Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) Releases Earnings Results

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The specialty retailer reported $1.43 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.34 by ($3.91), Zacks reports. The firm had revenue of $1.14 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.82 billion. Pool had a net margin of 7.67% and a return on equity of 31.49%. The business’s revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.32 earnings per share. Pool updated its FY 2026 guidance to 10.870-11.170 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Pool’s conference call:

• Reported a solid Q1 with net sales +6%, operating income +7%, a 10 bps operating margin expansion and EPS of $1.45, while management confirmed full‑year diluted EPS guidance of $10.87–$11.17.
• Category strength included chemicals +8% (driven by proprietary/private‑label lines), equipment +7% and building materials +5%, and digital penetration rose as Pool360 reached 13% of net sales—supporting margin and share gains.
• Capital allocation remained disciplined: the company repurchased ~$64M of stock in Q1 with ~$271M remaining authorizations, maintained a targeted measured expansion (only five new sales centers expected) and reiterated expense‑moderation plans to drive leverage.
• Inventory rose to $1.7 billion (up 14% YoY) due to early buys, new products and stocking, contributing to higher seasonal debt (~$1.2B) and increased interest expense, which could pressure cash flow if demand softens.
• Management reiterated its thesis that growth will be driven by the ~5.5M installed in‑ground pools (maintenance/remodel/share capture) rather than a recovery in new pool builds, and expects low single‑digit same‑day sales growth with gross margin roughly in line with 2025.

Pool Trading Down 0.8%

Shares of POOL stock traded down $1.84 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $232.38. The company had a trading volume of 454,239 shares, compared to its average volume of 799,202. Pool has a fifty-two week low of $195.49 and a fifty-two week high of $345.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.53 billion, a PE ratio of 21.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.96 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 2.24 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The company’s fifty day moving average is $218.02 and its 200 day moving average is $243.35.

Pool Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 26th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 12th were given a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 12th. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Pool’s dividend payout ratio is 46.13%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on POOL. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Pool in a report on Monday, December 29th. Oppenheimer dropped their target price on Pool from $346.00 to $280.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Pool from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Friday, March 27th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Pool from $240.00 to $232.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on Pool from $360.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $273.67.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Pool news, SVP Romain Kenneth G. St bought 5,560 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 23rd. The shares were purchased at an average price of $218.67 per share, with a total value of $1,215,805.20. Following the completion of the acquisition, the senior vice president directly owned 82,845 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,115,716.15. The trade was a 7.19% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Melanie M. Hart sold 2,750 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $220.00, for a total transaction of $605,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 18,039 shares in the company, valued at $3,968,580. The trade was a 13.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 3.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new position in shares of Pool in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new stake in Pool during the second quarter worth about $33,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in Pool by 164.4% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 156 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Pool during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Finally, CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC grew its stake in Pool by 42.7% during the third quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 398 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $123,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares during the period. 98.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Pool

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 top-line and operating improvement — Net sales increased ~6% and operating income rose ~7%, driven by resilient maintenance demand and improving discretionary categories, showing the business is gaining seasonal traction. GlobeNewswire Release
• Positive Sentiment: EPS and adjusted EPS growth — Diluted EPS rose to $1.45 (+2% GAAP; +8% adjusted excluding ASU tax benefit), a beat on some estimates, which supports the case for steady profitability into peak season. Zacks Q1 Coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Guidance confirmed — Management confirmed FY26 guidance of $10.87–$11.17 EPS (near analyst consensus), which limits downside from surprise cuts and signals confidence in the seasonal outlook. Quiver Quant Summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Share-repurchase activity — Management has funded substantial buybacks (~$349M over 12 months), which is EPS-accretive but was partially financed with incremental debt; investors weigh buyback benefits versus higher leverage. Quiver Quant Summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst backdrop mixed — Recent analyst price targets vary widely (median ~ $280) and at least one outlet reports lowered expectations from Bank of America, so broker reactions could keep the stock choppy. AmericanBankingNews
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure and inventory build — Gross margin compressed ~20 bps to 29.0% (seasonal mix and early-buy lower-margin sales), and inventories rose ~14% to $1.7B, which could weigh on near-term margin recovery and working-capital efficiency. GlobeNewswire Release
• Negative Sentiment: Higher leverage — Total debt rose by ~$222.6M to ~$1.2B to help fund repurchases, increasing interest expense and balance-sheet risk if demand or margins soften. Quiver Quant Summary

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.