AES Corp vs Core and Main Inc — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.72 (market cap $10.49B), while Core and Main Inc trades at $45.68 (market cap $8.73B). The key difference: AES Corp is the larger of the two by market cap, and AES Corp pays a 4.79% dividend while Core and Main Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | CNM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.49B | $8.73B |
Sector | Utilities | Technology |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $66.98 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $42.37 |
Enterprise Value | $40.75B | $11.02B |
Dividend Yield | 4.79% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AES trades at $14.73, unchanged on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a pending acquisition by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT at $15 per share. The company reported revenue of $12.23B in 2025, with a net income margin of 7.43%, and has beaten earnings estimates in two of the last three quarters. Valuation ratios appear attractive with a P/E of 5.51 and P/S of 0.81, while cash flow from operations improved to $4.31B in 2025.
The outlook is dominated by the acquisition, offering a capped upside to $15. Strong profitability metrics like a 45.05% ROE and a 4.8% dividend yield provide support, but risks include shareholder litigation and regulatory scrutiny over the deal. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 42.86% buy ratings, reflecting uncertainty until transaction closure.
Core & Main (CNM) trades at $45.85, down 0.97% on the day, with a bullish technical signal despite mixed moving averages. The company reported strong Q1 2026 earnings of $0.57 per share, beating estimates, and maintains solid fundamentals including a 23.73% ROE and 5.87% net margin. Recent news highlights institutional activity, such as California State Teachers Retirement System increasing its stake by 22.3% in Q1 2026 (Defense World, 2026-08-04).
The outlook is positive with analyst consensus at 57% buy ratings, supported by revenue growth to $7.6B in 2026 and expanding margins. Risks include high debt levels at $2.24B long-term and competitive pressures in the tools sector. Investors should monitor execution against FY26 guidance of $7.8–$7.9B revenue.
Trailing returns across standard periods
AES is a global power company operating across 14 countries and 4 continents. Its current generation portfolio as of year-end 2021 consists of over 31 gigawatts of generation, with the generation mix composed of renewables (43%), gas (32%), coal (23%), and oil (2%). The company has 3.5 gigawatts of generation under construction. AES has majority ownership and operates six electric utilities distributing power to 2.6 million customers.
Read more on AES →Core & Main is a leading US distributor of water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection products. It provides essential infrastructure solutions to municipalities, private water companies, and contractors.
Read more on CNM →