Stifel Nicolaus Raises Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) Price Target to $235.00

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) had its price objective hoisted by Stifel Nicolaus from $210.00 to $235.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “hold” rating on the specialty retailer’s stock. Stifel Nicolaus’ price objective suggests a potential upside of 7.08% from the company’s current price.

A number of other research firms have also recently weighed in on POOL. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Pool from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Zacks Research raised Pool from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Weiss Ratings lowered Pool from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Bank of America cut their target price on Pool from $229.00 to $226.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Pool from $230.00 to $215.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $264.50.

Pool Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:POOL opened at $219.47 on Monday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $194.74 and a 200 day moving average of $219.23. The company has a market cap of $8.00 billion, a PE ratio of 20.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 1.05. Pool has a 12-month low of $172.68 and a 12-month high of $345.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.87, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $1.43 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $1.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations 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 quarter last year, the business earned $1.32 EPS. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.870-11.170 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Pool will post 11.08 EPS for the current year.

Pool declared that its board has approved a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, April 29th that permits the company to buyback $600.00 million in 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 often a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at Pool

In other Pool news, Director David G. Whalen purchased 525 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 8th. The shares were bought at an average price of $190.44 per share, with a total value of $99,981.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 8,936 shares in the company, valued at $1,701,771.84. This trade represents a 6.24% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director James D. Hope acquired 464 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 7th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $194.41 per share, with a total value of $90,206.24. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 3,678 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $715,039.98. The trade was a 14.44% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders bought 21,989 shares of company stock valued at $4,042,747. 3.00% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in POOL. Clearstead Advisors LLC grew its position in Pool by 100.0% in the fourth quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 122 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Private Trust Co. NA lifted its stake 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 valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pool in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Covestor Ltd increased its position in shares of Pool by 348.4% during the 4th quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 139 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc bought a new position in shares of Pool during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Institutional investors own 98.99% 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.