The short version

From the latest prices and each company's SEC filings. Who's ahead on each measure, not which to buy.

  • WESCO International is the larger company, worth $16.7B, about 2.1 times Core & Main.
  • WESCO International grew revenue faster over the last year (+13.0% vs +2.5%).
  • Core & Main keeps more of each dollar of revenue as operating profit (9.6% vs 5.4%).
  • On earnings, Core & Main is the cheaper stock (17.2x vs 24.3x).
  • WESCO International's price assumes faster free cash flow growth: about 54% a year, against -1% for Core & Main (reverse DCF).

Side by side

The stronger figure is shaded where higher (or, for valuation multiples, lower) reads as better. How the implied growth works.

MeasureCNMWCC
Market cap$7.8B$16.7B
Share price$40.35$365.69
Revenue (last fiscal year)$7.6B$23.5B
Free cash flow (last fiscal year)$604M$25M
Revenue growth, last year+2.5%+13.0%
Revenue growth per year, last 5 fiscal years+11.2%+6.6%
Operating margin9.6%5.4%
Net margin6.0%2.8%
Return on equity22.6%13.6%
P/E (trailing)17.2x24.3x
Price / free cash flow12.8x660.8x
EV / EBITDA11.1x15.2x
FCF growth the price implies-0.83%54.3%
Dividend yield—0.53%
Debt / equity2.27x2.41x
Fundamental gradeCC
Superinvestors holding it210
Insider purchases, last 12 months30

Results from SEC filings

Revenue and free cash flow by fiscal year, from each company's 10-K filings.

Core & Main

YearRevenueFree cash flowOp. margin
2022$5.0B-$51M8.5%
2023$6.7B$376M11.7%
2024$6.7B$1.0B11.0%
2025$7.4B$586M9.7%
2026$7.6B$604M9.4%

WESCO International

YearRevenueFree cash flowOp. margin
2021$18.2B$12M4.4%
2022$21.4B-$88M6.7%
2023$22.4B$401M6.3%
2024$21.8B$1.0B5.6%
2025$23.5B$25M5.2%

Where the revenue comes from

Core & Main · by products, 2026

Pipes, valves & fittings products$5.1B67%
Storm drainage products$1.2B16%
Meter products$716M9%
Fire protection products$600M8%

WESCO International · by segments, 2025

CSS$9.1B39%
EES$9.0B38%
UBS$5.5B23%
Compare them in fullFifteen years of statements, quarterly results, DCF and IRR models, and any number of peers side by side.
Open CNM in Investingly

Questions

Which is bigger, Core & Main or WESCO International?

WESCO International (WCC), at $16.7B against $7.8B.

Is CNM or WCC cheaper?

By trailing P/E, Core & Main (17.2x) is cheaper than WESCO International (24.3x). A lower multiple can also mean the market expects less growth.

Which grows faster, CNM or WCC?

WESCO International: revenue grew +13.0% over the last year, against +2.5%.

Prices and ratios as of the last daily update; statements from SEC filings. Information only, not investment advice.