Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) Director John Stokely Acquires 1,000 Shares

Key Points

• Director John Stokely bought 1,000 shares of Pool Corp. at an average price of $193.06, increasing his holdings by 6.57% to 16,230 shares.
• Pool reported Q1 earnings above estimates with EPS of $1.43 versus $1.34 expected, while revenue rose 6.2% year over year to $1.14 billion.
• The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.30 per share and authorized a $600 million share repurchase program, even as the stock traded near its 52-week low.

Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL - Get Free Report) Director John Stokely bought 1,000 shares of Pool 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 acquisition, the director owned 16,230 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,133,363.80. The trade was a 6.57% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

Pool Trading Down 1.8%

NASDAQ:POOL traded down $3.41 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $187.04. 592,542 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 830,944. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.23, a PEG ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 1.16. Pool Corporation has a 52 week low of $184.50 and a 52 week high of $345.00. The firm's 50 day moving average is $212.09 and its two-hundred day moving average is $237.58. 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 (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, beating the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $1.14 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.82 billion. Pool had a net margin of 7.57% and a return on equity of 32.37%. The firm's revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.32 EPS. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.870-11.170 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Pool Corporation will post 11.07 earnings per share for the current year.

Pool Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 28th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 14th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 14th. This is a positive change from Pool's previous quarterly dividend of $1.25. Pool's payout ratio is currently 47.84%.

Pool declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock 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 purchase up to 7.8% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are generally a sign that the company's management believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pool

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pool in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pool in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new stake in shares of Pool in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Pool by 100.0% in the 4th quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 122 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares during the period. Finally, Private Trust Co. NA lifted its position in shares of Pool by 78.6% in the 4th quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 125 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.99% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Pool from $230.00 to $215.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on shares of Pool from $232.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Bank of America lowered their price objective on shares of Pool from $229.00 to $226.00 and set an "underperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective 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. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Pool from a "sell (d)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $265.13.

Key Pool News

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst note: Seeking Alpha highlights that an abrupt CEO change has not disrupted reported earnings and that at least one firm raised its rating on POOL, which supports near-term confidence in the company’s operating performance. Pool Corporation: Abrupt CEO Change Doesn't Disrupt Earnings (Rating Upgrade)
• Positive Sentiment: Recent results and guidance: Pool beat Q1 EPS (reported $1.43 vs. $1.34 consensus), delivered modest revenue growth year‑over‑year, and set FY2026 EPS guidance of $10.87–$11.17, roughly in line with analyst expectations—factors that support valuation and earnings visibility.
• Neutral Sentiment: Weather-adaptive AI for pools: Coverage on emerging “weather‑adaptive” AI for pool systems points to potential longer‑term product/service innovation (automation, energy/chemistry optimization), but adoption and revenue impact for Pool Corp are speculative at this stage. Weather-Adaptive AI Just Reached the Pool. Here's What That Mean
• Neutral Sentiment: Local demand signals and consumer content: Several consumer pieces—regional “Are Pool Builders West Palm Beach Worth Hiring Now?”, Investopedia on pool financing, People.com product reviews, and a discounted robotic cleaner deal—show steady consumer interest and product spending but don’t directly change Pool Corp’s near‑term revenue visibility. Are Pool Builders West Palm Beach Worth Hiring Now? Swimming Pool Financing: What To Know The Best Suction and Pressure-Side Pool Cleaners, Tested and Reviewed DREAME Z1 Pro Robotic Pool Cleaner is now cheaper than Black Friday
• Negative Sentiment: Technical/valuation and uncertainty: Despite the EPS beat, shares are trading near their 12‑month low with the 50‑day moving average below the 200‑day, lower-than-average intraday volume, and modest leverage (debt/equity ~1.09). The abrupt CEO change, while not yet reflected in results, creates short‑term governance/uncertainty risk that can pressure the 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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