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Side-by-side financial comparison of Core & Main, Inc. (CNM) and Interpublic Group of Companies (The) (IPG). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Interpublic Group of Companies (The) is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.1B vs $2.1B, roughly 1.0× Core & Main, Inc.). Core & Main, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 6.6% vs 5.8%, a 0.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Core & Main, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (0.0% vs -4.8%). Core & Main, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($263.0M vs $153.6M). Over the past eight quarters, Core & Main, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (19.7% CAGR vs -9.1%).

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.

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG) was an American advertising company based in New York City. It consisted of the five major networks FCB, IPG Mediabrands, McCann Worldgroup, MullenLowe Group and Marketing Specialists, as well as several independent specialty agencies in the areas of public relations, sports marketing, talent representation and healthcare. Prior to the Omnicom acquisition, it was one of the "Big Four" agency companies, alongside WPP, Publicis, and Omnicom. The co...

CNM vs IPG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
IPG
IPG
1.0× larger
IPG
$2.1B
$2.1B
CNM
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CNM
CNM
+4.8% gap
CNM
0.0%
-4.8%
IPG
Higher net margin
CNM
CNM
0.8% more per $
CNM
6.6%
5.8%
IPG
More free cash flow
CNM
CNM
$109.4M more FCF
CNM
$263.0M
$153.6M
IPG
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CNM
CNM
Annualised
CNM
19.7%
-9.1%
IPG

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Revenue
$2.1B
$2.1B
Net Profit
$137.0M
$124.2M
Gross Margin
27.2%
Operating Margin
10.7%
10.3%
Net Margin
6.6%
5.8%
Revenue YoY
0.0%
-4.8%
Net Profit YoY
0.0%
517.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.72
$0.34

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.

Revenue
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
$2.1B
Q3 25
$2.1B
$2.1B
Q2 25
$1.9B
$2.2B
Q1 25
$1.7B
$2.0B
Q4 24
$2.0B
$2.4B
Q3 24
$2.0B
$2.2B
Q2 24
$1.7B
$2.3B
Q1 24
$1.4B
$2.2B
Net Profit
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
$137.0M
Q3 25
$134.0M
$124.2M
Q2 25
$100.0M
$162.5M
Q1 25
$64.0M
$-85.4M
Q4 24
$133.0M
$344.5M
Q3 24
$119.0M
$20.1M
Q2 24
$95.0M
$214.5M
Q1 24
$63.0M
$110.4M
Gross Margin
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
27.2%
Q3 25
26.8%
Q2 25
26.7%
Q1 25
26.6%
-3.2%
Q4 24
26.6%
10.1%
Q3 24
26.4%
2.9%
Q2 24
26.9%
1.2%
Q1 24
26.7%
-1.1%
Operating Margin
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
10.7%
Q3 25
10.2%
10.3%
Q2 25
8.9%
11.2%
Q1 25
7.3%
-2.1%
Q4 24
10.9%
23.3%
Q3 24
10.4%
5.9%
Q2 24
9.6%
13.7%
Q1 24
8.1%
8.4%
Net Margin
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
6.6%
Q3 25
6.4%
5.8%
Q2 25
5.2%
7.5%
Q1 25
3.8%
-4.3%
Q4 24
6.5%
14.1%
Q3 24
6.1%
0.9%
Q2 24
5.5%
9.2%
Q1 24
4.4%
5.1%
EPS (diluted)
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
$0.72
Q3 25
$0.70
$0.34
Q2 25
$0.52
$0.44
Q1 25
$0.34
$-0.23
Q4 24
$0.69
$0.92
Q3 24
$0.61
$0.05
Q2 24
$0.49
$0.57
Q1 24
$0.34
$0.29

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$89.0M
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.0B
$3.7B
Total Assets
$6.3B
$17.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
$89.0M
Q3 25
$25.0M
$1.5B
Q2 25
$8.0M
$1.6B
Q1 25
$8.0M
$1.9B
Q4 24
$10.0M
$2.2B
Q3 24
$13.0M
$1.5B
Q2 24
$30.0M
$1.5B
Q1 24
$1.0M
$1.9B
Stockholders' Equity
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
$2.0B
Q3 25
$1.9B
$3.7B
Q2 25
$1.7B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$1.7B
$3.6B
Q4 24
$1.7B
$3.8B
Q3 24
$1.6B
$3.7B
Q2 24
$1.6B
$3.8B
Q1 24
$1.5B
$3.8B
Total Assets
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
$6.3B
Q3 25
$6.3B
$17.0B
Q2 25
$6.3B
$17.0B
Q1 25
$5.9B
$17.1B
Q4 24
$6.2B
$18.3B
Q3 24
$6.1B
$17.1B
Q2 24
$6.0B
$17.0B
Q1 24
$5.1B
$17.3B

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$271.0M
$180.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$263.0M
$153.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
12.8%
7.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.4%
1.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.98×
1.45×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$575.0M
$806.8M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
$271.0M
Q3 25
$34.0M
$180.1M
Q2 25
$77.0M
$-96.0M
Q1 25
$235.0M
$-37.0M
Q4 24
$260.0M
$868.1M
Q3 24
$48.0M
$223.8M
Q2 24
$78.0M
$120.7M
Q1 24
$294.0M
$-157.4M
Free Cash Flow
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
$263.0M
Q3 25
$24.0M
$153.6M
Q2 25
$64.0M
$-121.8M
Q1 25
$224.0M
$-58.5M
Q4 24
$252.0M
$833.5M
Q3 24
$39.0M
$186.5M
Q2 24
$71.0M
$85.9M
Q1 24
$289.0M
$-192.5M
FCF Margin
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
12.8%
Q3 25
1.1%
7.2%
Q2 25
3.3%
-5.6%
Q1 25
13.2%
-2.9%
Q4 24
12.4%
34.2%
Q3 24
2.0%
8.3%
Q2 24
4.1%
3.7%
Q1 24
20.1%
-8.8%
Capex Intensity
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
0.4%
Q3 25
0.5%
1.2%
Q2 25
0.7%
1.2%
Q1 25
0.6%
1.1%
Q4 24
0.4%
1.4%
Q3 24
0.5%
1.7%
Q2 24
0.4%
1.5%
Q1 24
0.3%
1.6%
Cash Conversion
CNM
CNM
IPG
IPG
Q4 25
1.98×
Q3 25
0.25×
1.45×
Q2 25
0.77×
-0.59×
Q1 25
3.67×
Q4 24
1.95×
2.52×
Q3 24
0.40×
11.13×
Q2 24
0.82×
0.56×
Q1 24
4.67×
-1.43×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CNM
CNM

Pipes Valves And Fitting Products$1.4B67%
Storm Drainage Products$333.0M16%
Meter Products$195.0M9%
Fire Protection Products$152.0M7%

IPG
IPG

MDE$619.0M29%
IAC$574.9M27%
Other$527.9M25%
SCE$413.8M19%

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