Fastenal Co. reported sales rose 6.1% to $334.5 million in April. Daily sales during the month totaled $15.2 million.

Sales to manufacturing customers increased 4.6% during April, while sales to non-residential construction customers improved 3.3%.

Fastenal opened no new stores during the month. The company has two stores in the first four months of 2015, compared with nine new stores in the first four months of 2014.

During April, Fastenal continued to boost its workforce. Total personnel rose 7.9% to 19,272, including an 8% increase in distribution personnel to 2,278 workers, a 4.6% increase in store personnel to 10,781 workers, and a 4.5% increase in selling personnel to 12,086.

Fastenal's manufacturing personnel declined 1.7% to 629 in April, despite a strong hiring pace at fastener manufacturer Holo-Krome, which Fastenal acquired in 2009.

During Q1, Fastenal fastener sales rose 5.5% — well below the company's fastener sales growth rate of 11.4% in the final quarter of 2014. The increase was most related to volume, withFastenal noting "some price deflation" in its fastener line.

Overall Q1 sales gained 8.8% to $953.3 million despite being "hit hard by poor weather. Net earnings grew 14% to $127.6 million and EPS increased 13.2% to $0.43.

Source: Global Fastener News