CNM vs AVTR vs RS Stock Comparison

Core & Main, Avantor and Reliance Prices as of Oct 28, 2026 Peers: Industry group
CNM Core & Main, Inc.
$42.07 -0.8% 1M -19.8% 1Y
Market cap
$7.76B
P/E
17.1x
Revenue (TTM)
$7.70B
Div. yield
–
Industrial Distribution Industrials
4 wins
AVTR Avantor, Inc.
$16.68 +9.1% 1M +10.6% 1Y
Market cap
$11.30B
P/E
33.5x
Revenue (TTM)
$6.64B
Div. yield
–
Industrial Distribution Industrials
RS Reliance, Inc.
$437.05 +11.6% 1M +56.0% 1Y
Market cap
$22.26B
P/E
20.1x
Revenue (TTM)
$17.37B
Div. yield
1.13%
Industrial Distribution Industrials
7 wins

Head to Head

11 decided of 12

Reliance leads on 7 of the 12 questions below (Reliance 7, Core & Main 4). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionCNMAVTRRSLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $7.76B $11.30B $22.26B RS
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 17.1x 33.5x 20.1x CNM
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 13.0x 21.4x 17.2x CNM
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months -0.5% +0.9% +24.7% RS
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 6.0% 5.1% 6.4% RS
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 12.9% 5.2% 12.5% CNM
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 2.3x 3.5x 0.8x RS
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield — — 1.13% –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months -19.8% +10.6% +56.0% RS
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years +9.0%/yr -16.2%/yr +24.5%/yr RS
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 32.4% 51.2% 25.1% RS
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 65/100 35/100 58/100 CNM

Percentile Scorecard

CNMAVTRRS

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisCNMAVTRRS
Valuation 82 #9 of 46 36 #30 of 46 49 #24 of 46
Growth 40 #24 of 39 42 #23 of 39 50 #20 of 39
Profitability 74 #11 of 39 53 #19 of 39 58 #17 of 39
Financial Health 39 #29 of 47 37 #30 of 47 85 #8 of 47
Shareholder Returns 90 #4 of 32 7 #30 of 32 48 #17 of 32
Overall 65 35 58
  • CNM ranked among 49 companies in Distribution and Rental
  • AVTR ranked among 49 companies in Distribution and Rental
  • RS ranked among 49 companies in Distribution and Rental

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodCNMAVTRRSSPY
1 month -0.8%+9.1%+11.6% +0.9%
3 months -0.7%+16.0%+8.3% +5.9%
6 months -13.2%+112.5%+21.6% +8.5%
Year to date -19.0%+45.5%+51.3% +13.3%
1 year -19.8%+10.6%+56.0% +12.4%
3 years +42.9%-6.4%+76.0% +88.1%
3 years, per year +12.7%-2.2%+20.7% +23.5%
5 years +53.8%-58.7%+199.0% +68.2%
5 years, per year +9.0%-16.2%+24.5% +11.0%
10 years ——+549.6% +263.4%
10 years, per year ——+20.6% +13.8%

Risk

MeasureCNMAVTRRSSPY
Volatility, 1Y 32.4%51.2%25.1% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 31.0%53.9%25.0% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 1.140.820.60 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y -0.610.212.23 0.98
Max drawdown, 5Y -40.0%-82.4%-22.9% -25.4%
From 52-week high -28.8%-3.5%0.0% -0.9%
52-week high $59.09$17.29$437.05 $779.14
52-week low $40.35$7.41$265.93 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleCNMAVTRRS
P/E now vs peer median 17.1xmedian 25.6x 33.5xmedian 25.6x 20.1xmedian 25.6x
P/S now vs peer median 1.0xmedian 1.1x 1.7xmedian 1.1x 1.3xmedian 1.1x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 10.6xmedian 13.3x 15.9xmedian 13.3x 13.1xmedian 13.3x
P/FCF now vs peer median 12.4xmedian 22.0x 25.7xmedian 22.0x 45.3xmedian 22.0x
P/B now vs peer median 3.7xmedian 2.6x 1.9xmedian 2.6x 2.9xmedian 2.6x
PEG now vs peer median 1.17median 2.36 -12.60median 2.36 -5.90median 2.36

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsCNMAVTRRS
Revenue $7.70B $6.64B $17.37B
Gross profit $2.08B $2.10B $4.88B
Operating income $742.00M $487.20M $1.53B
Net income $479.00M $337.20M $1.11B
Free cash flow $628.00M $439.20M $491.90M
EPS (diluted) $2.37 $0.50 $21.55
Cash & equivalents $312.00M $464.30M $246.00M
Total debt $2.45B $3.68B $1.64B
Shares (diluted) 193.36M 680.90M 51.39M
Enterprise value $7.06B $9.89B $21.33B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricCNMAVTRRS
P/E 17.1x 33.5x 20.1x
P/FCF 12.4x 25.7x 45.3x
P/Operating cash flow 11.4x 19.3x 27.8x
P/S 1.0x 1.7x 1.3x
P/B 3.7x 1.9x 2.9x
P/Tangible book 5.8x 3.9x 3.3x
EV/EBITDA 10.6x 15.9x 13.1x
EV/EBIT 13.3x 29.8x 15.5x
EV/Revenue 1.3x 2.2x 1.4x
EV/FCF 15.8x 33.1x 48.1x
EV/Operating cash flow 14.5x 24.8x 29.5x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 1.17 -12.60 -5.90

Growth

14 metrics
MetricCNMAVTRRS
Revenue growth (1Y) -0.5% 0.9% 24.7%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 5.1% -1.9% 4.8%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 0.9% -3.8% 20.8%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) 4.7% -4.5% 1.6%
Operating income growth (1Y) 1.5% 83.5% 54.6%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) -1.0% -14.0% -6.5%
Net income growth (1Y) 5.7% 510.2% 51.8%
Net income CAGR (3Y) -5.0% -2.5% -7.9%
EPS growth (1Y) 9.2% 510.7% 56.3%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 14.6% -2.7% -3.4%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 12.7% -9.3% -22.1%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) -7.5% -10.8% -25.7%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 11.3% -16.1% -25.7%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) -9.2% -14.2% -31.1%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricCNMAVTRRS
Gross margin 27.0% 31.6% 28.1%
EBITDA margin 12.1% 13.8% 10.4%
Operating margin 9.6% 7.3% 8.8%
Pretax margin 8.1% 4.8% 8.4%
Net margin 6.0% 5.1% 6.4%
FCF margin 8.2% 6.6% 2.8%
Operating cash flow margin 8.9% 8.8% 4.6%
Return on equity 22.7% 5.9% 14.7%
Return on assets 7.4% 2.9% 9.7%
Return on invested capital 12.9% 5.2% 12.5%
Return on capital employed 13.9% 4.8% 15.2%
Asset turnover 1.2x 0.6x 1.5x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 1.4x 1.7x 0.7x
Stock comp / revenue 0.2% 0.7% 0.4%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricCNMAVTRRS
Debt / assets 36.5% 31.7% 14.1%
Debt / equity 1.2x 0.6x 0.2x
Net debt / EBITDA 2.3x 3.5x 0.8x
Debt / FCF 3.9x 8.4x 3.3x
Liabilities / assets 68.6% 49.8% 33.4%
Equity / assets 31.4% 50.2% 66.6%
Interest coverage 6.3x 3.0x 22.6x
Current ratio 2.5x 1.9x 4.1x
Quick ratio 1.5x 1.2x 2.1x
Cash ratio 0.3x 0.3x 0.2x
Altman Z-score 3.00 2.24 6.73

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricCNMAVTRRS
Dividend yield – – 1.1%
Net buyback yield 4.7% -0.1% 2.2%
Shareholder yield 4.7% -0.1% 3.3%
Payout ratio (earnings) – – 23.2%
Payout ratio (FCF) – – 52.4%
Dividend growth (1Y) – – 2.1%
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – – 3.4%

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusCNMAVTRRS
Forward P/E 13.0xFY2026 21.4xFY2026 17.2xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $3.23FY2026 $0.78FY2026 $25.46FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +39.8%FY2026 -13.3%FY2026 +78.5%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after +11.1% +7.7% +1.8%
Revenue, next fiscal year $8.13BFY2026 $6.42BFY2026 $16.78BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +6.2%FY2026 -2.0%FY2026 +17.4%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after -3.5% -1.7% +10.5%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersCNMAVTRRS
Held by institutions 100.0% 100.0% 82.3%
Institutions holding 449 453 688
Change in shares held, QoQ +2.8% +3.5% +1.0%
Institutions buying 222 282 341
Institutions selling 176 109 229
Buyers to sellers 1.26 2.59 1.49

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

CNMAVTRRS
CNM 1.00 0.28 0.40
AVTR 0.28 1.00 0.12
RS 0.40 0.12 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, CNM, AVTR and RS?

Reliance (RS) is the largest by market capitalisation: Core & Main (CNM) $7.76B, Avantor (AVTR) $11.30B, Reliance (RS) $22.26B.

Which stock is cheaper, CNM, AVTR and RS?

Core & Main (CNM) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Core & Main (CNM) 17.1x, Avantor (AVTR) 33.5x, Reliance (RS) 20.1x). On next year's consensus earnings, Core & Main (CNM) is cheapest (Core & Main (CNM) 13.0x, Avantor (AVTR) 21.4x, Reliance (RS) 17.2x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Reliance (RS) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Core & Main (CNM) -0.5%, Avantor (AVTR) +0.9%, Reliance (RS) +24.7%.

Which company is more profitable?

Reliance (RS) has the highest net margin (Core & Main (CNM) 6.0%, Avantor (AVTR) 5.1%, Reliance (RS) 6.4%). On return on invested capital, Core & Main (CNM) leads (Core & Main (CNM) 12.9%, Avantor (AVTR) 5.2%, Reliance (RS) 12.5%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Reliance (RS) returned the most: Core & Main (CNM) -19.8%, Avantor (AVTR) +10.6%, Reliance (RS) +56.0%. Over five years, Reliance (RS) compounded fastest (Core & Main (CNM) +9.0%/yr, Avantor (AVTR) -16.2%/yr, Reliance (RS) +24.5%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Only one of these companies pays a dividend: Reliance (RS) 1.13%. Core & Main (CNM) and Avantor (AVTR) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Reliance (RS) has been the steadiest (Core & Main (CNM) 32.4%, Avantor (AVTR) 51.2%, Reliance (RS) 25.1%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, CNM, AVTR and RS?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Reliance (RS) leads on 7. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.