Health score, competitive moat, risk signals, and key metrics at a glance.
Core & Main, Inc. engages in the distribution of water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection products and related services in the United States. The company's products portfolio include pipes, valves, hydrants, fittings, and other products and services used for service, repair and replacement of underground water infrastructure; storm drainage products, such as corrugated HDPE and metal piping systems, retention basins, inline drains, manholes, grates, geosynthetics, erosion control, and other related products; fire protection products, including fire protection pipes, valves, fittings, sprinkler heads and other accessories, as well as fabrication and kitting services; smart meter products; and smart metering solutions which include meter accessories, meter installation, network infrastructure and software installation, training, and long-term services, as well as engineered treatment plant products. Its specialty products and services are used in the maintenance, repair, replacement, and construction of water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection infrastructure. The company serves municipalities, private water companies, and professional contractors in the municipal, non-residential, and residential end markets. Core & Main, Inc. was founded in 1874 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Competitive analysis based on 20 quarters of fundamental data
Operating margins are positive at ~9.4% on average, but show some variability — pricing power may be sensitive to market conditions.
Consistently high ROE averaging 23.2% suggests a durable competitive advantage and efficient capital allocation.
Free cash flow is consistently positive and growing — a hallmark of a capital-light business that can self-fund growth.
Revenue shows resilience with 5 of 7 quarters posting growth — demand is generally stable but has seen some soft patches.
Data-driven red flags and warnings across 20 quarters
Margins are stable or improving at ~9.4% — no sign of cost or pricing stress.
FCF/Net Income has dropped below 0.7x in 4 quarters — monitor for earnings quality deterioration.
D/E ratio is 1.0 — conservative capital structure with low financial risk.
Revenue is stable or growing over recent quarters — demand appears durable.
Free cash flow is consistently positive — the business self-funds without external capital reliance.
Shares decreased 2.3% — net buybacks are reducing shares outstanding and boosting per-share value.
as of May 2026
Revenue, EBITDA, operating income, net income, EPS, and shares
Gross, EBITDA, operating, and net margin trends
P/E, P/S, P/B, EV/EBITDA, FCF yield, and earnings yield
Total assets, cash, debt, book value, and leverage
Operating cash flow, free cash flow, FCF margin, and earnings quality
