Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) Cut to “Sell” at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen cut shares of Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report released on Sunday.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Cfra upgraded shares of Pool from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $304.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Pool from $275.00 to $230.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 20th. Oppenheimer dropped their price target on Pool from $346.00 to $280.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on Pool from $240.00 to $232.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Pool in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Pool presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $281.50.

Pool Stock Performance

Shares of Pool stock opened at $202.33 on Friday. Pool has a 12 month low of $197.13 and a 12 month high of $345.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.67, a P/E/G ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a current ratio of 2.24, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $232.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $253.90.

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

Pool Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 26th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 12th were issued a dividend of $1.25 per share. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 12th. Pool’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.13%.

Insider Transactions at Pool

In related news, SVP Romain Kenneth G. St acquired 5,560 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the acquisition, the senior vice president directly owned 82,845 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,115,716.15. This trade represents a 7.19% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director De La Mesa Manuel J. Perez acquired 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 13th. The shares were bought at an average price of $205.00 per share, for a total transaction of $1,025,000.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 110,108 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $22,572,140. This trade represents a 4.76% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Company insiders own 3.00% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pool

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of POOL. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. bought a new position in Pool in the first quarter valued at about $400,000. Millennium Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Pool by 237.9% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 17,390 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $5,536,000 after purchasing an additional 12,244 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pool during the 1st quarter valued at about $639,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its position 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 valued at $50,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its stake 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 worth $639,000 after purchasing an additional 1,344 shares during the period. 98.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Pool News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research nudged its FY2028 EPS forecast slightly higher (from $13.06 to $13.10), a marginal positive on long‑term earnings expectations. (No direct link)
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts expect Pool’s upcoming fiscal Q1 to show a low single‑digit profit increase, which tempers expectations for a major beat or miss and may reduce short‑term volatility. Here’s What to Expect From Pool Corporation’s Next Earnings Report
• Negative Sentiment: Parnassus Mid Cap Fund exited its POOL position, citing sluggish demand in the pool market — a sign of weaker end‑market demand that could pressure near‑term sales and margins. Parnassus Mid Cap Fund Exited Pool Corp. (POOL) Due to Sluggish Demand in the Pool Market
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks also cut Q4 2027 and FY2027 EPS estimates and maintains a “Strong Sell” stance, amplifying downside sentiment after Pool’s recent quarter missed both EPS and revenue estimates. (Market context: Pool reported a recent quarter with $0.84 EPS vs. $0.99 expected and guidance that leaves FY consensus near $11–11.3.) POOL MarketBeat Page

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.