Pool Corporation $POOL is Villere ST Denis J & Co. LLC's 10th Largest Position

Key Points

• Villere ST Denis trimmed its POOL stake by 3.5% in Q4 to 123,110 shares, leaving Pool Corporation as its 10th-largest holding (about 2.8% of the firm's portfolio) and representing roughly 0.33% of POOL valued at $28.16 million.
• Q4 results missed expectations: POOL reported $0.84 EPS vs. $0.99 expected and $982.2M revenue vs. $999.1M (down 0.5% YoY), and provided FY2026 guidance of $10.85–$11.15 EPS while analysts project about $11.
• Insiders bought shares and ownership is concentrated: company insiders recently increased positions (director and an SVP bought shares), institutional ownership is ~98.99%, and analyst sentiment is mixed with a consensus "Hold" and a $273.67 target price.

Villere ST Denis J & Co. LLC trimmed its stake in Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL - Free Report) by 3.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 123,110 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after selling 4,476 shares during the period. Pool accounts for about 2.8% of Villere ST Denis J & Co. LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 10th biggest holding. Villere ST Denis J & Co. LLC owned about 0.33% of Pool worth $28,162,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of POOL. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in shares of Pool by 16.2% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 2,563,373 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $794,825,000 after purchasing an additional 357,643 shares during the period. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Pool by 1,301.7% in the 2nd quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 194,880 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $56,804,000 after acquiring an additional 180,977 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. increased its stake in shares of Pool by 157.8% in the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 113,284 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $35,126,000 after acquiring an additional 69,333 shares in the last quarter. Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Pool by 460.7% in the 3rd quarter. Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd. now owns 71,891 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $22,291,000 after acquiring an additional 59,070 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CI Investments Inc. increased its stake in shares of Pool by 274.4% in the 3rd quarter. CI Investments Inc. now owns 78,914 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $24,469,000 after acquiring an additional 57,835 shares in the last quarter. 98.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Pool Stock Performance

Shares of POOL stock opened at $234.22 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $218.02 and a 200-day moving average price of $243.35. Pool Corporation has a 52 week low of $195.49 and a 52 week high of $345.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.60 billion, a PE ratio of 21.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.96 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 2.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The specialty retailer reported $0.84 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.99 by ($0.15). Pool had a return on equity of 31.49% and a net margin of 7.67%.The company had revenue of $982.21 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $999.14 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.97 earnings per share. The business's revenue was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.850-11.150 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Pool Corporation will post 11 earnings per share for the current 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 paid a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 12th. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Pool's payout ratio is currently 46.13%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

POOL has been the subject of several research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Pool from $360.00 to $310.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d+)" rating on shares of Pool in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Pool from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of Pool from $230.00 to $215.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Pool from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Sunday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $273.67.

Key Headlines Impacting Pool

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks notes Pool is positioned for Q1 strength from maintenance demand, pricing actions and digital growth initiatives — factors that could support revenue and help stabilize comps heading into the season. However, Zacks also warns rising costs may limit margin upside. POOL Gears Up for Q1 Earnings: Can Maintenance Demand Drive Growth?
• Neutral Sentiment: Deals on robotic pool cleaners (up to 38% off) could lift accessory and replacement part sales ahead of pool season, a potential demand tailwind for Pool’s distribution business — but steep discounts industry-wide may compress margins. These Robotic Pool Cleaners Are Up to 38% Off Before Pool Season Starts
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of low-cost consumer pool products (example: a $36 inflatable pool) highlights continued demand at the entry-level/DIY segment; this can expand the market but also signals pricing competition for retail channels. Amazon's $36 inflatable pool is durable & spacious — can actually float in it
• Neutral Sentiment: An article on Berkshire Hathaway trimming several positions may signal institutional portfolio shifts; it’s unclear whether POOL is involved, so market impact is uncertain unless later filings show material selling. Berkshire Hathaway Is Selling Down These 4 Positions. Here's What That Means for Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Bank of America lowered expectations for POOL (coverage note reported), which can weigh on the stock by reducing analyst support and investor confidence — a clear near-term negative for sentiment. Bank of America Has Lowered Expectations for Pool NASDAQ: POOL Stock Price

Insider Transactions at Pool

In related news, Director De La Mesa Manuel J. Perez purchased 5,000 shares of Pool stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 13th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $205.00 per share, for a total transaction of $1,025,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 110,108 shares of the company's stock, valued at $22,572,140. The trade was a 4.76% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Romain Kenneth G. St purchased 5,560 shares of Pool stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 23rd. The stock was bought at an average price of $218.67 per share, with a total value of $1,215,805.20. Following the completion of the purchase, 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. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 3.00% of the company's stock.

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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