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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0306 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2020-02-20 </periodOfReport> |
| <notSubjectToSection16> 0 </notSubjectToSection16> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0000815556 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> FASTENAL CO </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> FAST </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001036295 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> OBERTON WILLARD D </rptOwnerName> |
| | | </reportingOwnerId> |
| | <reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet1> 23959 BLACKBERRY ROAD </rptOwnerStreet1> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2> |
| | | <rptOwnerCity> WINONA </rptOwnerCity> |
| | | <rptOwnerState> MN </rptOwnerState> |
| | | <rptOwnerZipCode> 55987 </rptOwnerZipCode> |
| | | <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription> |
| | | </reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | <reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | | <isDirector> 1 </isDirector> |
| | | <isOfficer> 0 </isOfficer> |
| | | <isTenPercentOwner> 0 </isTenPercentOwner> |
| | | <isOther> 0 </isOther> |
| | | <officerTitle></officerTitle> |
| | | <otherText></otherText> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <nonDerivativeTable> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2020-02-20 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> M </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 60000 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 27 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 74194 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2020-02-20 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> S </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 60000 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 38.823 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 14194 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 922943 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> By family trust </value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | </nonDerivativeTable> |
| <derivativeTable> |
| | <derivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <value> 27 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2020-02-20 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> M </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 60000 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 0 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2021-05-31 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Comnmon Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 60000 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 40000 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeTransaction> |
| | </derivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> The option will fully vest and become exercisable over a period of five years, with 50% of the option vesting and becoming exercisable half way through the relevant vesting period and the remainder vesting and becoming exercisable incrementally (20%, 20% and 10%) thereafter on each anniversary of the date of grant. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F2"> Shares maintained in a self directed IRA. </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> /s/ John Milek, Attorney-in-Fact </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2020-02-24 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |