vs
Side-by-side financial comparison of Core & Main, Inc. (CNM) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
Howmet Aerospace is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.3B vs $2.1B, roughly 1.1× Core & Main, Inc.). Howmet Aerospace runs the higher net margin — 25.1% vs 6.6%, a 18.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Howmet Aerospace posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (19.0% vs 0.0%). Howmet Aerospace produced more free cash flow last quarter ($359.0M vs $263.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Core & Main, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (19.7% CAGR vs 10.9%).
Core & Main, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, distributes products used for water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection in the United States. Customers include municipalities, private water companies, and professional contractors. The company has 370 branch locations in 49 U.S. states, 60,000 customers, and sells 225,000 products.
Howmet Aerospace Inc. is an American aerospace company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company manufactures components for jet engines, fasteners, titanium structures for aerospace applications, and forged aluminum wheels for heavy trucks.
CNM vs HWM — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2.1B | $2.3B |
| Net Profit | $137.0M | $580.0M |
| Gross Margin | 27.2% | — |
| Operating Margin | 10.7% | 32.6% |
| Net Margin | 6.6% | 25.1% |
| Revenue YoY | 0.0% | 19.0% |
| Net Profit YoY | 0.0% | — |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.72 | — |
Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.
8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend
Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.
| Q1 26 | — | $2.3B | ||
| Q4 25 | $2.1B | $2.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.1B | $2.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.9B | $2.1B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.7B | $1.9B | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.0B | $1.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.0B | $1.8B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.7B | $1.9B |
| Q1 26 | — | $580.0M | ||
| Q4 25 | $137.0M | $372.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $134.0M | $385.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $100.0M | $407.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $64.0M | $344.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $133.0M | $314.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $119.0M | $332.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $95.0M | $266.0M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 27.2% | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 26.8% | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 26.7% | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 26.6% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 26.6% | — | ||
| Q3 24 | 26.4% | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 26.9% | — |
| Q1 26 | — | 32.6% | ||
| Q4 25 | 10.7% | 22.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | 10.2% | 25.9% | ||
| Q2 25 | 8.9% | 25.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 7.3% | 25.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | 10.9% | 23.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 10.4% | 22.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 9.6% | 21.2% |
| Q1 26 | — | 25.1% | ||
| Q4 25 | 6.6% | 17.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 6.4% | 18.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.2% | 19.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 3.8% | 17.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 6.5% | 16.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 6.1% | 18.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 5.5% | 14.1% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $0.72 | $0.92 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.70 | $0.95 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.52 | $1.00 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.34 | $0.84 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.69 | $0.76 | ||
| Q3 24 | $0.61 | $0.81 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.49 | $0.65 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $89.0M | $2.4M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | — | $450.0K |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $2.0B | $5.5M |
| Total Assets | $6.3B | $13.1M |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | 0.08× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $2.4M | ||
| Q4 25 | $89.0M | $742.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $25.0M | $659.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $8.0M | $545.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $8.0M | $536.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $10.0M | $564.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $13.0M | $475.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $30.0M | $752.0M |
| Q1 26 | — | $450.0K | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $3.0B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $3.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $3.3B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $3.3B | ||
| Q4 24 | — | $3.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $3.4B | ||
| Q2 24 | — | $3.7B |
| Q1 26 | — | $5.5M | ||
| Q4 25 | $2.0B | $5.4B | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.9B | $5.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.7B | $5.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.7B | $4.8B | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.7B | $4.6B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.6B | $4.5B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.6B | $4.3B |
| Q1 26 | — | $13.1M | ||
| Q4 25 | $6.3B | $11.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | $6.3B | $11.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $6.3B | $11.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $5.9B | $10.8B | ||
| Q4 24 | $6.2B | $10.5B | ||
| Q3 24 | $6.1B | $10.6B | ||
| Q2 24 | $6.0B | $10.7B |
| Q1 26 | — | 0.08× | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 0.57× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 0.62× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 0.65× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 0.69× | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 0.73× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 0.75× | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 0.86× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $271.0M | — |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $263.0M | $359.0M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 12.8% | 15.5% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 0.4% | 9.3% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 1.98× | — |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $575.0M | $1.7B |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $271.0M | $654.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $34.0M | $531.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $77.0M | $446.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $235.0M | $253.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $260.0M | $480.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $48.0M | $244.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $78.0M | $397.0M |
| Q1 26 | — | $359.0M | ||
| Q4 25 | $263.0M | $530.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $24.0M | $423.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $64.0M | $344.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $224.0M | $134.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $252.0M | $378.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $39.0M | $162.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $71.0M | $342.0M |
| Q1 26 | — | 15.5% | ||
| Q4 25 | 12.8% | 24.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.1% | 20.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.3% | 16.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 13.2% | 6.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 12.4% | 20.0% | ||
| Q3 24 | 2.0% | 8.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 4.1% | 18.2% |
| Q1 26 | — | 9.3% | ||
| Q4 25 | 0.4% | 5.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.5% | 5.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.7% | 5.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.6% | 6.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.4% | 5.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.5% | 4.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.4% | 2.9% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 1.98× | 1.76× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.25× | 1.38× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.77× | 1.10× | ||
| Q1 25 | 3.67× | 0.74× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.95× | 1.53× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.40× | 0.73× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.82× | 1.49× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
CNM
| Pipes Valves And Fitting Products | $1.4B | 67% |
| Storm Drainage Products | $333.0M | 16% |
| Meter Products | $195.0M | 9% |
| Fire Protection Products | $152.0M | 7% |
HWM
Segment breakdown not available.
