Core and Main Inc vs HP Inc — how do they compare? Core and Main Inc trades at $46.18 (market cap $8.73B), while HP Inc trades at $29.61 (market cap $26.59B). The key difference: HP Inc is far larger — about 3× Core and Main Inc's market cap, and HP Inc pays a 4.13% dividend while Core and Main Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNM | HPQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.73B | $26.59B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $66.98 | $30.05 |
52-Week Low | $42.37 | $18.20 |
Enterprise Value | $11.02B | $33.75B |
Dividend Yield | — | 4.13% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Core & Main (CNM) trades at $46.06, down 0.52% on the day, with a bullish technical signal despite mixed moving averages. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $0.57 exceeding expectations. Financials show solid profitability with a 5.87% net income margin and 23.73% ROE, though debt levels remain elevated. Recent news includes institutional position adjustments and a $750 million senior notes offering priced in June 2026.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with analyst consensus favoring Buy ratings (57%). Key opportunities include margin expansion and municipal strength, while risks involve high debt, competitive pressures, and reliance on infrastructure spending. The stock's valuation at a P/E of 19.76 appears reasonable given growth prospects, but investors should monitor execution against FY26 revenue guidance of $7.8–7.9 billion.
HPQ trades at $28.96, down 2.82% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. Revenue for 2025 reached $55.3 billion, with a net income margin of 4.45%, while valuation metrics like a P/E of 10.77 and P/S of 0.48 suggest potential undervaluation. Recent news highlights AI-driven cost savings and a profitable upgrade cycle, with Q2 FY2026 revenue up 9% year-over-year.
The outlook is mixed; HPQ benefits from solid cash flow and dividend yields near 4%, but faces risks from PC market declines and competitive pressures. Analyst consensus is cautious with a hold-heavy rating, and the stock trades above the consensus price target of $22, indicating limited upside. Investors should weigh steady profitability against industry headwinds and valuation constraints.
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 →HP Incorporated is a leading provider of computers, printers, and printer supplies. The company's mains segments are personal systems and printing. Its personal systems segment contains notebooks, desktops, and workstations. Its printing segment contains supplies, consumer hardware, and commercial hardware. In 2015, Hewlett-Packard was separated into HP Incorporated and Hewlett Packard Enterprise and the Palo Alto, California-based HP Incorporated sells on a global scale.
Read more on HPQ →