FAST vs GWW: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, Fastenal (FAST) and W. W. Grainger (GWW) carry a correlation of 0.54, a moderate link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are FAST and GWW?
On 3 years of weekly data the FAST/GWW correlation comes out at 0.54, moderate. Lately the two have drifted apart, with the 1-year correlation at 0.26 versus 0.54 over 3 years. The 5-year figure is 0.64, and annualized covariance runs at 301.6 %².
Among the 33 assets we track against FAST, GWW ranks #6 by 3-year correlation. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with GWW ahead by 26.9 points (+4.1% versus +31.0%). Do not treat this figure as fixed: across three years the rolling one-year correlation ranged all the way from 0.30 to 0.80.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
FAST vs GWW: side by side
| FAST (Fastenal) | GWW (W. W. Grainger) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +4.1% | +31.0% |
| 5-year return | +105.5% | +219.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 24.0% | 23.3% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.63 | 0.74 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -21.9% | -24.5% |
| Market cap | $58.7B | $62.2B |
| P/E (trailing) | 43.7 | 34.0 |
| Dividend yield | 1.80% | 0.69% |
| Sector / category | Industrials | Industrials |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | FAST | GWW |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -24.3% | +8.7% |
| 2023 | +41.3% | +50.5% |
| 2024 | +13.5% | +28.2% |
| 2025 | +14.0% | -3.4% |
| 2026 | +29.5% | +31.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are FAST and GWW good diversifiers for each other?
Somewhat, no more. With 0.54 correlation, most large moves hit both names, and the diversification benefit stays modest.
FAQ
What is the correlation between FAST and GWW?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between FAST and GWW is 0.54 over 3 years, 0.26 over 1 year and 0.64 over 5 years.
Is GWW a good diversifier for FAST?
Somewhat, no more. With 0.54 correlation, most large moves hit both names, and the diversification benefit stays modest.
What does a correlation of 0.54 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.54 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/fast-vs-gww.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/fast-vs-gww/)
No key needed, free to use. Full endpoint list in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: FAST correlations · GWW correlations
