Retirement Systems of Alabama Reduces Stock Position in Pool Co. (NASDAQ:POOL)

Retirement Systems of Alabama lowered its position in Pool Co. (NASDAQ:POOL) by 3.5% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 8,525 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 305 shares during the quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama’s holdings in Pool were worth $3,399,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in POOL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in shares of Pool by 56.7% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 865,362 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $308,156,000 after acquiring an additional 313,190 shares during the last quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. increased its stake in Pool by 463.2% in the 3rd quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. now owns 240,623 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $85,686,000 after buying an additional 197,900 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Pool by 30,047.2% during the fourth quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 183,898 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $73,322,000 after purchasing an additional 183,288 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Pool by 55.0% in the 3rd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 339,378 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $120,852,000 after purchasing an additional 120,427 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in Pool by 22.0% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 634,329 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $225,885,000 after purchasing an additional 114,298 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.99% of the company’s stock.

Pool Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:POOL opened at $372.68 on Wednesday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $389.87 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $375.37. Pool Co. has a 52 week low of $307.77 and a 52 week high of $422.73. The company has a quick ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 1.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $14.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.16, a PEG ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 1.01.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 25th. The specialty retailer reported $1.85 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.87 by ($0.02). Pool had a return on equity of 35.49% and a net margin of 9.17%. The company had revenue of $1.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.13 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.46 EPS. The company’s revenue was down 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Pool Co. will post 13.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pool Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 16th will be issued a dividend of $1.20 per share. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 15th. This is a positive change from Pool’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.10. Pool’s dividend payout ratio is presently 34.43%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Pool news, General Counsel Jennifer M. Neil sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $401.00, for a total transaction of $441,100.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel now owns 8,622 shares in the company, valued at $3,457,422. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 3.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

POOL has been the subject of a number of research reports. TheStreet lowered shares of Pool from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. Oppenheimer dropped their price objective on shares of Pool from $436.00 to $416.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 29th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on Pool from $370.00 to $360.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 29th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $391.80.

About Pool

Pool Corporation distributes swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related leisure products in the United States and internationally. The company offers maintenance products, including chemicals, supplies, and pool accessories; repair and replacement parts for pool equipment, such as cleaners, filters, heaters, pumps, and lights; and building materials, such as concrete, plumbing and electrical components, functional and decorative pool surfaces, decking materials, tiles, hardscapes, and natural stones for pool installations and remodeling.