COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
CNM vs DNOW
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. CNM scored 61.3, DNOW scored 56.8 — CNM leads.
Compare another set
CNM
Core & Main, Inc.
61.3
$44.88 · $8.7B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
4.5
CNM leads
DNOW
DNOW Inc.
56.8
$15.68 · $2.8B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- Fastest growthDNOW+69.8%
- Strongest balance sheetDNOW0.31
- Highest qualityCNM69 / 100
- Largest discount to fair valueCNM-24%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
CNM
stronger →← stronger
DNOW
69
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
28
48
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
92
70
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
70
CNM and DNOW split the three pillars evenly.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
CNM
DNOW
$608mC+
FCF
$136mC
+0.5%C
Rev
+69.8%A
1.16C+
D/E
0.31A-
19.0xA-
P/E
—
1.26B
PEG
—
—
P/S
0.7xA
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
CNM
DNOW
24% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
21% below
~1%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~9%/yr
+19%
1-yr DCF upside
-4%
+31%
5-yr DCF upside
+27%
+52%
10-yr DCF upside
+91%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
CNM
Why this score
- Durable high returns
DNOW
Why this score
- Diluting shareholders
The companies
CNMCore & Main, Inc.
Why now
Industrial Distribution · market cap $8.7b. Down 33% from 52-week high of $67.18 — deep drawdown territory. 15 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $60.40 (implying +35% upside).
Moat
ROE 23% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately. FCF converts 129% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Down 33% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up.
DNOWDNOW Inc.
Why now
Industrial Distribution · market cap $2.8b. 9% off the 52-week high of $17.26. Revenue growing +70% — in hypergrowth territory. 4 sell-side analysts rate this a Strong Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $18.75 (implying +20% upside).
Moat
Turnaround / out-of-favor name — GAAP-unprofitable for now, so the durability case is forward-looking: it rests on a recovery (margin normalization, a cyclical upturn or restructuring) or an un-monetized asset (IP / network effects / first-mover position) rather than on current reported results.
Risk
Currently unprofitable (margin -2.7%) — path to GAAP profitability is the core thesis risk. ROE -5% is below the long-run sustainable threshold of ~10% — capital efficiency would need to improve for the equity base to compound at the market rate.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where CNM and DNOW diverge
On the headline score the gap is 4.5 points in favor of CNM. They get there differently, though — each leads on a different pillar, so the better pick depends on which you weight.
- GrowthCNM 47.8 · DNOW 92.5DNOW +44.7
- QualityCNM 69.1 · DNOW 28.3CNM +40.8
- ValueCNM 69.8 · DNOW 70.2level
Pillars run 0–100 against sector peers, so a score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.