COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
CNM vs FERG
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. CNM scored 61.3, FERG scored 58.7 — CNM leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. CNM's fundamentals are as of May 2026, but FERG's are as of July 2025 — a 9-month gap. Growth, margin and valuation figures below therefore describe different windows and aren't strictly like-for-like.
CNM
Core & Main, Inc.
61.3
$44.88 · $8.7B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
2.6
CNM leads
FERG
Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
58.7
$242.24 · $46.9B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestCNM19.0x
- Fastest growthFERG+3.8%
- Strongest balance sheetFERG1.11
- Highest qualityFERG74 / 100
- Largest discount to fair valueCNM-24%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Growth against the P/E multiple. Up and to the right is cheaper and faster — the quality-growth idea in one picture. Points beyond the axis are pinned to the edge and marked off-scale rather than allowed to compress everything else.
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
CNM
stronger →← stronger
FERG
69
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
74
48
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
60
70
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
46
FERG is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
CNM
FERG
$608mC+
FCF
$1.6bC+
+0.5%C
Rev
+3.8%C+
1.16C+
D/E
1.11C+
19.0xA-
P/E
23.9xB+
1.26B
PEG
1.49B
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
FERG
24% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
81% above
~1%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~23%/yr
+19%
1-yr DCF upside
-50%
+31%
5-yr DCF upside
-45%
+52%
10-yr DCF upside
-36%
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
FERG
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
- Durable high returns
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.
FERGFerguson Enterprises Inc.
Why now
Industrial Distribution · market cap $46.9b. 11% off the 52-week high of $271.64. 20 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $287.85 (implying +19% upside).
Moat
ROE 30% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which.
Risk
Mature compounder — the risk is paying up for quality at a moment when growth is decelerating. Watch for sequential revenue + margin trends; the inflection from "compounder" to "ex-compounder" is hard to spot until the multiple already started compressing.
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 FERG diverge
On the headline score the gap is 2.6 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.
- ValueCNM 69.8 · FERG 45.7CNM +24.1
- GrowthCNM 47.8 · FERG 59.7FERG +11.9
- QualityCNM 69.1 · FERG 74.1FERG +5.0
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.