Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) Reaches New 12-Month Low After Earnings Miss

Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Thursday following a dissappointing earnings announcement. The company traded as low as $216.32 and last traded at $222.3520, with a volume of 308008 shares. The stock had previously closed at $255.33.

The specialty retailer reported $0.84 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.99 by ($0.15). The company had revenue of $982.21 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $999.14 million. Pool had a net margin of 7.67% and a return on equity of 31.49%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.97 EPS. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.850-11.150 EPS.

Trending Headlines about Pool

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive on Pool’s longer‑term prospects, citing durable market position in the pool-supply channel; that longer‑term optimism can support the stock even after a weak quarter. Analyst Estimates & Ratings
• Neutral Sentiment: Full Q4 earnings call transcript and the company slide presentation are available for deeper read‑through of management’s commentary on demand, margin trends and inventory. Useful for assessing whether the miss reflects transitory factors or a structural slowdown. Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 earnings missed expectations: $0.84 EPS vs. $0.99 consensus and revenue of $982.2M vs. $999.1M, with revenue down vs. year‑ago — a clear near‑term bearish catalyst. Zacks: Q4 Miss
• Negative Sentiment: FY‑2026 EPS guidance was provided at $10.85–$11.15, below the Street’s ~$11.58 consensus, which pressures near‑term sentiment and analyst models. Company Guidance (Press Release/Slides)
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo cut its price target to $230 from $275 and moved POOL to an “equal weight” rating, removing some upside expectations from a previously higher baseline. Benzinga: Wells Fargo PT Cut
• Negative Sentiment: Third‑party commentary points to softer end‑market demand; Conestoga Capital highlighted soft demand in its investor letter, reinforcing concerns about near‑term volume pressure. InsiderMonkey: Soft Demand
• Negative Sentiment: Op‑ed/analysis articles argue POOL still looks expensive on current multiples absent a clear rebound, which could cap near‑term upside. Seeking Alpha: Valuation Concerns

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

POOL has been the subject of several recent research reports. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of Pool from $295.00 to $240.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on shares of Pool from $320.00 to $300.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on Pool from $360.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Pool in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Pool from $275.00 to $230.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $290.75.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pool

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Pool during the 1st 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 position in Pool in the 1st quarter worth approximately $639,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Pool by 164.4% in the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 156 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $50,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pool by 201.2% in the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 2,012 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $639,000 after acquiring an additional 1,344 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.99% of the company’s stock.

Pool Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 2.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $249.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $274.82. The stock has a market cap of $8.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.05 and a beta of 1.22.

Pool Company Profile

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.