Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL) Given Average Rating of “Hold” by Analysts

Shares of Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL) have received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the twelve ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have assigned a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $261.3750.

POOL has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised Pool from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Pool from $230.00 to $215.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Bank of America lowered 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. Zacks Research upgraded Pool from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Pool from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 14th.

Pool Price Performance

NASDAQ POOL opened at $194.84 on Wednesday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $196.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $220.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.92, a PEG ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.87 and a quick ratio of 0.55. Pool has a 1-year low of $172.68 and a 1-year high of $345.00.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $1.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.82 billion. Pool had a return on equity of 32.37% and a net margin of 7.57%.The company’s revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.32 EPS. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.870-11.170 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Pool will post 11.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Pool Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 14th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. This is a boost from Pool’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 14th. Pool’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.84%.

Pool declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Wednesday, April 29th that authorizes the company to buyback $600.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the specialty retailer to repurchase up to 7.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Key Stories Impacting Pool

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: No relevant Pool Corporation news was included in the feed, so there is no direct evidence of a new operational, financial, or strategic development affecting POOL shares.
• Neutral Sentiment: Most of the articles reference a “reflecting pool” in Washington, D.C., which is unrelated to Pool Corporation’s business and should not be viewed as a fundamental driver for the stock.
• Negative Sentiment: POOL had been trading below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages before this news, which suggests the stock was already under pressure; however, these articles do not provide a new reason for that weakness.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director James D. Hope bought 464 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 7th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $194.41 per share, for a total transaction of $90,206.24. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 3,678 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $715,039.98. This trade represents a 14.44% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director John E. Stokely bought 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 7th. The shares were bought at an average price of $193.06 per share, for a total transaction of $193,060.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 16,230 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,133,363.80. This represents a 6.57% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have purchased a total of 21,989 shares of company stock valued at $4,042,747 over the last three months. 3.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pool

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of POOL. Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc. bought a new stake in Pool during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $4,575,000. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated purchased a new position in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter valued at about $2,399,000. CenterBook Partners LP purchased a new position in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter valued at about $3,381,000. King Luther Capital Management Corp grew its position in shares of Pool by 236.4% during the fourth quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp now owns 11,146 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $2,550,000 after purchasing an additional 7,833 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Perigon Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter valued at about $599,000. 98.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.