Shares of Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL – Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $210.07, but opened at $195.89. Pool shares last traded at $202.6090, with a volume of 177,675 shares trading hands.
Pool News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer said he is bullish on Pool Corporation, naming it among the stocks he would buy. Jim Cramer: Buy This Industrial Stock, EquipmentShare Is ‘Disappointing’
- Neutral Sentiment: News about the Washington, D.C. Reflecting Pool being drained and reopened is unrelated to Pool Corporation’s business and is unlikely to affect the stock. Trump says Reflecting Pool has been drained and will be ‘put back into service soon’
- Neutral Sentiment: Additional articles about the Reflecting Pool “gash” and related photos are not relevant to Pool Corporation’s fundamentals. Reflecting Pool gash that Trump claimed vandals caused is hard to find
- Negative Sentiment: Pentair’s warning that pool destocking is hurting results suggests weaker near-term demand in the pool products market and may weigh on Pool Corporation’s outlook. Pentair Stock Plunges as Pool Destocking Forces Deep 2026 Guidance Cut
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of research firms have weighed in on POOL. Zacks Research upgraded Pool from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Bank of America cut their price target on Pool from $229.00 to $226.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 20th. Weiss Ratings lowered Pool from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Pool from $230.00 to $215.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Pool from $210.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $264.50.
Pool Stock Down 4.2%
The company has a 50-day moving average of $193.85 and a 200-day moving average of $218.06. The company has a market capitalization of $7.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.87, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09.
Pool (NASDAQ:POOL – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.09. Pool had a return on equity of 32.37% and a net margin of 7.57%.The business had revenue of $1.14 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.82 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.32 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.870-11.170 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Pool Corporation will post 11.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Pool Increases Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 14th were given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 14th. This is an increase from Pool’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. Pool’s payout ratio is 47.84%.
Pool announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Wednesday, April 29th that authorizes the company to repurchase $600.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the specialty retailer to repurchase up to 7.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally a sign that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.
Insider Activity at Pool
In related news, Director De La Mesa Manuel J. Perez purchased 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 13th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $175.95 per share, with a total value of $1,759,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 40,108 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,057,002.60. This represents a 33.21% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director John E. Stokely acquired 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 7th. The shares were bought at an average price of $193.06 per share, with a total value of $193,060.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 16,230 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,133,363.80. This trade represents a 6.57% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders purchased a total of 21,989 shares of company stock worth $4,042,747 in the last quarter. 3.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pool
Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Pool in the first quarter valued at about $400,000. Millennium Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pool by 237.9% during the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 17,390 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $5,536,000 after purchasing an additional 12,244 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pool during the first quarter worth about $639,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in Pool by 164.4% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 156 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Pool by 201.2% in the first quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 2,012 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $639,000 after buying an additional 1,344 shares during the last quarter. 98.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
About Pool
Pool Corporation is a leading wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related outdoor living products. Headquartered in Covington, Louisiana, the company serves a diverse customer base that includes service professionals, independent retailers, high-volume builders, and national retail chains. Pool Corporation’s extensive branch network enables it to maintain strong local customer relationships while leveraging its scale to source products efficiently from manufacturers around the world.
The company’s product portfolio spans pool and spa chemicals, water treatment equipment, pumps, filters, heaters, automation and control systems, liners, safety covers, and cleaning accessories.
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