Form 4: Fastenal Interim CFO Exercises and Sells Over 21,000 Shares Under Pre-Arranged Plan

Fastenal's Interim CFO and EVP-CAO/Treasurer, Sheryl Ann Lisowski, exercised stock options and simultaneously sold 21,052 shares of common stock on July 17, 2025, pursuant to a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan.

Summary

• Sheryl Ann Lisowski, Interim CFO and EVP-CAO/Treasurer of Fastenal Co. (FAST), engaged in multiple stock transactions on July 17, 2025.
• Lisowski exercised employee stock options for a total of 21,052 shares of common stock.
• The exercised options included 12,000 shares at an exercise price of $24 per share, 5,052 shares at $19 per share, and 4,000 shares at $24 per share.
• Concurrently, Lisowski sold 21,052 shares of common stock in open market transactions.
• The sales occurred at average prices of $45.22, $45.2028, and $45.2069 per share.
• These transactions were conducted under a Rule 10b5-1(c) plan, indicating they were pre-scheduled.
• All reported share amounts and prices have been adjusted to reflect Fastenal Company's 2-for-1 stock split on May 21, 2025.
• Following these transactions, Lisowski directly owns 10,192 shares of Fastenal common stock and indirectly holds 4,195 shares in a 401(K) Plan.

Sentiment

Score: 6

Explanation: The sentiment is moderately positive. While there's insider selling, it's offset by the exercise of options, indicating the executive is realizing gains from previously granted equity. The 10b5-1 plan mitigates concerns about opportunistic selling.

Positives

• The exercise of options indicates that the options were 'in the money,' meaning the stock price was significantly higher than the exercise price, allowing the insider to realize a substantial gain.
• The transactions were conducted under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, which suggests the sales were pre-scheduled and not based on immediate, non-public information.

Negatives

• The sale of 21,052 shares by a key executive could be perceived as a reduction in direct ownership stake, although it was offset by option exercises.

Industry Context

This filing details specific insider transactions at Fastenal Co. and does not provide broader industry context or trends.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The sale of shares by an executive could be viewed neutrally or slightly negatively, but the 10b5-1 plan context and the fact that it's an exercise-and-sell transaction (not a net reduction in ownership from open market purchases) lessens the negative impact. It demonstrates the executive realizing value from their compensation.

Key Dates

Recommendation

Keywords

Fastenal, FAST, SEC Form 4, Insider Trading, Stock Options, Share Sale, Executive Compensation, 10b5-1 Plan, Stock Split, Sheryl Ann Lisowski