Core & Main, Inc. (NYSE:CNM) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Patrick Baumann: A lot’s been covered already. Just had a couple of cleanups here. On the Dana Kepner deal, just given its size, I’m just wondering if the multiple reflected a more competitive process. I’m asking in context of, I think you said something about $780 million deployed for the year and after the year ended. It looks like in the fiscal ’23, the numbers were like $231 million of spend, so most of that came after the year. I’m curious if you have any comments on that. Then related to that, on the business itself, what would be some reasons to pay a higher multiple for it? Are there synergies or something else to consider? Are there any overlaps with your existing footprint, like any risk of cannibalization of existing sales?

Steve LeClair: Yes, Patrick. This is Steve. You would expect on a deal that size, that certainly very incredibly well-respected regional player in our space, that we’re on the high end of the multiple as we went in. We do see great synergies associated with this. A lot of the product categories which we carry, which Dana Kepner did not, will have upside opportunity for us as well. We really like the business for a number of reasons. It performs extremely well, great customer relationships, and the geographies are a really strong fit for us. Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, all areas where we complement each other with our locations there, with the customer profile, whether it’s adding additional contractor customers or municipal customers, it’s really a glove fit for us in all those areas.

It helps to strengthen our position in the northeast as well too, where we believe we’re under-penetrated. So for all those aspects, this was a really good fit for us. We’re really excited about the talent as well too. They have a really strong team. We compete against them previously. We know them well. They have great sales talent, they have great management talent, and we’re going to benefit from all that.

Patrick Baumann: Okay. So there’s not much overlap then in terms of the footprint, cannibalization risk for sales?

Steve LeClair: No. We really look at it as complementary at this point. A lot of those markets, there is a lot of fragmentation in those markets. There are a lot of competitors in that space, so we really view it as complementary to what we’re doing.

Patrick Baumann: Helpful. And then the ACF West deal that you mentioned, I think, earlier in the call, am I right to assume that that wasn’t yet put in the guide? Has it closed yet or no?

Mark Witkowski: Patrick, we just signed that one recently. Expect a normal kind of sign to close. We’ve historically been right around 30 days or so, so hopefully we’ll get that one here close soon, and then that would be additive to the 2024 results.

Patrick Baumann: Thanks. And then just a couple of little cleanups on the guide. So on sales, the 1% to 2% from the extra week, that’s embedded in the guide, right? And does that have any margin impact? And then there’s a lot moving around below the line, given all the capital allocation toward the end of the year. You mentioned tax rate at 25%. Can you give us any sense on interest expense and share count for 2024 based on where we’re at today?

Mark Witkowski: All right. Keep me honest. I’m going to try to catch all those for you. The 53rd week, Patrick, is really no margin impact. That is embedded in the guide. We expect that to be similar on the top and the bottom line. In terms of the ins and outs, I would say from an interest expense standpoint, when you look at the expectations for debt and the rates, I’d say somewhere between 135 and 145 for the full year. And then as you’re looking at share counts, fully diluted, I think we’re right around 201 million shares. So those should be fully outstanding then for each of the quarters as we go forward. So you should be able to use shares in that range. Obviously, if we end up repurchasing any, you could have some changes there, but those will be things we announce in due course. Any that I missed, Patrick?

Patrick Baumann: Thanks for indulging me with all those details. Really appreciate it and best of luck.

Operator: [Operator Instructions] The next question is from Jeffrey Stevenson from Loop Capital.

Jeffrey Stevenson: Congrats on the nice results. I just had one, and Steve, you highlighted share gains with strategic accounts in your opening remarks. Just wondered if you could provide any more color on the primary opportunities for farther share gain opportunities with key accounts over the midterm, just given your diverse customer base.