Sifting through countless of stocks in the Machinery industry can be tedious, and sometimes two stocks are just too similar to judge which is the better investment. If you’re on the fence about investing in ATS Corporation, Core & Main or Inc. because you’re not sure how they measure up, it’s important to compare them on a few factors before making your decision.

Read on to learn how ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc. compare based on key financial metrics to determine which better meets your investment needs.

About ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc.

ATS Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the planning, designing, building, commissioning, and servicing of automated manufacturing and assembly systems worldwide. The company offers pre-automation services comprising discovery and analysis, concept development, simulation, and total cost of ownership modeling; post-automation services, including training, process optimization, preventive maintenance, emergency and on-call support, spare parts, retooling, retrofits, and equipment relocation; and contract manufacturing services, as well as after-sales services. It also provides engineering design, prototyping, process verification, specification writing, software and manufacturing process controls development, standard automation products and platforms, equipment design and build, third-party equipment qualification, procurement and integration, automation system installation, product line commissioning, validation, and documentation services. In addition, the company offers value engineering, supply chain management, and integration and manufacturing capabilities, as well as other automation products and solutions; and software and digital solutions comprising connected factory floor management systems to capture, analyze, and use real-time machine performance data to troubleshoot issues, deliver process and product solutions, prevent equipment downtime, drive operational efficiency, and unlock performance for sustainable production improvements. It serves the life sciences, transportation and mobility, consumer products, food and beverage, electronics, nuclear, packaging, warehousing and distribution, and energy markets. The company was formerly known as ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. and changed its name to ATS Corporation in November 2022. ATS Corporation was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Canada.

Core & Main, Inc. engages in the distribution of water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection products and related services in the United States. The company’s products portfolio include pipes, valves, hydrants, fittings, and other products and services used for service, repair and replacement of underground water infrastructure; storm drainage products, such as corrugated HDPE and metal piping systems, retention basins, inline drains, manholes, grates, geosynthetics, erosion control, and other related products; fire protection products, including fire protection pipes, valves, fittings, sprinkler heads and other accessories, as well as fabrication and kitting services; smart meter products; and smart metering solutions which include meter accessories, meter installation, network infrastructure and software installation, training, and long-term services, as well as engineered treatment plant products. Its specialty products and services are used in the maintenance, repair, replacement, and construction of water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection infrastructure. The company serves municipalities, private water companies, and professional contractors in the municipal, non-residential, and residential end markets. Core & Main, Inc. was founded in 1874 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Latest Machinery and ATS Corporation, Core & Main, Inc. Stock News

As of September 2, 2026, ATS Corporation had a $1.8 billion market capitalization, compared to the Machinery median of $4.0 million. ATS Corporation’s stock is down 30.3% in 2026, down 1.1% in the previous five trading days and down 29.51% in the past year.

Currently, ATS Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 56.6. ATS Corporation’s trailing 12-month revenue is $2.1 billion with a 1.6% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was -9.4%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $1.091 per share for the current fiscal year. ATS Corporation does not currently pay a dividend.

As of September 2, 2026, Core & Main, Inc. had a $8.2 billion market cap, putting it in the 75th percentile of all stocks. Core & Main, Inc.’s stock is down 15.2% in 2026, up 0.8% in the previous five trading days and down 32.34% in the past year.

Currently, Core & Main, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 18.6. Core & Main, Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $7.6 billion with a 5.9% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was -0.1%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $2.910 per share for the current fiscal year. Core & Main, Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

How We Compare ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc. Stock Grades

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data and the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movements. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors streamline and work through such data.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A‐F grades for each of five key investing factors: value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality. Here, we’ll take a closer look at ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc.’s stock grades to see how they measure up against one another.

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ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc. Stock Value Grades

Company	Ticker	Value
ATS Corporation	ATS	B
Core & Main, Inc.	CNM	C

Successful stock investing involves buying low and selling high, so stock valuation is an important consideration for stock selection.

Buying stocks that are going to go up typically means buying stocks that are undervalued in the first place, although momentum investors may argue that point.

AAII’s A+ Investor Value Grade derives from a stock’s value score. The Value Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of the price-to-sales ratio, price-earnings ratio, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, shareholder yield, price-to-book-value ratio and price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. The score is variable, meaning it can consider all six ratios or, should any of the six ratios not be valid, the remaining ratios that are valid. To be assigned a Value Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) ratio and corresponding ranking for at least two of the six valuation ratios.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are a good value and so on.

ATS Corporation has a Value Score of 61, which is Value. Core & Main, Inc. has a Value Score of 52, which is Average.

The Value Stock Winner: ATS Corporation

As you can clearly see from the Value Grade breakdown above, ATS Corporation is considered to have better value than Core & Main, Inc.. For investors who focus solely on a company’s valuation, ATS Corporation could be a good stock to add to their portfolio. However, it’s important for investors to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc. Growth Grades

Company	Ticker	Growth
ATS Corporation	ATS	A
Core & Main, Inc.	CNM	C

The foundation of growth investing is seeking out stocks of companies exhibiting strong, consistent and prolonged growth that is expected to continue into the future.

In order to compute the growth score and assign it a letter grade, the percentile ranks for each of three components‐consistency of annual sales growth, five-year sales growth rankings adjusted for extreme levels, and consistency of positive annual cash from operations‐must be determined. These three rank figures are added together, and the sum is ranked against the entire stock universe to arrive at a company’s Growth Score to create an equal distribution of grades.

The companies in the bottom 20% of the stock universe receive Growth Grades of F, considered to be very weak, while those in the top 20% receive A grades, which are considered very strong.

ATS Corporation has a Growth Score of 82, which is Very Strong. Core & Main, Inc. has a Growth Score of 60, which is Average.

The Growth Grade Winner: ATS Corporation

As you can clearly see from the Growth Grade breakdown above, ATS Corporation has a more attractive growth grade than Core & Main, Inc.. For investors who focus solely on how a company is growing relative to other companies in the same industry, ATS Corporation could be a good stock to add to their portfolio. However, it’s important for investors to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc.’s Momentum Grades

Company	Ticker	Momentum
ATS Corporation	ATS	F
Core & Main, Inc.	CNM	F

Momentum grades help to uncover stocks experiencing anomalously high rates of return; research finds that stocks with high relative levels of momentum tend to outperform, whereas those with low levels of momentum tend to continue underperforming. Momentum is based on the price change of a stock over a specified period relative to all other stocks.

Typically, AAII looks at the weighted relative strength over the trailing four quarters. The weighted four-quarter relative strength rank is the relative price change for each of the past four quarters. The most recent quarterly price change is given a weight of 40% and each of the three previous quarters are given a weighting of 20%.

ATS Corporation has a Momentum Score of 16, which is Very Weak. Core & Main, Inc. has a Momentum Score of 18, which is Very Weak.

The Momentum Stock Winner: No Clear Winner

Neither ATS Corporation, Core & Main or Inc. has a strong enough Momentum Grade to be considered a “winner.” Investors considering these companies should do additional due diligence and research to see if either could be a good addition to their portfolios. It’s important to look at a wide range of financial metrics in order to determine if ATS Corporation, Core & Main or Inc. is the better investment when it comes to momentum.

Other ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc. Grades

In addition to Growth, Value and Momentum, A+ Investor also provides grades for Estimate Revisions and Quality.

Earnings estimate revisions scores take into account the magnitude of a company’s earnings surprise in its last two reported fiscal quarters. Often, surprises beget further surprises‐or at least continued sales growth (the exact opposite is generally true, too).

AAII’s A+ Investor Quality Grade comes from the ranking of key metrics. Specifically, the quality grade is the percentile rank of the composite of return on assets (ROA), return on invested capital (ROIC), gross profit relative to assets, buyback yield, change in total liabilities to assets, accruals, Z double prime bankruptcy risk (Z) score and F-Score.

These 2 key factors, when combined with the above, provide a holistic view into a particular stock. Further, by joining A+ Investor you can see whether ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc. pass any of our 60+ stock screens that have outperformed the market since their creation.

So, Which Is the Better Investment, ATS Corporation, Core & Main or Inc. Stock?

Overall, ATS Corporation stock has a Value Score of 61, Growth Score of 82 and Momentum Score of 16.

Core & Main, Inc. stock has a Value Score of 52, Growth Score of 60 and Momentum Score of 18.

Comparing ATS Corporation, Core & Main and Inc.’s grades, scores and metrics can act as a solid basis to determine whether they may be a good investment or not. You’ll also want to look at your portfolio’s asset allocation as well as your risk tolerance and financial goals to see if either of these stocks would make a good fit for you. AAII can help you figure out which investments align with your individual needs and preferences.

Investors are encouraged to do their own due diligence and research. In this way, individuals can effectively become managers of their own assets‐without having to rely on others for financial independence. You can count on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis.

A+ Investor adds to our qualitative teaching with a powerful data suite to help you whittle down investment choices to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith, and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.