Core and Main Inc vs Linde PLC — how do they compare? Core and Main Inc trades at $44.62 (market cap $8.46B), while Linde PLC trades at $514.43 (market cap $241.59B). The key difference: Linde PLC is far larger — about 28.6× Core and Main Inc's market cap, and Linde PLC pays a 1.22% dividend while Core and Main Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNM | LIN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.46B | $241.59B |
Sector | Technology | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $66.98 | $546.64 |
52-Week Low | $44.29 | $389.38 |
Enterprise Value | $10.76B | $263.95B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.22% |
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.
Linde (LIN) trades at $524.06, down 1.08% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $4.33 exceeding estimates, and robust profitability margins including a 20.44% net income margin. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with a $560 price target, supported by positive cash flow trends and a recent dividend declaration.
Outlook remains positive due to steady revenue growth, high return on equity of 18.49%, and institutional confidence. Risks include elevated valuation multiples like a P/E of 34.65 and rising debt-to-asset ratio, which could pressure shares if earnings growth slows. The stock presents a quality holding for growth-oriented investors mindful of 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 →Linde is the largest industrial gas supplier in the world, with operations in over 100 countries. The firm's main products are atmospheric gases (including oxygen, nitrogen, and argon) and process gases (including hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and helium), as well as equipment used in industrial gas production. Linde serves a wide variety of end markets, including chemicals, manufacturing, healthcare, and steelmaking. Linde generated approximately $31 billion in revenue and $5 billion in GAAP operating profit in 2021.
Read more on LIN →