According to our system of comparison, AIT and GWW are a better buy in the long-term than FAST.

Short-Term Analysis

It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.

If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.

AIT’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while FAST’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s), and GWW’s TA Score reflects 5 bullish TA indicator(s).

  • AIT’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
  • FAST’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
  • GWW’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 3 bearish.
According to our system of comparison, GWW is a better buy in the short-term than FAST, which in turn is a better option than AIT.

Price Growth

AIT (@Electronics Distributors) experienced а +4.26% price change this week, while FAST (@Electronics Distributors) price change was +8.66% , and GWW (@Electronics Distributors) price fluctuated -7.57% for the same time period.

The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronics Distributors industry was +11.31%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +14.24%, and the average quarterly price growth was +4.49%.

Reported Earning Dates

AIT is expected to report earnings on Aug 13, 2026.

FAST is expected to report earnings on Oct 14, 2026.

GWW is expected to report earnings on Nov 04, 2026.

Industries' Descriptions

@Electronics Distributors (+11.31% weekly)

Electronics distributors are companies that are involved in distribution of one or more of the following: electronic components, computer products/ peripherals and software products & services. Several electronics distributors are also becoming the point of contact for technical/pre- & post-sale support in many cases, in an attempt to bolster their position in the market. Tariffs and/or cross-border trade barriers are some of the potential threats to the electronics supply chain, but that could also potentially lead to re-directing to markets where tariffs/restrictions are lower depending on demand. The industry is also vulnerable in the event of economic slowdowns. Arrow Electronics, Inc., SYNNEX Corporation and Versum Materials, Inc. are some of the major electronics distributors in the U.S.

SUMMARIES
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FUNDAMENTALS
Fundamentals
GWW($60.2B) and FAST($59.5B) has a higher market cap than AIT($13.3B). FAST has higher P/E ratio than AIT and GWW: FAST (44.31) vs AIT (34.02) and GWW (32.57). AIT YTD gains are higher at: 40.648 vs. FAST (31.304) and GWW (27.105). GWW has higher annual earnings (EBITDA): 2.88B vs. FAST (1.96B) and AIT (612M). GWW has more cash in the bank: 695M vs. FAST (205M) and AIT (172M). AIT has less debt than FAST and GWW: AIT (365M) vs FAST (442M) and GWW (2.78B). GWW has higher revenues than FAST and AIT: GWW (18.4B) vs FAST (8.75B) and AIT (4.84B).
AITFASTGWW
Capitalization13.3B59.5B60.2B
EBITDA612M1.96B2.88B
Gain YTD40.64831.30427.105
P/E Ratio34.0244.3132.57
Revenue4.84B8.75B18.4B
Total Cash172M205M695M
Total Debt365M442M2.78B
FUNDAMENTALS RATINGS
AIT vs FAST vs GWW: Fundamental Ratings
AIT
FAST
GWW
OUTLOOK RATING
1..100
495053
VALUATION
overvalued / fair valued / undervalued
1..100
83
Overvalued
88
Overvalued
85
Overvalued
PROFIT vs RISK RATING
1..100
66012
SMR RATING
1..100
443022
PRICE GROWTH RATING
1..100
412650
P/E GROWTH RATING
1..100
265824
SEASONALITY SCORE
1..100
506555

Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.

AIT's Valuation (83) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as GWW (85) and is in the same range as FAST (88). This means that AIT's stock grew similarly to GWW’s and similarly to FAST’s over the last 12 months.

AIT's Profit vs Risk Rating (6) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as GWW (12) and is somewhat better than the same rating for FAST (60). This means that AIT's stock grew similarly to GWW’s and somewhat faster than FAST’s over the last 12 months.

GWW's SMR Rating (22) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as FAST (30) and is in the same range as AIT (44). This means that GWW's stock grew similarly to FAST’s and similarly to AIT’s over the last 12 months.

FAST's Price Growth Rating (26) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as AIT (41) and is in the same range as GWW (50). This means that FAST's stock grew similarly to AIT’s and similarly to GWW’s over the last 12 months.

GWW's P/E Growth Rating (24) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as AIT (26) and is somewhat better than the same rating for FAST (58). This means that GWW's stock grew similarly to AIT’s and somewhat faster than FAST’s over the last 12 months.

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
Technical Analysis
AITFASTGWW
RSI
ODDS (%)
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
57%
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
44%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
61%
Stochastic
ODDS (%)
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
54%
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
48%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
63%
Momentum
ODDS (%)
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
74%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
73%
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
45%
MACD
ODDS (%)
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
66%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
73%
N/A
TrendWeek
ODDS (%)
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
65%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
64%
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
50%
TrendMonth
ODDS (%)
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
66%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
67%
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
50%
Advances
ODDS (%)
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
66%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
63%
Bullish Trend 14 days ago
62%
Declines
ODDS (%)
Bearish Trend 12 days ago
48%
Bearish Trend 11 days ago
49%
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
48%
BollingerBands
ODDS (%)
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
58%
Bearish Trend 3 days ago
42%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
58%
Aroon
ODDS (%)
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
66%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
46%
Bullish Trend 3 days ago
49%
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AIT
Daily Signal:
Gain/Loss:
FAST
Daily Signal:
Gain/Loss:
GWW
Daily Signal:
Gain/Loss:
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AIT and

Correlation & Price change

A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, AIT has been loosely correlated with WCC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 59% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if AIT jumps, then WCC could also see price increases.

1D
1W
1M
1Q
6M
1Y
5Y
Ticker /
NAME
Correlation
To AIT
1D Price
Change %
AIT100%
+0.28%
WCC - AIT
59%
Loosely correlated
-2.16%
MSM - AIT
58%
Loosely correlated
-0.80%
FERG - AIT
56%
Loosely correlated
+1.31%
WSO - AIT
55%
Loosely correlated
+2.83%
BXC - AIT
50%
Loosely correlated
+5.25%
More

FAST and

Correlation & Price change

A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, FAST has been loosely correlated with GWW. These tickers have moved in lockstep 55% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if FAST jumps, then GWW could also see price increases.

1D
1W
1M
1Q
6M
1Y
5Y
Ticker /
NAME
Correlation
To FAST
1D Price
Change %
FAST100%
+2.05%
GWW - FAST
55%
Loosely correlated
-0.39%
AIT - FAST
46%
Loosely correlated
+0.28%
WSO - FAST
42%
Loosely correlated
+2.83%
BXC - FAST
41%
Loosely correlated
+5.25%
FERG - FAST
39%
Loosely correlated
+1.31%
More

GWW and

Correlation & Price change

A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, GWW has been loosely correlated with MSM. These tickers have moved in lockstep 51% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if GWW jumps, then MSM could also see price increases.

1D
1W
1M
1Q
6M
1Y
5Y
Ticker /
NAME
Correlation
To GWW
1D Price
Change %
GWW100%
-0.39%
MSM - GWW
51%
Loosely correlated
-0.80%
AIT - GWW
50%
Loosely correlated
+0.28%
WSO - GWW
40%
Loosely correlated
+2.83%
WCC - GWW
40%
Loosely correlated
-2.16%
SITE - GWW
37%
Loosely correlated
+5.42%
More