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ZYBERNO
Stock Report
Updated Aug 29, 2026

Core & Main, Inc. (CNM)

Consumer Discretionary • NYSE

$43.02
Core & Main Inc. is an American specialty distributor of water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection products headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. The company distributes pipes, valves, fittings, hydrants, meters, and other infrastructure products primarily to municipalities, contractors, and industrial customers across approximately 350 branches in the United States, supporting water infrastructure construction and maintenance.

Professional Investment Analysis

ZYBERNO SCORE →
Is it a great business? Is it getting better?
52.0/100
AVERAGE BUSINESS
Core & Main, Inc. (CNM) scores 52/100 — decent metrics but limited evidence of durable competitive advantage.
📊 How is the Zyberno Score calculated? +
VALUATION SIGNAL
MARGIN OF SAFETY
Is this stock cheap or expensive relative to what the business has historically generated for owners?
-100.0%
Overvalued
Is the market underestimating or overestimating what this business is capable of going forward?
-9.7%
Market Overestimates
↑ UNDER
+50%
Brina Gap
-50%
↓ OVER
← OVERVALUED
-100%
Margin of Safety
UNDERVALUED →
+100%
UNDERESTIMATED
GROWTH
DOUBLE
DISCOUNT
EXPENSIVE
HYPE
VALUE
TRAP
0,0
MoS -100.0%  ·  Gap -9.7%

Two independent signals. One tells you if the stock is cheap relative to what the business has historically generated for owners — the Margin of Safety. The other tells you if the market is underestimating what the business is capable of going forward — the Brina Gap.

They are calculated from completely different data sources and answer completely different questions. The Margin of Safety reads the past. The Brina Gap reads the present economics and compares them against what the current stock price is assuming about the future.

When both point in the same direction simultaneously — DOUBLE DISCOUNT — the probability of genuine mispricing is high. The market is wrong on two independent dimensions at once, which is rare and significant.

The most dangerous scenario is not an overvalued stock — those are easy to avoid. It is a VALUE TRAP: a stock that appears cheap historically but where the market is already pricing in stronger growth than the business fundamentals support. Without the Brina Gap signal this looks identical to a genuine opportunity. The matrix separates them instantly.

The Brina Gap is the more powerful of the two signals. Most investors and analytical tools focus on valuation alone — whether a stock is cheap relative to earnings. Far fewer systematically compare what the business economics structurally support against what the stock price is actually assuming. That gap between fundamental growth potential and market expectations is where the most reliable mispricings live, and where this matrix earns its value.

Use this as your first filter. A stock in DOUBLE DISCOUNT territory is worth investigating. Everything else requires either more caution or a specific reason to act.

EXPENSIVE HYPE
In the Brina Matrix, Core & Main, Inc. (CNM) registers Expensive Hype — Margin of Safety -100.0% and Brina Gap -9.7% are both unfavorable. The stock is priced above its historical earnings power and the market already assumes faster growth than the fundamentals support.
⚠ Significant divergence between Owner Earnings and Free Cash Flow (0.89×). Intrinsic Value and Brina Gap may be meaningfully understated. Verify maintenance capex classification before acting.
🎯 Expected Annual Return →
-58.8%
Margin of Safety convergence — your return if the market re-prices to intrinsic value (5-yr annualised)
-14.7%
Brina Gap convergence — your return if the market corrects the growth mispricing the Gap measures
-0.8%
Yield + growth — what the business alone earns you, even if the market never re-rates
💰 How is Margin of Safety calculated? +
📈 How is Brina Gap calculated? +

Critical Financial Health Indicators

Return on Equity (Profitability):EXCELLENT (25.0%)
Debt-to-Equity (Solvency Risk):POOR (1.06x)
Operating Margin (Operational Efficiency):AVERAGE (8.4%)
Return on Capital (Capital Efficiency):AVERAGE (10.1%)
📊 Valuation Trilogy
Three interconnected metrics for complete valuation analysis
💎
Intrinsic Value
DCF Fair Value
$1.56
🛡️
Margin of Safety
Valuation Gap
-100.0%
🎯
Expected Return
Projected Annual
-58.8%
Click any metric for full methodology and detailed analysis
Zyberno's Verdict

According to Zyberno, Core & Main, Inc. (CNM) is not a buy — AVERAGE BUSINESS (52/100) with a negative Margin of Safety of -100.0% and a Brina Gap of -9.7% showing the market already prices in more growth than the fundamentals support.

According to Zyberno's DCF model, Core & Main, Inc. (CNM) trades at $43.02 against an estimated intrinsic value per share of $1.56 — a -100.0% Margin of Safety based on Owner Earnings of $66.00M TTM, projected at -46.9% growth for 10 years with a 2.5% terminal growth rate. The Brina Gap of -9.7% weakens the case: based on the company's ROIC (10.1%) and reinvestment rate (-15.9%), the business can fundamentally grow at -1.6% — but the current enterprise value implies the market expects 8.1%. This places CNM in the Expensive Hype quadrant of the Brina Matrix, the most fragile combination — overvalued on cash AND overpriced on growth. Zyberno's model translates this into a 5-year expected return of -58.8% annually.

Over the trailing twelve months, CNM generated $66.00M in Owner Earnings. Capital was deployed as follows: $88.00M returned via share buybacks. Reinvestment rate: -15.9%. Owner Earnings have declined at 46.9% annually over the trailing five years using log-linear regression.

DIVISION I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A. Market Valuation

Market Price & Capitalization (2)

Current Price:43.02
Market Cap:$8.10B

Valuation Multiples (4)

P/E Ratio:
17.28x
📊 Click to view full CNM P/E analysis →
P/B Ratio:3.83x
P/S Ratio:0.96x
Peg Ratio:2.22x

Enterprise Metrics (3)

Enterprise Value:$11.29B
Ev Ebitda Ratio:11.13x
Pfcf Ratio:13.42x

Price Action & Momentum (3)

12-1 Momentum:
-31.5% (22th pctile)
📈 Click to view full CNM Momentum analysis →
Momentum Percentile:22 / 100
% of 52-Week High:64.0%
B. Profitability Assessment

Return Metrics (7)

ROE:
25.0%
📊 Click to view full CNM ROE analysis →
ROA:8.2%
Roic:
10.1%
📊 Click to view full CNM ROIC analysis →
Reinvestment Rate:-15.9%
Fundamental Growth Rate (g):-1.6%
Market-Implied Growth Rate:8.1%
Brina Gap:
-9.7%
☷ Click to view full CNM Brina Gap analysis →
LOW CONF

Margin Analysis (3)

Operating Margin Ttm:8.4%
Net Margin Ttm:6.1%
Ebitda Margin:12.0%

TTM Performance (3)

Gross Margin Ttm:26.8%
Operating Margin Ttm:8.4%
Net Margin Ttm:6.1%

Yield Metrics (3)

Earnings Yield:$5.79
Owner Earnings Yield:$0.81
Dividend Yield:0.0%
C. Log-Linear Regression Growth Trends

Earnings Surprise (SUE) (3)

Earnings Surprise (SUE):
-0.28
📊 Click to view full CNM Earnings Surprise analysis →
EPS Surprise vs Expected:-10.9%
Latest Earnings Filed:2026-06-10

Revenue Growth (Linear) (1)

Revenue Growth Rate (Linear):8.2%

Earnings Growth (Linear) (1)

Net Income Growth Rate (Linear):12.3%

Cash Flow Growth (Linear) (2)

Free Cash Flow Growth Rate (Linear):-32.7%
Operating Cash Flow Growth Rate (Linear):-29.0%

Operating Growth (Linear) (1)

Operating Income Growth Rate (Linear):-2.0%
D. Financial Stability

Liquidity Ratios (3)

Current Ratio:2.31x
Quick Ratio:1.31x
Cash Ratio:0.14x

Leverage Analysis (3)

Debt To Equity Ttm:1.06x
Debt-to-Equity Ratio:1.06x
Debt To Ebitda:3.29x

Coverage Ratios (2)

Interest Coverage Ratio:6.12x
Times Interest Earned:6.12

Capital Structure (4)

Working Capital:1,451,000,000.00
Cash And Cash Equivalents:150,000,000.00
Long Term Debt:$2.12B
Net Debt:$3.18B
DIVISION II: FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANALYSIS
A. Income Statement Analysis

Revenue Components (2)

Revenue TTM: $8.45B
Linear Growth: 8.2%
📊 Click to view full CNM Revenue analysis & methodology →
Cost Of Revenue Ttm:$6.18B

Profitability Breakdown (2)

Gross profit TTM: $2.27B
Linear Growth: 8.1%
📊 Click to view full CNM Gross Profit analysis & methodology →
Operating income TTM: $708.00M
Linear Growth: -2.0%
📊 Click to view full CNM Operating Income analysis & methodology →

Bottom Line Performance (3)

Net income TTM: $512.00M
Linear Growth: 12.3%
📊 Click to view full CNM Net Income analysis & methodology →
Income Before Tax:$564.00M
Ebitda Ttm:1,014,000,000.00

Operating Expenses (5)

Operating Expenses:1,558,000,000.00
R And D Expense:0.00
Sga Expense:1,349,000,000.00
Income Tax Expense:$160.00M
Interest Expense:118,000,000.00

Expense Ratios (3)

R And D To Revenue Percentage:0.0%
Sga To Revenue Percentage:70.6%
Ebitda Margin:12.0%
B. Balance Sheet Analysis

Asset Composition (5)

Total Assets:$6.32B
Current Assets:$2.56B
Ppe Net:184,000,000.00
Goodwill:1,921,000,000.00
Intangible Assets:$791.00M

Liability Structure (4)

Total Liabilities:4,210,000,000.00
Current Liabilities:1,106,000,000.00
Long Term Debt:$2.12B
Short Term Debt:$1.21B

Equity & Capital (3)

Equity:$2.11B
Retained Earnings:$786.00M
Common Stock:0.00

Working Capital Items (3)

Accounts Receivable:1,196,000,000.00
Inventory:1,103,000,000.00
Accounts Payable:814,000,000.00

Special Items (2)

Contract Liabilities:0.00
Stock Based Compensation:3,000,000.00
C. Cash Flow Analysis

Operating Activities (2)

Operating cash flow TTM: $650.00M
Linear Growth: -29.0%
Free cash flow TTM: $604.00M
Linear Growth: -32.7%
📊 Click to view full CNM Free Cash Flow analysis & methodology →

Investment Activities (1)

Investing Cash Flow:-$21.00M

Financing Activities (3)

Financing Cash Flow:-$131.00M
Dividends Paid Ttm:0.00
Stock Repurchase:88,000,000.00

Capital Transactions (3)

Common Stock Issuance:0.00
Long Term Debt Issuance:$0.00
Long Term Debt Repayments:$0.00

Non-Cash Items (1)

Depreciation Amortization Ttm:306,000,000.00
DIVISION III: OPERATIONAL METRICS
A. Per Share Analysis

Earnings Per Share (3)

EPS (Basic TTM):2.51
Eps diluted TTM: $2.49
Linear Growth: 9.3%
📊 Click to view full CNM EPS analysis & methodology →
Earnings Per Share Ttm:$2.72

Revenue & Cash Per Share (2)

Sales Per Share Ttm:44.86
Operating Cash Flow Per Share:$3.45

Book Value & Capital (2)

Book Value Per Share:$11.22
Cash Per Share:0.80

Dividend Policy (1)

Dividend Payout Ratio:0.00x
B. Operational Efficiency

Asset Utilization (2)

Asset Turnover Ttm:1.35x
Working Capital Turnover Ttm:5.82x

Receivables Management (2)

Receivables Turnover Ttm:7.07x
Days Sales Outstanding Ttm:51.66

Inventory Management (2)

Inventory Turnover Ttm:5.61x
Days Inventory Outstanding Ttm:65.10

Payables & Cash Cycle (2)

Days Payable Outstanding:48.04
Cash Conversion Cycle:68.72
C. Quality & Risk Metrics

Financial Quality Scores (2)

Financial Strength Score:40.00
Quality Score:80.00

Market Metrics (2)

Beta:0.00x
Volatility Category:unknown
DIVISION IV: INVESTMENT ANALYSIS
A. Value Investment Framework

Owner Earnings Analysis (3)

Owner earnings TTM: $66.00M
Linear Growth: -46.9%
📊 Click to view full CNM Owner Earnings analysis & methodology →
Owner Earnings Per Share:$0.35
Owner Earnings Yield:$0.81

Growth Assessment (1)

Owner Earnings Growth Rate:-$46.86

Damodaran Growth Analysis (4)

Reinvestment Rate:-15.9%
Fundamental Growth Rate (g):-1.6%
Market-Implied Growth Rate:8.1%
Brina Gap:
-9.7%
☷ Click to view full CNM Brina Gap analysis →
LOW CONF

Intrinsic Value Models (1)

Intrinsic Value:
$294.37M
📊 Click to view full CNM DCF valuation →

Margin of Safety (1)

Margin Of Safety:
-100.0%
📊 Click to view full CNM valuation analysis →

Return Scenarios (2)

Theoretical 5-Year Return:
-58.8%
📊 Click to view full CNM expected return analysis →
Forward Expected Return (Yield + Growth):
-0.8%
📊 Click to view full CNM expected return analysis →

Investment Assessment (1)

Buffett Assessment:Overvalued
B. Log-Linear Regression Growth Analysis

Growth Rates (Log-Linear Regression) (3)

Revenue Growth Rate (Linear):8.2%
Net Income Growth Rate (Linear):12.3%
Operating Income Growth Rate (Linear):-2.0%

Cash Flow Growth Rates (2)

Free Cash Flow Growth Rate (Linear):-32.7%
Operating Cash Flow Growth Rate (Linear):-29.0%

Other Growth Rates (3)

Gross Profit Growth Rate (Linear):8.1%
Book Value Growth Rate (Linear):0.9%
Owner Earnings Growth Rate:-$46.86
C. Company Profile & Context

Corporate Information (6)

Symbol:CNM
Company Name:Core & Main, Inc.
Sector:Consumer Discretionary
Industry:Wholesale-Durable Goods, NEC
Exchange:NYSE
Country:United States

Market Classification (3)

Market Cap Category:N/A
Price Category:medium
Volume Category:N/A

Share Structure (3)

Shares Outstanding:188.38M
Shares Outstanding Basic:188.38M
Shares Outstanding Diluted:195.68M

Data Processing Info (3)

Processing Version:v3.0
Last Updated:2026-08-29 13:31:10 UTC
Data Timestamp:2026-08-29T13:31:10.212349
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