COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
CNM vs POOL
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. CNM scored 61.3, POOL scored 60.8 — CNM leads.
Compare another set
CNM
Core & Main, Inc.
61.3
$44.88 · $8.7B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
0.5
CNM leads
POOL
Pool Corporation
60.8
$187.98 · $6.8B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestPOOL17.5x
- Fastest growthPOOL+1.8%
- Strongest balance sheetCNM1.16
- Highest qualityPOOL78 / 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
POOL
69
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
78
48
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
42
70
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
69
CNM is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
CNM
POOL
$608mC+
FCF
$313mC
+0.5%C
Rev
+1.8%C
1.16C+
D/E
1.35C
19.0xA-
P/E
17.5xA-
1.26B
PEG
1.60C+
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
POOL
24% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
40% above
~1%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~14%/yr
+19%
1-yr DCF upside
-33%
+31%
5-yr DCF upside
-29%
+52%
10-yr DCF upside
-23%
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
POOL
Why this score
- Buying back stock
- 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.
POOLPool Corporation
Why now
Industrial Distribution · market cap $6.8b. Down 44% from 52-week high of $336.15 — deep drawdown territory. 11 sell-side analysts publish a mean 1-yr target of $220.36 (implying +17% upside).
Moat
ROE 36% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which.
Risk
Down 44% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up.
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 POOL diverge
On the headline score the gap is 0.5 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.
- QualityCNM 69.1 · POOL 77.6POOL +8.5
- GrowthCNM 47.8 · POOL 42.0CNM +5.8
- ValueCNM 69.8 · POOL 68.9level
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.