Core & Main, Inc. (CNM) AI Stock Analysis

Core & Main, Inc. specializes in distributing products and services for water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection systems across the United States. Serving municipalities, private water companies, and professional contractors, the company caters to municipal, non-residential, and residential markets. Its product catalog includes pipes, valves, hydrants, and fittings, alongside storm drainage systems such as retention basins, inline drains, and geosynthetics. It also provides fire protection products, fabrication services, and advanced metering solutions including smart meters, installation, and utility software. Founded in 1874 and based in St. Louis, Missouri, the company supports the maintenance, repair, replacement, and construction of essential public infrastructure.

Core & Main increased revenue from $5.00B in FY2022 to $7.65B in FY2026, recording a 5-year revenue compound annual growth rate of 16.0%. Annual top-line growth decelerated from 37.4% in FY2022 to 2.8% in FY2026, though net income reached $441.0M with a 5.8% net margin. Operating margin closed FY2026 at 9.5%, down from 11.7% in FY2023. Over the trailing twelve months ended July 31, 2026, revenue stood at $7.70B with an operating margin of 10.6% and diluted EPS of $2.43. For the latest quarter ended July 31, 2026, quarterly revenue grew 2.5% year-over-year while quarterly earnings expanded 9.2%.

As of July 31, 2026, Core & Main held $312.0M in cash and short-term investments against total debt of $2.75B, resulting in net debt of $2.44B. Shareholders' equity was $2.03B, producing a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35 and a current ratio of 2.47. In FY2026, operating cash flow reached $650.0M and free cash flow stood at $604.0M. The company deployed cash toward $46.0M in capital expenditures and $155.0M in share buybacks during FY2026, contributing to a 20.9% reduction in share count over 5 years.

Core & Main trades at a trailing P/E of 17.3x and an EV/EBITDA of 11.0x, compared to medians of 24.8x and 13.9x for its US-listed Industrials peers. Its forward P/E of 17.2x matches the peer median of 17.2x, while its price-to-sales multiple of 1.0x sits below the peer median of 1.5x. The company holds an enterprise value of $10.32B and a market cap of $7.74B. Over the past year, CNM shares dropped 19.2%, underperforming the S&P 500 (SPY), which gained 16.8%.

Wall Street coverage consists of 5 Strong Buy, 2 Buy, 6 Hold, and 1 Sell ratings. The mean price target of $54.54 implies 29.9% upside from the October 16, 2026 closing price of $41.99. For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2027, consensus estimates project EPS of $3.16, representing 36.5% growth, on revenue of $7.84B. Core & Main beat EPS estimates in each of the last 4 quarters, and its next earnings release is scheduled for December 8, 2026.

This page is an AI-written research summary of Core & Main, Inc. (CNM). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.

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