Core and Main Inc vs Dollar General Corp. — how do they compare? Core and Main Inc trades at $44.66 (market cap $8.46B), while Dollar General Corp. trades at $122.11 (market cap $26.50B). The key difference: Dollar General Corp. is far larger — about 3.1× Core and Main Inc's market cap, and Dollar General Corp. pays a 1.96% dividend while Core and Main Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNM | DG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.46B | $26.50B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $66.98 | $156.26 |
52-Week Low | $44.29 | $95.94 |
Enterprise Value | $10.76B | $40.95B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.96% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Core & Main (CNM) trades at $44.74, down 2.44% today, amid bearish technical signals but strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $0.72 exceeding expectations, and maintains solid profitability with a 23.73% ROE. Recent news highlights municipal strength and margin gains, though residential segments face weakness. Cash flow trends improved in 2026 projections, with net cash flow rising to $142M from $7M in 2025.
The outlook is mixed: analyst consensus leans bullish with 57% buy ratings, but technical indicators signal near-term pressure. Key risks include industry headwinds like high operating costs and residential market softness. Investors should weigh strong fundamentals against current bearish momentum for entry timing.
Dollar General (DG) trades at $123.44, up 3.8% with strong technical momentum and bullish analyst sentiment. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $2.00 exceeding expectations of $1.89. Revenue growth continues at $40.61B for 2025, while profit margins face pressure at 3.63%. Recent news highlights the company's back-to-school initiatives and margin expansion efforts.
The outlook remains positive with a $128.45 consensus price target representing 4% upside. Key opportunities include continued same-store sales growth and margin recovery, while risks involve consumer spending sensitivity and competitive pressures in discount retail. The technical setup suggests near-term resistance around $125-$128 levels.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →A leading American discount retailer, Dollar General operates over 18,000 stores in 47 states, selling branded and private-label products across a wide variety of categories. In fiscal 2021, 77% of net sales came from consumables (including paper and cleaning products, packaged and perishable food, tobacco, and health and beauty items), 12% from seasonal merchandise (such as toys, greeting cards, decorations, and gardening supplies), 7% from home products (for example, kitchen supplies, small appliances, and cookware), and 4% from basic apparel. Stores average roughly 7,400 square feet, and about 75% of Dollar General locations are in towns of 20,000 or fewer people. The firm emphasizes value, with most of its items sold at everyday low prices of $5 or less.
Read more on DG →