Pool Corporation $POOL Shares Acquired by Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.

Key Points

• Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. massively increased its Pool Corporation stake in Q4, buying more than 83,000 shares and lifting its holding to 84,218 shares worth about $19.3 million.
• Insider buying has also been notable, with directors Manuel J. Perez de la Mesa and James D. Hope purchasing shares; insiders have bought 32,549 shares worth about $6.28 million over the past three months.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed, with a consensus Hold rating and an average price target of $261.38, while the stock recently traded near $178.54, below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its position in shares of Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL - Free Report) by 10,170.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 84,218 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 83,398 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. owned about 0.23% of Pool worth $19,265,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter worth about $4,575,000. ELCO Management Co. LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter worth about $633,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter worth about $306,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Pool by 24.8% during the fourth quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,328 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $533,000 after purchasing an additional 462 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Gateway Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter worth about $659,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.99% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Pool news, Director De La Mesa Manuel J. Perez acquired 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 13th. The shares were bought at an average price of $175.95 per share, with a total value of $1,759,500.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 40,108 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,057,002.60. This trade represents a 33.21% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director James D. Hope acquired 464 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 7th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $194.41 per share, for a total transaction of $90,206.24. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 3,678 shares in the company, valued at $715,039.98. This represents a 14.44% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have bought 32,549 shares of company stock worth $6,283,552 in the last three months. Company insiders own 3.00% of the company's stock.

Pool News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pool shares were highlighted in a GuruFocus piece noting the stock had surged recently and that its valuation/quality metrics may still appeal to investors looking for a rebound. Pool Corp (POOL) Shares Surge 3.4% -- What GF Score of 78 Tells Investors
• Positive Sentiment: News flow around pool season and consumer interest in pool accessories may be supporting a better outlook for Pool Corporation’s core market heading into summer. These 7 items are all you need to prepare your pool for summer
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks Research made only minor changes to its earnings estimates for Pool, nudging FY2026 EPS slightly higher while trimming Q2 2026, Q2 2027 and FY2028 estimates by small amounts. The firm kept a Hold rating, which does not signal a major change in outlook.
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle articles about pools and pool-themed products add visibility to the category, but they do not directly change Pool Corporation’s fundamentals or earnings outlook. Turn Dollar Tree Pool Noodles Into Adorable Garden Decor You'll Love
• Negative Sentiment: Pool still faces a weak technical setup, with the stock trading far below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, suggesting investors remain cautious despite recent gains.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Oppenheimer cut their target price on Pool from $346.00 to $280.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Weiss Ratings cut Pool from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. Zacks Research raised Pool from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Bank of America lowered their price target on Pool from $229.00 to $226.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Pool from $230.00 to $215.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Pool has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $261.38.

Pool Stock Performance

NASDAQ POOL opened at $178.54 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 1.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. Pool Corporation has a 52-week low of $172.68 and a 52-week high of $345.00. The business's 50-day moving average price is $205.70 and its 200 day moving average price is $231.16. The firm has a market cap of $6.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.43, a P/E/G ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 1.16.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.09. Pool had a return on equity of 32.37% and a net margin of 7.57%.The firm had revenue of $1.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.82 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.32 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.870-11.170 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Pool Corporation will post 11.08 earnings per share for the current year.

Pool announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share buyback plan on Wednesday, April 29th that allows the company to repurchase $600.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the specialty retailer to reacquire up to 7.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the company's management 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 issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 14th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. This is a boost from Pool's previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. Pool's dividend payout ratio is presently 47.84%.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.