VELA Investment Management LLC Buys 9,611 Shares of Pool Corporation $POOL

Key Points

• VELA Investment Management increased its stake in Pool Corporation by 87.6%, buying 9,611 shares to hold 20,578 shares (about $4.71 million), representing roughly 1.1% of VELA’s portfolio and 0.06% of Pool’s stock.
• The company’s board authorized a $600 million share repurchase (≈7.8% of shares) and raised the quarterly dividend to $1.30 (annualized $5.20, yield ~2.5%), signaling management confidence and enhanced shareholder returns.
• Pool beat EPS ($1.43 vs. $1.34) but posted a significant revenue shortfall ($1.14B vs. ~$1.82B expected); shares are trading below key moving averages amid analyst cuts and a consensus rating of "Hold" with an average target of $265.13.

VELA Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL - Free Report) by 87.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 20,578 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 9,611 shares during the quarter. Pool makes up approximately 1.1% of VELA Investment Management LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest position. VELA Investment Management LLC owned 0.06% of Pool worth $4,707,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Pool in the third quarter worth about $29,000. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new stake in Pool during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new stake in Pool during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Private Trust Co. NA increased its position in Pool by 78.6% during the 4th 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 during the period. Finally, Allworth Financial LP increased its position in Pool by 133.3% during the 3rd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 126 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 98.99% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have weighed in on POOL shares. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on shares of Pool from $360.00 to $310.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Oppenheimer decreased their target price 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. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on shares of Pool from $230.00 to $215.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Pool from a "sell (d)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Pool from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Pool presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $265.13.

Trending Headlines about Pool

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Board authorized a large buyback — management approved up to $600 million in share repurchases (about 7.8% of shares), signaling confidence in the business and supporting EPS/float. RTT News
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend hike — Pool raised its quarterly dividend to $1.30 (a 4.0% increase), with an ex-dividend date of May 14, which strengthens the stock’s income profile for yield-seeking investors. TipRanks
• Neutral Sentiment: Third‑party mention — Pool was included in a Zacks roundup of companies increasing dividends amid market volatility, which may attract income-focused investors but is not unique news. Zacks
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail product noise — consumer stories and deep discounting on robot pool cleaners (flash sales and reviews) increase pool-product visibility but have ambiguous impact on Pool Corp’s pro-focused distribution and margins. MassLive
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue shortfall in last quarter — while Pool beat EPS, reported revenue ($1.14B) materially missed the consensus cited in the background, which has investors concerned about end-market demand and sustainable top-line momentum.
• Negative Sentiment: Technical and liquidity headwinds — shares are trading below the 50‑day and 200‑day moving averages and volume today is below average, which can amplify downside pressure as momentum traders step back.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Melanie M. Hart sold 2,750 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total value of $605,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 18,039 shares in the company, valued at $3,968,580. This trade represents a 13.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Romain Kenneth G. St bought 5,560 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 23rd. The stock was purchased at an average price of $218.67 per share, for a total transaction of $1,215,805.20. Following the completion of the acquisition, the senior vice president owned 82,845 shares in the company, valued at $18,115,716.15. This represents a 7.19% 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 company insiders.

Pool Price Performance

Pool stock opened at $208.09 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.14, a PEG ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 1.16. Pool Corporation has a 52-week low of $195.49 and a 52-week high of $345.00. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $213.93 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $240.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 1.87.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL - Get Free Report) last issued its 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 company had revenue of $1.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.82 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.32 EPS. Pool's quarterly revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.870-11.170 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Pool Corporation will post 11.07 earnings per share for the current year.

Pool Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 14th will be issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 14th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. This is an increase from Pool's previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. Pool's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.00%.

Pool announced that its board has approved a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, April 29th that authorizes the company to repurchase $600.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the specialty retailer to repurchase 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 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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding POOL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL - Free Report).

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.