Empowered Funds LLC Decreases Stake in Pool Corporation $POOL

Key Points

• Empowered Funds LLC cut its Pool Corporation stake by 65.9% in the first quarter, selling 6,352 shares and retaining 3,289 shares valued at approximately $665,000. Institutional investors collectively own 98.99% of Pool’s stock.
• Pool reported quarterly EPS of $5.38, slightly above analyst expectations, on $1.82 billion in revenue, up 2.2% year over year. The company issued fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $10.66–$10.96.
• Pool authorized a $600 million share-repurchase program and declared a quarterly dividend of $1.30 per share, representing a 2.6% annualized yield. Analysts maintain a consensus “Hold” rating with an average price target of $235.67.

Empowered Funds LLC lessened its position in shares of Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL - Free Report) by 65.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,289 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after selling 6,352 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC's holdings in Pool were worth $665,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Clearstead Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Pool by 100.0% during the fourth quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 122 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares during the last quarter. Private Trust Co. NA boosted its holdings in Pool by 78.6% in the fourth quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 125 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new position in Pool in the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Covestor Ltd increased its stake in Pool by 348.4% in the fourth quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 139 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new stake in Pool during the second quarter worth approximately $33,000. 98.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Pool Price Performance

POOL stock opened at $199.98 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $7.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.40, a PEG ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 1.06. Pool Corporation has a twelve month low of $172.68 and a twelve month high of $336.15. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $199.14 and a 200-day simple moving average of $211.46. The company has a current ratio of 2.67, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $5.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $5.33 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $1.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.82 billion. Pool had a net margin of 7.40% and a return on equity of 32.74%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $5.17 earnings per share. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.660-10.960 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Pool Corporation will post 10.95 EPS for the current year.

Pool declared that its board has initiated a share buyback program on Wednesday, April 29th that authorizes the company to buyback $600.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the specialty retailer to buy up to 7.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are typically an indication that the company's leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Pool Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 27th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 13th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 13th. Pool's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.84%.

Insider Transactions at Pool

In other Pool news, Director De La Mesa Manuel J. Perez acquired 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 13th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $175.95 per share, for a total transaction of $1,759,500.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 40,108 shares in the company, valued at $7,057,002.60. This trade represents a 33.21% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 3.00% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on POOL. Bank of America reduced their price objective on shares of Pool from $226.00 to $206.00 and set an "underperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Pool from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $185.00 price target on shares of Pool in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Zacks Research raised shares of Pool from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Pool from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pool currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $235.67.

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.

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