Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

(1) Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Fastenal Company and subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the Company, Fastenal, or by terms such as we, our, or us) have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information. They do not include all information and footnotes required by United States generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. However, except as described herein, there has been no material change in the information disclosed in the notes to consolidated financial statements included in our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2011. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.

In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-6, Comprehensive Income (Topic 820). This accounting standard update eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of equity and requires the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. It also requires presentation on the face of the financial statements of reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income in the statement(s) where the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income are presented. This accounting standard update became effective beginning in our first quarter of fiscal 2012. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-12 which indefinitely defers the guidance related to the presentation of reclassification adjustments only. The adoption of this accounting standard update resulted in financial statement presentation changes only.

Stock split – On April 19, 2011, our board of directors declared a two-for-one stock split with respect to our common stock. This stock split became effective at the close of business on May 20, 2011. All historical share and per share amounts in this report have been adjusted to reflect the impact of this stock split.