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Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Industrial Distribution

Core & Main vs RS Group: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with RS carrying a narrow edge on profitability. The remaining gap is narrow enough that the comparison remains open to different readings. Both sides have seen trend damage — neither carries a clear market edge right now. With both trends damaged, the structural comparison carries most of the weight here.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Peer scores are normalised within each company's primary universe (CNM: Russell 1000, RS1.L: STOXX 600).

Updated 2026-05-17

Most of the separation is still concentrated in profitability.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Industrial Distribution

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. CNM and RS1.L share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Core & Main and RS each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
CNM
Core & Main, Inc.
46
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: Russell 1000
vs
RS1.L
RS Group plc
49
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: STOXX 600

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in profitability.

Dimension spread: CNM vs RS1.L Profitability 33 47 Stability 36 35 Valuation 75 69 Growth 31 34 CNM RS1.L
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +14
#2 Valuation +6
#3 Growth +3
#4 Stability +1
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for CNM and RS1.L Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer CNMRS1.L Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup stays mixed because structure and the price setup do not align cleanly in one direction.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Profitability
Profitability also leans toward RS Group plc, reinforcing the broader structural lead.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
CNM
33
RS1.L
47
Gap+14in favour of RS1.L

The profitability gap is visible, with the stronger side earning materially better operating marks.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Core & Main, Inc. still looks less cycle-sensitive — that keeps the result from looking completely one-sided.

What this means for the comparison

Profitability is the clearest driver, and valuation also supports RS Group plc's broader structural position.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the CNM vs RS1.L comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other close comparisons

Explore how CNM and RS1.L each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.