Copeland Capital Management LLC Cuts Stock Position in Pool Corporation $POOL

Key Points

• Copeland Capital trimmed its stake in Pool Corporation by 14.1% in Q4, selling 11,493 shares and leaving it with 70,026 shares valued at about $16.02 million.
• Q1 results and outlook: Pool beat EPS expectations (EPS $1.43 vs. $1.34), posted revenue growth of 6.2% year-over-year, and confirmed FY26 EPS guidance of $10.87–$11.17; however, gross margins contracted ~20 bps while inventory rose ~14% Y/Y to $1.7B and debt increased, raising near-term concerns.
• Institutional ownership is very high (98.99%) and analysts are mixed (consensus rating "Hold" with a $273.67 target); insiders were active this quarter—an SVP bought 5,560 shares while the CFO sold 2,750 shares.

Copeland Capital Management LLC decreased its holdings in Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL - Free Report) by 14.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 70,026 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after selling 11,493 shares during the quarter. Copeland Capital Management LLC owned 0.19% of Pool worth $16,019,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in POOL. CNB Bank lifted its holdings in Pool by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter. CNB Bank now owns 918 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $285,000 after buying an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Keybank National Association OH grew its stake in shares of Pool by 4.2% in the third quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 999 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $310,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its stake in shares of Pool by 22.0% in the third quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 227 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $70,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Mufg Securities Americas Inc. increased its position in shares of Pool by 6.4% during the third quarter. Mufg Securities Americas Inc. now owns 886 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $275,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the period. Finally, Snowden Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Pool by 4.8% during the second quarter. Snowden Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,163 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $339,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.99% of the company's stock.

Pool Stock Down 2.4%

POOL stock opened at $228.68 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $8.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.10, a PEG ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a current ratio of 2.24, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00. Pool Corporation has a twelve month low of $195.49 and a twelve month high of $345.00. The company's 50 day moving average is $217.20 and its two-hundred day moving average is $243.25.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $1.14 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.82 billion. Pool had a net margin of 7.67% and a return on equity of 31.49%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.32 EPS. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.870-11.170 EPS. Research analysts expect that Pool Corporation will post 11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pool Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 12th were paid a $1.25 dividend. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 12th. Pool's dividend payout ratio is currently 46.13%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently issued reports on POOL. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Pool from $230.00 to $215.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on shares of Pool from $240.00 to $232.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Oppenheimer decreased their price target on shares of Pool from $346.00 to $280.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $246.00 price objective on shares of Pool in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their price objective on shares of Pool from $229.00 to $226.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $273.67.

Pool News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results: Net sales rose 6%, operating income grew 7% and diluted EPS increased modestly; management confirmed FY26 EPS guidance of $10.87–$11.17, reaffirming confidence in the year. Pool Corporation Reports First Quarter Results and Confirms Annual Earnings Guidance Range
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction to the quarterly print: outlets reported the quarter beat certain expectations and the raised/confirmed guidance drew early positive commentary from investors. Pool Corp Q1 Earnings: EPS And Sales Beat Estimates, Stock Gains On Raised Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Independent summaries highlight operating income expansion, modest EPS growth (adjusted EPS +8% ex-tax benefit) and continued focus on service/greenfield investment as drivers of durable demand. Pool Corporation Reports Q1 2026 Results: Net Sales Up 6% with Operating Income Growth of 7%
• Neutral Sentiment: FY26 guidance was reiterated at $10.87–$11.17 (consensus ~$11.00) — essentially in line but not a material upside surprise, leaving room for mixed investor interpretation. FY26 guidance update
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst stance: some firms kept neutral/hold ratings citing balanced risk/reward amid macro uncertainty and margin pressure (William Blair maintained a Hold). Balanced Risk/Reward Keeps Pool at Hold Amid Margin Pressures, Inventory Build, and Macro Uncertainty
• Neutral Sentiment: Full earnings call and slides are available for details — useful for investors wanting management commentary on margin, inventory and capital allocation. Pool Corporation (POOL) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Inventory and leverage: inventory rose ~14% Y/Y to $1.7B and total debt increased by ~$223M (to fund ~$349M in share repurchases), raising concerns about working-capital management and higher interest expense. Pool Corporation Reports First Quarter Results and Confirms Annual Earnings Guidance Range
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure: gross margin contracted ~20 bps (to 29.0%) due to seasonal mix and customer “early buys”; analysts flagged margin trends as a near-term headwind. Pool Corp. (POOL) Tops Q1 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Institutional positioning and analyst downgrades: major funds trimmed positions recently (UBS, BlackRock among sellers) and at least one bank lowered expectations — adding selling pressure despite the quarter’s positives. Pool Corporation Reports Q1 2026 Results: Net Sales Up 6% with Operating Income Growth of 7%

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, SVP Romain Kenneth G. St bought 5,560 shares of the firm'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 transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 82,845 shares in the company, valued at $18,115,716.15. This trade represents a 7.19% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Melanie M. Hart sold 2,750 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total value of $605,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 18,039 shares in the company, valued at $3,968,580. This represents a 13.23% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 3.00% of the company's stock.

Pool 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.

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