DOV vs FAST Stock Comparison

DOV currently leads FAST in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 65 vs 64. The clearest difference is value, while FAST has the stronger quality profile.

Market data as of Oct 21, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 1 points
DOV
Industrials
vs
FAST
Industrials
DOV
Dover Corporation
Leads
Price
$200
Day move
+1.37%
AIQ Score
65/100
Best edge
Value
Sector
Industrials
FAST
Fastenal Company
Price
$52.49
Day move
+1.63%
AIQ Score
64/100
Best edge
Quality
Sector
Industrials

What is the main difference between DOV and FAST?

DOV leads the current stock comparison as Dover Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

Dover Corporation vs Fastenal Company

Data as of Oct 21, 2026· market close· Industrials· Coverage 66/66 fields· High confidence
AIQ VerdictFragileAIQ Comparison Conviction 2/10

DOV leads

DOV leads by 1 AIQ points, primarily on Value, having only recently taken the lead back from FAST.

Fragile: 2 of 6 evidence groups support DOV, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.

Evidence agreement: 2 of 6Comparison trend: Reversed
DOV

Dover Corporation

Leads
AIQ Score
65/100
AIQ Edge Score
9/10
FAST

Fastenal Company

AIQ Score
64/100
AIQ Edge Score
9/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors DOV over FAST, 65 versus 64 as of Oct 21, 2026. DOV's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value, while FAST holds the stronger quality profile. DOV also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 2 of 6 covered evidence groups favor DOV today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. DOV lead: Reversed — FAST led by 8 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; DOV now leads by 1.

Compare Dover Corporation and Fastenal Company across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.

DOV
+23.9%
FAST
+107.9%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested

DOV $12,386 · FAST $20,788

Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.

Compare DOV and FAST against another ticker

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AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

DOV advantage
0
FAST advantage
  • Value59 vs 30
    DOV +29
  • Quality56 vs 84
    FAST +28
  • Momentum76 vs 74
    Even
  • Risk Resilience75 vs 74
    Even

2 of 6 evidence groups favor DOV. DOV’s edge is concentrated in value; FAST keeps a meaningful quality edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.

DOV+1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum +5

New signals

  • BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
  • RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
FAST+2 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum +6

No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 6 active signals are unchanged.

DOV's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — DOV and FAST both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

DOV (Dover Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value.

FAST (Fastenal Company): the counter-case, on quality, fundamentals, technicals.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

DOV

DOV on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

DOV

DOV on combined revenue and EPS growth.

Value

DOV

DOV on the peer-relative Value factor, by 29 points.

Momentum

Even

The two are level on Momentum.

Lower downside

DOV

DOV carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.

Analyst upside

DOV

DOV on implied upside to the consensus price target.

AIQ vs Wall Street

Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.

MeasureDOVFASTNote
Implied upside to target+23.6%-4.2%DOV has more room
Target dispersion+21.1%+27.8%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusBuyHoldContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering117Higher coverage generally improves confidence

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Dividend growth

DOV vs FAST: regular dividend growth
Dividend metricDOVFAST
5Y dividend CAGR1.00%11.84%
2020 regular DPS$1.970$0.500
2025 regular DPS$2.070$0.875
Years increased55
No cut in windowYesYes
Cohort rank#343#64

FAST grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 11.84% a year against DOV's 1.00%. Neither company reduced its regular dividend in any year of the window.

Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.

Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

2 of 6 covered evidence groups favor DOV. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreEven65 vs 64
FundamentalsFASTon balancerevenue growth 6.6% vs 3.2%; EPS growth 31.1% vs 6.1%; TTM ROE 15% vs 35.1%; gross margin 39.6% vs 44.6%; operating margin 16.9% vs 20.5% — FAST takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them
ValuationDOVValue 59 vs 30
TechnicalsFASTPrice vs 50-day 2.9% vs 4.2%; vs 200-day -6% vs 10.4%
Risk ResilienceEvenRisk Resilience 75 vs 74
Analyst expectationsDOVTarget upside 23.6% vs -4.2%

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of DOV and FAST and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Fragile

The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.

  • The AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • Only 2 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • Signal direction runs against the verdict: the leader is net-bearish while the laggard is net-bullish. (argues the conclusion is provisional)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on DOV.

How the comparison changed

120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20

DOV lead: Reversed — FAST led by 8 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; DOV now leads by 1.

Jun 21DOV leads above the line · FAST leads belowOct 20
Today
DOV +1
65 vs 64
7 sessions ago
DOV +1
58 vs 57
30 sessions ago
FAST +8
56 vs 64
90 sessions ago
FAST +8
56 vs 64

The lead changed hands 3 times in this window, most recently on Oct 15 when DOV moved ahead of FAST.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

DOVConflicted

1 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted

Only DOV

  • Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (7.96%)
  • BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
  • RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
FAST

5 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral

Only FAST

  • Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
  • Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (7.63%)
  • EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
  • 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (1.9%)
  • Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon

Both carry 1 more signal that do not separate them: MACD Bullish Crossover.

DOV leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

DOVConfirmed strength

Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +1.37%, AIQ +1 points).

FASTConfirmed strength

Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +1.63%, AIQ +2 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1FAST closes the Value gap — currently 29 points behind, the largest single contributor to DOV's edge.
  2. 2FAST's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
  3. 3DOV's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once.
  4. 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

FAST leads on balance
MetricDOVFAST
Revenue growth (YoY)6.6%3.2%
EPS growth (YoY)31.1%6.1%
Gross margin39.6%44.6%
Operating margin16.9%20.5%
Return on equity (TTM)15%35.1%
Debt to equity0.420.11

Performance

FAST leads 4 of 6 windows
MetricDOVFAST
1 week (5 sessions)2.4%0.4%
1 month (20 sessions)5.7%3.1%
3 months (63 sessions)-8.1%13.9%
6 months (126 sessions)-10.5%13%
Year to date1%28.7%
1 year (252 sessions)18.7%21.8%

Technicals

FAST has the stronger structure
MetricDOVFAST
RSI (14)77.464
ADX (14)17.514.5
Price vs 50-day2.9%4.2%
Price vs 200-day-6%10.4%
Volatility (1M, annualized)15.1%20.1%

Risk

Split
MetricDOVFAST
Beta0.940.52
Sharpe ratio0.630.77
Sortino ratio0.991.22
Max drawdown-20.2%-12%
Current drawdown-15.5%-1.4%
Annualized volatility26.2%24.4%
Value at risk (95%)-2.4%-2.5%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, DOV or FAST?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, DOV is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 65 against FAST's 64. The edge comes from value. FAST is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is DOV or FAST the better buy right now?

DOV carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 2 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. Treat the lead as provisional.

Why does the AIQ Score favor DOV over FAST?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. DOV leads Value by 29 points; FAST leads Quality by 28 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, DOV or FAST?

Analyst price targets imply +23.6% upside for DOV and -4.2% for FAST, so the Street currently favors DOV. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, DOV or FAST?

DOV is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. DOV on the peer-relative Value factor, by 29 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, DOV or FAST?

DOV on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, DOV or FAST?

The two are level on Momentum. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, DOV or FAST?

DOV is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. DOV carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is DOV more profitable than FAST?

FAST leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 39.6% vs 44.6%; operating margin 16.9% vs 20.5%; ttm roe 15% vs 35.1%.

Is DOV's lead over FAST getting stronger or weaker?

DOV lead: Reversed — FAST led by 8 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; DOV now leads by 1. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 3 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-15, when DOV moved ahead of FAST.

What would change the DOV vs FAST verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: FAST closes the Value gap — currently 29 points behind, the largest single contributor to DOV's edge; FAST's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; DOV's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

What do the current signals say about DOV and FAST?

DOV: 1 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted. FAST: 5 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on DOV is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On FAST it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).

Compare DOV and FAST with others

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.