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

Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL) has received a consensus rating of “Hold” from the twelve brokerages that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $281.50.

A number of brokerages recently commented on POOL. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Pool from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 7th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Pool from $275.00 to $230.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Cfra upgraded shares of Pool from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $304.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Pool from $240.00 to $232.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on Pool from $360.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th.

Pool Stock Performance

Shares of POOL stock opened at $206.64 on Monday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $244.80 and a 200 day moving average price of $263.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 2.24. The stock has a market cap of $7.60 billion, a PE ratio of 19.06, a P/E/G ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 1.25. Pool has a 1 year low of $203.80 and a 1 year high of $345.00.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The specialty retailer reported $0.84 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.99 by ($0.15). Pool had a net margin of 7.67% and a return on equity of 31.49%. The firm had revenue of $982.21 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $999.14 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.97 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.850-11.150 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Pool will post 11.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pool Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 12th will be given a dividend of $1.25 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 12th. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. Pool’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.13%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Melanie M. Hart sold 2,750 shares of Pool stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total transaction of $605,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 18,039 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,968,580. This trade represents a 13.23% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Romain Kenneth G. St bought 5,560 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 23rd. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $218.67 per share, with a total value of $1,215,805.20. Following the purchase, the senior vice president directly owned 82,845 shares in the company, valued at $18,115,716.15. The trade was a 7.19% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders own 3.00% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pool

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Pool during the first quarter worth about $400,000. Millennium Management LLC lifted its stake 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 valued at $5,536,000 after buying an additional 12,244 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new stake in Pool during the first quarter worth approximately $639,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in Pool by 164.4% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 156 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Pool by 201.2% in the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 2,012 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $639,000 after acquiring an additional 1,344 shares during the period. 98.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.