VELA Investment Management LLC Reduces Stock Holdings in Pool Corporation $POOL

VELA Investment Management LLC decreased its stake in shares of Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL) by 9.0% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 33,118 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 3,265 shares during the quarter. Pool makes up about 1.5% of VELA Investment Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest position. VELA Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Pool were worth $7,117,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. lifted its stake in Pool by 197.5% during the 1st quarter. Deprince Race & Zollo Inc. now owns 170,676 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $34,533,000 after acquiring an additional 113,306 shares during the period. Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Pool in the fourth quarter worth $4,575,000. King Luther Capital Management Corp raised its holdings in shares of Pool by 236.4% during the fourth quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp now owns 11,146 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $2,550,000 after purchasing an additional 7,833 shares during the last quarter. CenterBook Partners LP purchased a new position in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter worth $3,381,000. Finally, LRT Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pool during the fourth quarter worth $1,188,000. 98.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Pool Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ POOL opened at $185.22 on Monday. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $197.77 and its 200 day moving average price is $201.72. Pool Corporation has a 1 year low of $172.68 and a 1 year high of $336.15. The company has a market capitalization of $6.73 billion, a PE ratio of 17.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 2.67.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $5.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.33 by $0.05. Pool had a net margin of 7.40% and a return on equity of 32.74%. The company had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.82 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $5.17 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Pool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.660-10.960 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Pool Corporation will post 10.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Pool Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 27th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 13th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 13th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. Pool’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 47.84%.

Key Headlines Impacting Pool

Here are the key news stories impacting Pool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Recent fundamentals remain supportive: Pool Corporation’s latest quarterly earnings slightly exceeded analyst expectations, while revenue increased year over year. Management’s fiscal 2026 EPS guidance also remains a key reference point for investors evaluating the stock’s recovery potential.
• Neutral Sentiment: Roborock introduced its first robotic pool cleaner at IFA 2026. The product could expand consumer interest in pool-maintenance equipment and potentially create a new category for distributors, although the reports do not indicate whether Pool Corporation will distribute the device. Roborock Launched Its First-Ever Robot Pool Cleaner
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles about pool heating, water treatment, pool-closing supplies and commercial pool services point to ongoing maintenance and renovation demand across the industry. However, they are general market stories and do not provide new revenue or earnings information for POOL. Electrification Trends Strengthen the Case for Heat-Based Pool Heating
• Negative Sentiment: Roborock’s entry into robotic pool cleaning could increase competition in equipment and maintenance products over time. The near-term impact on Pool Corporation appears limited because there is no indication of a direct relationship or material effect on its financial outlook. Roborock’s first robotic pool cleaner

Analysts Set New Price Targets

POOL has been the subject of a number of research reports. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Pool in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $185.00 price objective on Pool in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Bank of America decreased their price objective on Pool from $226.00 to $206.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 20th. Robert W. Baird set a $260.00 target price on Pool in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Oppenheimer dropped their target price on Pool from $280.00 to $227.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 24th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $233.10.

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.