Core and Main Inc vs Paycom Software Inc — how do they compare? Core and Main Inc trades at $44.5 (market cap $8.46B), while Paycom Software Inc trades at $145.25 (market cap $6.70B). The key difference: Core and Main Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Paycom Software Inc pays a 1.04% dividend while Core and Main Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNM | PAYC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.46B | $6.70B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $66.98 | $238.80 |
52-Week Low | $44.29 | $113.59 |
Enterprise Value | $10.76B | $7.31B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.04% |
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.
Paycom Software (PAYC) trades at $146.50, up 5.34% on the day, with strong technical momentum and bullish moving average signals. The company demonstrates robust fundamentals with 22.44% net income margin and 37.15% ROE, though Q2 2026 earnings are pending. Recent news highlights product innovation with the launch of Asset Management tool and board appointments, supporting growth prospects in the HCM software sector.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus price target of $151 suggesting modest upside, balanced by high valuation multiples and competitive pressures. Key risks include execution challenges in maintaining growth momentum and sensitivity to economic cycles affecting HR software demand.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Paycom is a fast-growing provider of payroll and human capital management, or HCM, software primarily targeting clients with 50-10,000 employees in the United States. Paycom was established in 1998 and services about 18,000 clients as of 2021, based on parent company grouping. Alongside its core payroll software, Paycom offers various HCM add-on modules, including time and attendance, talent management, and benefits administration.
Read more on PAYC →