Pool Corporation $POOL Shares Sold by California Public Employees Retirement System

Key Points

• California Public Employees Retirement System cut its Pool Corporation stake by 19.2% in the first quarter, though it still held 51,459 shares valued at about $10.4 million.
• Pool reported second-quarter EPS of $5.38, topping estimates, while revenue rose 2.2% year over year to about $1.82 billion. The company also reaffirmed its annual earnings guidance excluding CEO transition costs.
• Despite the earnings beat, FY2026 EPS guidance of $10.66 to $10.96 came in below market expectations, and analysts remain cautious with an overall “Hold” rating and average target price of $235.67.

California Public Employees Retirement System decreased its position in shares of Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL - Free Report) by 19.2% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 51,459 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after selling 12,266 shares during the period. California Public Employees Retirement System owned 0.14% of Pool worth $10,412,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of POOL. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in Pool by 16.2% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 2,563,373 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $794,825,000 after buying an additional 357,643 shares during the period. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in Pool by 3,831.9% in the 4th quarter. T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,001,987 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $457,955,000 after buying an additional 1,951,070 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley grew its holdings in Pool by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 1,371,772 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $313,794,000 after buying an additional 23,736 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in Pool by 21.6% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 837,658 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $191,614,000 after buying an additional 148,519 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Pool during the 4th quarter valued at about $97,612,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.99% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

POOL has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Stephens cut their price objective on shares of Pool from $290.00 to $225.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Pool from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Robert W. Baird set a $260.00 price target on shares of Pool in a research report on Friday. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Pool from $226.00 to $206.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $185.00 price target on shares of Pool in a report on Friday. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $235.67.

Pool News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pool reported second-quarter revenue of about $1.82 billion, up 2% year over year, with adjusted EPS of $5.38 beating estimates. The company also said recurring maintenance demand and building materials growth helped offset softness elsewhere. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Management confirmed its annual earnings outlook excluding CEO transition costs, suggesting the core business remains stable despite a mixed quarter. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary has been mixed-to-neutral, with at least one firm maintaining a Hold rating after the earnings release, reinforcing a wait-and-see stance. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Gross margin declined and operating income fell, with management pointing to higher freight costs, customer mix, muted discretionary demand, and weak new pool construction as headwinds. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: The company’s FY2026 EPS guidance of $10.66 to $10.96 came in below the market’s expectation, which may be weighing on investor sentiment. Article Title

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director John E. Stokely bought 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 7th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $193.06 per share, for a total transaction of $193,060.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 16,230 shares in the company, valued at $3,133,363.80. This represents a 6.57% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director David G. Whalen bought 525 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 8th. The stock was bought at an average price of $190.44 per share, with a total value of $99,981.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 8,936 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,701,771.84. This represents a 6.24% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Over the last three months, insiders purchased 21,989 shares of company stock valued at $4,042,747. 3.00% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Pool Price Performance

POOL opened at $183.77 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 2.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. Pool Corporation has a 52-week low of $172.68 and a 52-week high of $336.15. The company has a 50 day moving average of $196.10 and a two-hundred day moving average of $216.26. The company has a market cap of $6.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.91, a P/E/G ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.05.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $5.38 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $5.33 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $1.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.82 billion. Pool had a net margin of 7.40% and a return on equity of 32.74%. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $5.17 EPS. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.660-10.960 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Pool Corporation will post 10.98 earnings per share for the current year.

Pool Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, May 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 14th were given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. This is a boost from Pool's previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 14th. Pool's dividend payout ratio is 47.84%.

Pool announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, April 29th that permits the company to buyback $600.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the specialty retailer to reacquire up to 7.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are typically a sign that the company's leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Pool Company 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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