Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. Lowers Stake in Pool Corporation $POOL

Key Points

• Oppenheimer Asset Management cut its stake in Pool by 57.8% in Q4, selling 5,984 shares and retaining 4,377 shares worth about $1.001 million.
• Pool’s board authorized a $600 million buyback (up to 7.8% of shares) and raised the quarterly dividend to $1.30 (annualized $5.20, ~2.8% yield).
• A sudden CEO departure and postponement of Investor Day have increased short‑term uncertainty even as the board named a new CEO, while Wall Street’s consensus rating remains a “Hold” with a $265.13 price target.

Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. cut its position in shares of Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL - Free Report) by 57.8% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,377 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after selling 5,984 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Pool were worth $1,001,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Torren Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter worth about $38,000. Comerica Bank grew its holdings in shares of Pool by 61.8% during the fourth quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 39,365 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $9,005,000 after buying an additional 15,030 shares in the last quarter. UBS Group AG grew its holdings in shares of Pool by 30.7% during the fourth quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 297,361 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $68,021,000 after buying an additional 69,797 shares in the last quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky grew its holdings in shares of Pool by 47.0% during the fourth quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 52,822 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $12,083,000 after buying an additional 16,890 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Pool by 10.9% during the fourth quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 9,313 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $2,130,000 after buying an additional 913 shares in the last quarter. 98.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Pool Stock Performance

Shares of POOL stock opened at $187.04 on Wednesday. Pool Corporation has a one year low of $186.94 and a one year high of $345.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 1.87. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $213.24 and a 200 day moving average price of $239.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 1.16.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $1.43 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.09. Pool had a net margin of 7.57% and a return on equity of 32.37%. The firm had revenue of $1.14 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.32 earnings per share. Pool's revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.870-11.170 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Pool Corporation will post 11.07 EPS for the current year.

Pool announced that its board has initiated a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, April 29th that allows the company to buyback $600.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the specialty retailer to purchase up to 7.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically an indication that the company's leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Pool Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 14th will be paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This is an increase from Pool's previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 14th. Pool's payout ratio is presently 46.00%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Pool news, CFO Melanie M. Hart sold 2,750 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were 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 directly owned 18,039 shares in the company, valued at $3,968,580. The trade was a 13.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director De La Mesa Manuel J. Perez acquired 5,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, March 13th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $205.00 per share, with a total value of $1,025,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, 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. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. 3.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Pool

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company reaffirmed full‑year 2026 outlook after Q1 results, which reduces near‑term earnings uncertainty and gives investors a concrete baseline to evaluate performance. Pool Corp. falls 5.5% as CEO transition and Investor Day postponement raise uncertainty
• Positive Sentiment: The board moved quickly to name John B. Watwood as President & CEO and appointed John E. Stokely as Executive Chair, which could limit leadership vacuum risk if the new team stabilizes strategy and communication. Pool Corporation Announces Leadership Transition
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains mixed — the street’s consensus is around a "Hold" and median price targets suggest meaningful upside from current levels, indicating divergent views on medium‑term upside. Pool Corporation NASDAQ: POOL Receives Average Recommendation of "Hold" from Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider activity over the past six months is mixed (several purchases and several sales), which provides no clear directional signal but is worth monitoring for follow‑through. Pool Corp. falls 5.5% as CEO transition and Investor Day postponement raise uncertainty
• Negative Sentiment: Sudden departure of long‑time CEO Peter D. Arvan is being viewed as a governance and execution risk by investors; unexpected management changes often prompt short‑term selling while stakeholders assess the new leadership. Pool Corporation Announces Leadership Transition
• Negative Sentiment: Investor Day postponement removed a planned forum for management to address strategy and questions, increasing short‑term information risk and contributing to downward pressure on the stock. Pool Corp. falls 5.5% as CEO transition and Investor Day postponement raise uncertainty

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Pool from a "sell (d)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Pool from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of Pool from $232.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Oppenheimer dropped their price target on shares of Pool from $346.00 to $280.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on shares of Pool from $320.00 to $300.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Pool presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $265.13.

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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