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Why Core & Main (CNM) Outpaced the Stock Market Today

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Core & Main (CNM - Free Report) closed at $43.45 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.73% move from the prior day. The stock outperformed the S&P 500, which registered a daily gain of 0.71%. At the same time, the Dow added 1.03%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.6%.

Heading into today, shares of the distributor of water and fire protection products had gained 12.04% over the past month, outpacing the Business Services sector's gain of 5.54% and the S&P 500's gain of 6.41% in that time.

Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Core & Main in its upcoming release. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $0.65, showcasing no movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $2 billion, indicating a 9.51% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $2.10 per share and a revenue of $7.32 billion, representing changes of -2.33% and +9.21%, respectively, from the prior year.

Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Core & Main. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the company's business performance and profit potential.

Empirical research indicates that these revisions in estimates have a direct correlation with impending stock price performance. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant. At present, Core & Main boasts a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell).

With respect to valuation, Core & Main is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 20.37. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 27.17, which means Core & Main is trading at a discount to the group.

Investors should also note that CNM has a PEG ratio of 2.78 right now. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. Waste Removal Services stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 2.83 based on yesterday's closing prices.

The Waste Removal Services industry is part of the Business Services sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 201, finds itself in the bottom 21% echelons of all 250+ industries.

The strength of our individual industry groups is measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, which is calculated based on the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within these groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.


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