William Oberton, CEO of Fastenal, came in third place on the top “Wealth Creators” by Chief Executive magazine. The annual list shows which CEOs have created the most value for shareholders during the three-year period from July 2009 through June 2012. The rankings were limited to CEO’s at S&P 500 companies who had been in their jobs for at least three years.

Christopher Connor, CEO of paint manufacturer Sherwin Williams, ranked No. 14. James Ryan, chief executive of W.W. Grainger, came in 10th place.

Sherwin-Williams and Fastenal lead the gainers on the Home Channel Stock Roundup. Elsewhere on the Dashboard, the residential construction dials show big improvements, while existing-home sales declined from May.

Second-quarter sales for Winona, Minn.-based Fastenal increased to $804.9 million, up 14.7% from the same quarter in 2011. 

Net earnings for the company increased 19.3% to $112.3 million. 

“The growth in the first three months of 2012 generally continued the relative strength we saw in 2011 and in most of 2010,” the company stated. However, the rate of daily sales growth slowed in the April to June 2012 time frame.

It’s called a 20-20 double-double, and among business metrics it’s a grand slam multiplied by a slam dunk. The definition is sales and earnings growth of at least 20% in the same quarter.

Not only did Winona, Minn.-based Fastenal achieve a 20-20 in the first quarter — $769 million in sales, up 20.0%, and $100 million in net earnings, up 26.0% — but the company has scored a 20-20 double-double for eight consecutive quarters.

The 2,611-location retailer and distributor of industrial supplies and specialty tools reported strong gains in sales and earnings for the quarter ended March 31.

Net sales increased 20.0% to $768.9 million, compared with $640.6 million in the same quarter of 2011. Net earnings increased 26.0% to $100.2 million, up from $79.5 million in the first quarter last year.

On the Consumer Watch section of the Dashboard: gas price increases have slowed considerably, and unemployment holds steady. Stocks are all across the board, with Fastenal out in front.

Specialty tools and fastener supplier Fastenal Co. reported fourth-quarter sales of $697.8 million, up 21.6% from $573.8 million in the same quarter last year. 

For the full year ended Dec. 31, net sales increased to $2.767 billion, up 21.9%.

"During 2010 and 2011, sales were strong -- our business has closely followed the trend line since the fall of 2009," the company stated, adding that February was negatively impacted by weather in each of the past two years.

The Consumer Watch section of the Dashboard shows gas prices holding steady at $3.29 per gallon of regular. On the Stock Roundup, Tractor Supply, Fastenal, Home Depot and Lowe's lead the field.

The Home Channel Stock Roundup shows stocks scattered across the board, with Tractor Supply and Fastenal showing the biggest annual gains.

Winona, Minn.-based Fastenal intends to expand its construction and industrial supply business by opening more locations and adding vending machines, according to an article in the Sacramento Business Journal. 

Sulphur Springs, Texas — “Let me show you something.”


That’s how an employee at Fix & Feed Sulphur Springs Hardware greeted a reporter who was visiting the store about 80 miles east of Dallas on a hot July weekday. She marched to a back room of the 20,000-sq.-ft. hardware store to a door marked “Keep this door closed at all times,” and led the visitor inside. 


“Here is where we make the fudge,” she said.