Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) Price Target Raised to $240.00 at Stifel Nicolaus

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) had its target price hoisted by research analysts at Stifel Nicolaus from $232.00 to $240.00 in a research report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “hold” rating on the specialty retailer’s stock. Stifel Nicolaus’ target price would indicate a potential upside of 4.95% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other analysts have also issued reports on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on Pool from $360.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Wall Street Zen lowered Pool from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Sunday, April 19th. Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on Pool from $320.00 to $300.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 20th. Zacks Research lowered Pool from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Pool in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $274.56.

Pool Stock Down 2.4%

NASDAQ POOL opened at $228.68 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $8.39 billion, a PE ratio of 21.10, a P/E/G ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 1.26. Pool has a fifty-two week low of $195.49 and a fifty-two week high of $345.00. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $217.20 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $243.25. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 2.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $1.14 billion during 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 quarterly revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.32 earnings per share. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.870-11.170 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Pool will post 11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Romain Kenneth G. St purchased 5,560 shares of Pool stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 23rd. The stock was bought 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 owned 82,845 shares in the company, valued at $18,115,716.15. The trade was a 7.19% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Melanie M. Hart sold 2,750 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 18,039 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,968,580. This trade represents a 13.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Company insiders own 3.00% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Pool

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Caledonia Investments PLC increased its position in shares of Pool by 5.2% in the third quarter. Caledonia Investments PLC now owns 160,887 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $49,886,000 after acquiring an additional 8,000 shares in the last quarter. Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. boosted its stake in Pool by 43.9% in the 3rd quarter. Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. now owns 40,719 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $12,626,000 after purchasing an additional 12,424 shares during the period. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated acquired a new position in Pool in the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,399,000. Swedbank AB grew its position in Pool by 13.0% during the 3rd quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 138,334 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $42,893,000 after purchasing an additional 15,915 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pool by 42.2% in the third quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 15,333 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $4,741,000 after purchasing an additional 4,551 shares in the last quarter. 98.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Pool

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat on EPS and showed revenue growth: net sales rose ~6% to about $1.14B, operating income grew ~7%, and GAAP diluted EPS was roughly $1.45 (adjusted EPS +8% y/y). The company reiterated FY2026 EPS guidance of $10.87–$11.17, supporting the view of steady underlying performance. Pool Corp Press Release
• Positive Sentiment: Earnings call tone was constructive: management highlighted resilient maintenance demand, gradual recovery in discretionary categories, contribution from greenfield investments and early signs of operating expense leverage as new centers mature — signals that execution is intact. Earnings Call Summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst reactions are mixed: some outlets noted an initial positive market reaction to the print, but major analysts keep a cautious stance as the story balances growth with margin/inventory risks. Read the call transcript for detail. Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Inventory and leverage grew materially: inventory rose ~14% to ~$1.7B ahead of seasonality and expanded product mix, and total debt increased by ~$222.6M to ~$1.2B largely to fund ~$349M of share repurchases — raising concerns about working capital management and higher interest expense. These items increase near-term financial risk. QuiverQuant Q1 Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressures and expense trends: gross margin slipped ~20 bps (to 29.0%) due to mix and early buy activity, while selling & admin expenses rose ~5% y/y. William Blair and other analysts flag margin pressure, inventory build and macro uncertainty — a key reason for neutral/hold stances. Analyst Note (TipRanks)
• Negative Sentiment: Investor positioning and insider activity: data show some large institutional trimming and a mix of insider buys and sales (including recent insider sales), which can amplify downward pressure when combined with the operational cautions above. QuiverQuant Ownership & Insider Data

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.