Delta Global Management LP Makes New Investment in Pool Corporation $POOL

Delta Global Management LP bought a new position in shares of Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 9,151 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,852,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of POOL. 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 stake in Pool by 237.9% in the 1st 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 in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new position in shares of Pool during the 1st quarter worth approximately $639,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Pool by 164.4% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 156 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pool by 201.2% during the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 2,012 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $639,000 after purchasing an additional 1,344 shares during the last quarter. 98.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Pool news, Director David G. Whalen purchased 525 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 8th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $190.44 per share, for a total transaction of $99,981.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 8,936 shares in the company, valued at $1,701,771.84. This trade represents a 6.24% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director De La Mesa Manuel J. Perez acquired 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 13th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $175.95 per share, with a total value of $1,759,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 40,108 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,057,002.60. The trade was a 33.21% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders have purchased 21,989 shares of company stock worth $4,042,747 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 3.00% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently commented on POOL. Zacks Research raised Pool from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Oppenheimer lowered their price objective on Pool from $280.00 to $227.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Bank of America dropped their target price on Pool from $226.00 to $206.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 20th. Robert W. Baird set a $260.00 target price on Pool in a research note on Friday. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Pool from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pool has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $235.67.

Pool News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pool reported second-quarter revenue of about $1.82 billion, up 2% year over year, with adjusted EPS of $5.38 beating estimates. The company also said recurring maintenance demand and building materials growth helped offset softness elsewhere. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Management confirmed its annual earnings outlook excluding CEO transition costs, suggesting the core business remains stable despite a mixed quarter. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary has been mixed-to-neutral, with at least one firm maintaining a Hold rating after the earnings release, reinforcing a wait-and-see stance. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Gross margin declined and operating income fell, with management pointing to higher freight costs, customer mix, muted discretionary demand, and weak new pool construction as headwinds. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: The company’s FY2026 EPS guidance of $10.66 to $10.96 came in below the market’s expectation, which may be weighing on investor sentiment. Article Title

Pool Stock Performance

Pool stock opened at $183.77 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $196.10 and a 200-day simple moving average of $216.12. The stock has a market cap of $6.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 2.67 and a quick ratio of 0.91. Pool Corporation has a 1-year low of $172.68 and a 1-year high of $336.15.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $5.38 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.33 by $0.05. Pool had a net margin of 7.40% and a return on equity of 32.74%. The firm had revenue of $1.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.82 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $5.17 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.660-10.960 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Pool Corporation will post 10.98 EPS for the current year.

Pool announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, April 29th that authorizes the company to buyback $600.00 million in 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 typically an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Pool Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 14th were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. This is a positive change from Pool’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 14th. Pool’s payout ratio is 47.84%.

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.