Pool AI Stock Analysis
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Pool (POOL) AI Stock Analysis
Pool
(NASDAQ:POOL)
Overall score is driven primarily by solid (but not accelerating) financial performance—strong recent cash generation and ROE tempered by margin compression and a post-2022 normalization in earnings power. Earnings-call tone and reaffirmed guidance add support, while technicals are mixed (improving trend but near-overbought and still below the 200-day), and valuation is reasonable with a supportive dividend yield.
Pool Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Number of Sales CentersCounts Pool's customer-facing sales centers, revealing the company’s local reach and capacity to serve professional and retail customers. Growth in centers typically signals geographic expansion or acquisitions that can boost revenue and market share, while closures or flat counts can indicate market saturation, integration challenges, or cost-cutting; comparing center growth to same-center sales helps separate footprint-driven revenue from underlying demand.
Pool built its footprint steadily for years but openings have slowed and the count has effectively plateaued in the last two quarters; the recent one‑for‑one open/close and management’s focus on greenfield ramping and network efficiency signal a shift from unit expansion to squeezing more productivity from the existing network. For investors, future growth is more likely to come from same‑center sales, POOL360 adoption, pricing and mix improvements rather than materially more sales centers—watch margins and freight headwinds, not center count, for near‑term catalysts.
The FlyPool (POOL) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
- Market Cap
- $7.77B
- Dividend Yield
- 2.37%
- Average Volume (3M)
- 778.98K
- Price to Earnings (P/E)
- 20.0
- Beta (1Y)
- 0.55
- Revenue Growth
- 2.90%
- EPS Growth
- -0.91%
- Country
- US
- Employees
- 6,000
- Sector
- Industrials
- Sector Strength
- 63
- Industry
- Industrial - Distribution
Pool Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Pool Corporation, established in 1993 and based in Covington, Louisiana, serves as a leading wholesale distributor of swimming pool essentials, outdoor living accessories, and related recreational merchandise. Operating extensively across the United...
How the Company Makes Money
Pool Corporation makes money primarily by purchasing pool and outdoor living products from manufacturers and selling them to trade customers through its wholesale distribution network. The company’s revenue is largely product-sales driven, with key s...
Pool Earnings Call Summary
The call was broadly constructive: third-quarter sales accelerated to 4%, several product categories and geographies grew, operating cash flow increased 47%, balance-sheet leverage remained within target, and full-year guidance was reaffirmed. Management also highlighted progress in sales excellence, pricing, technology, network optimization, and M&A. However, gross margin and operating income declined, freight and customer mix remained pressures, housing and discretionary demand were cautious, and fourth-quarter comparisons and the 2027 macro outlook remain challenging. Highlights significantly outweighed the explicitly stated challenges.
Q3-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Negative Updates
Company Guidance
For 2026, POOLCORP reaffirmed adjusted diluted EPS guidance of $10.87 to $11.17, with the midpoint implying growth of almost 3% over prior year, while the GAAP diluted EPS range remains $10.66 to $10.96, including the $0.21 of 1-time CEO transition expenses; full-year top line growth is expected between 3% and 4%, with a 3% contribution from pricing, October sales to date were up around 2%, full-year new pool builds are expected to be slightly lower below prior year, adjusted operating expenses are expected to grow less than sales growth with fourth quarter expense growth below the third, fourth quarter gross margin is expected to be slightly better than the third quarter but lower than what was reported last year, full-year interest expense is expected to be about $50 million, the full-year adjusted tax rate near 25%, weighted average shares outstanding should be about 36 million for the fourth quarter and 36.2 million for the full year, full-year cash flow from operations is expected to exceed net income, interest rate swaps are on track to reduce interest expense by approximately $9 million in 2026, and POOLCORP expects 1 less selling day for the full year in 2027; in a normalized environment, John Watwood referenced roughly 80 thousand new pools.
Pool Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Profitable distributor with strong TTM cash generation and high ROE, but financials show a clear downshift from 2021–2022 peak profitability (net margin compression), a choppy/flat revenue trajectory since 2022, and historically variable leverage and cash-flow consistency.
Income Statement
66PositiveBalance Sheet
58NeutralCash Flow
71Positive| Breakdown | TTM | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 5.45B | 5.29B | 5.31B | 5.54B | 6.18B | 5.30B |
| Gross Profit | 1.60B | 1.57B | 1.58B | 1.66B | 1.93B | 1.62B |
| EBITDA | 615.70M | 631.81M | 662.68M | 786.71M | 1.06B | 862.81M |
| Net Income | 395.95M | 406.40M | 434.32M | 523.23M | 748.46M | 650.62M |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 3.49B | 3.63B | 3.37B | 3.43B | 3.57B | 3.23B |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 105.66M | 104.96M | 77.86M | 66.54M | 45.59M | 24.32M |
| Total Debt | 1.52B | 1.54B | 1.27B | 1.36B | 1.66B | 1.43B |
| Total Liabilities | 2.26B | 2.44B | 2.09B | 2.12B | 2.33B | 2.16B |
| Stockholders Equity | 1.23B | 1.19B | 1.27B | 1.31B | 1.24B | 1.07B |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | 751.46M | 309.52M | 599.71M | 828.13M | 441.24M | 275.83M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 865.78M | 365.85M | 659.19M | 888.23M | 484.85M | 313.49M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -127.28M | -67.79M | -66.17M | -71.60M | -50.87M | -849.61M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -733.90M | -273.38M | -576.55M | -798.13M | -411.66M | 526.13M |
Pool Technical Analysis
Price Trends
Market Momentum
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For POOL, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 217.54 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 189.65, above the 50-day MA of 177.55, and above the 200-day MA of 199.22, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 12.12 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 66.73 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 78.41 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for POOL.
Pool Risk Analysis
Pool disclosed 24 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Pool reported the most risks in the "Macro & Political" category.
Latest Risks Added
0 New RisksPool Peers Comparison
Overall Rating
FAST81Outperform
WSO74Outperform
SITE68Neutral- POOL66.4Neutral
WCC65Neutral
CNM61Neutral
Financial Indicators
| Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAST | 81Outperform | $62.92B | 44.23 | 35.13% | 1.82% | 13.53% | 15.58% |
| WSO | 74Outperform | $12.88B | 27.39 | 16.24% | 4.14% | 0.30% | -12.05% |
| SITE | 68Neutral | $5.01B | 30.57 | 10.06% | ― | 2.89% | 22.77% |
| POOL | 66Neutral | $7.77B | 19.98 | 32.96% | 2.37% | 2.90% | -0.91% |
| WCC | 65Neutral | $15.41B | 19.51 | 15.21% | 0.62% | 13.50% | 26.11% |
| Sector * | 63Neutral | $10.79B | 15.43 | 7.44% | 2.01% | 2.89% | -14.66% |
| CNM | 61Neutral | $9.04B | 27.58 | 22.82% | ― | -0.54% | 7.59% |
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
| Show on chart | Ticker | Company Name | Price | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POOL | Pool Corporation | 217.54 | -26.61 | -10.90% | |
| FAST | Fastenal | 54.84 | 14.74 | 36.74% | |
| WSO | Watsco Inc | 311.47 | -25.34 | -7.52% | |
| WCC | Wesco International | 316.70 | 51.28 | 19.32% | |
| SITE | SiteOne Landscape | 116.16 | -10.25 | -8.11% | |
| CNM | Core & Main, Inc. Class A | 47.44 | -1.67 | -3.40% |
Pool Corporate Events
Pool Reappoints Stokely as Lead Independent Director
NeutralOn October 28, 2026, Pool Corporation’s board determined that John E. Stokely qualified as an independent director under Nasdaq standards and elected him lead independent director, a role he had previously held. Stokely left the interim Executive Cha...
Pool Corporation Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend Payment
PositiveOn October 28, 2026, Pool Corporation announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.30 per share. The dividend is scheduled to be paid on November 25, 2026 to shareholders of record as of November 11, 2026, reflecting...
Pool Corp Reports Solid Q3 Growth, Reaffirms Guidance
PositiveOn October 22, 2026, Pool Corporation reported third-quarter 2026 results showing 4% net sales growth to $1.5 billion, driven by price increases, maintenance activity and improving building materials, while operating income and net income each declin...
Pool Corporation Announces Senior Executive Leadership Transition
NeutralOn October 5, 2026, Pool Corporation announced that Senior Vice President Kenneth G. St. Romain will retire from his executive role effective December 31, 2026, following his earlier notice to the company in January 2026. After stepping down, St. Rom...
Pool Corporation Adds Independent Director to Board
PositiveOn September 23, 2026, Pool Corporation’s board appointed former Constellium chief executive Jean-Marc Germain as a director, effective September 30, 2026. His arrival expands the board from eight to nine members, with Germain serving until the 2027...
Pool Expands Receivables Facility to Boost Seasonal Liquidity
PositiveOn August 25, 2026, Pool Corporation subsidiaries amended their receivables securitization facility, extending its termination date to August 25, 2028 and raising the maximum facility limit to $400 million during the peak months of March through Sept...
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.
Date of analysis: Oct 28, 2026