Pool Corporation (POOL)
NEUTRALFundamental
61
Price
$184.69
Market Cap
$6.84B
Part 1 · What the company is worth
Overview
Pool Corporation is the world's largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool equipment and supplies, plus related backyard products such as irrigation and landscape lighting. It does not manufacture or sell to homeowners directly: it buys from hundreds of manufacturers and resells through 456 of its own sales centers across North America, Europe and Australia to roughly 125,000 professional customers — pool builders, retailers and service companies — who in turn serve the end consumer.
How it makes money
Pool Corporation makes its margin as a middleman: it buys in bulk from manufacturers at scale discounts and resells in the smaller quantities its professional customers need, adding convenience, local inventory and credit terms they could not get buying direct. About 64% of 2025 sales came from recurring maintenance and minor repair — chemicals, filters, pumps — a steady, weather-driven demand base, while the remaining 36% came from discretionary pool remodeling and new construction, which rise and fall with the housing market and interest rates.
Revenue by segment
Pool chemicals, filters, pumps and other recurring products that keep an existing pool running — non-discretionary, weather-driven demand.
Upgrades and renovations to existing pools, such as new equipment, resurfacing or added features — discretionary spending tied to home improvement budgets.
Equipment and materials for newly built pools — the most discretionary and interest-rate-sensitive category, and the first to slow when credit tightens.
Competitive moat
Scale · NarrowPool Corporation is roughly the size of its largest rivals combined, with 456 sales centers giving it purchasing power with manufacturers and same-day local inventory that a small regional distributor cannot match. That scale is a real advantage in a fragmented industry, but it is not unbreachable: some manufacturers sell direct, and competitors can build density in specific regions.
What drives demand
Moderately cyclicalMaintenance spending on existing pools is fairly steady and weather-driven, giving the business a defensive core. But over a third of sales — remodeling and new construction — depend on discretionary spending, housing activity and the cost of credit, and both categories slowed noticeably when interest rates rose.
Key risks
- Weather and seasonality — Most profit is earned in the second and third quarters; an unusually cool or rainy season reduces both pool usage and the urgency of maintenance and repair purchases.
- Interest rate sensitivity — New pool construction and larger remodeling projects are often financed; higher borrowing costs have already been shown to reduce demand for both discretionary categories.
- Discretionary spending exposure — A weaker economy, falling home values or lower consumer confidence reduce willingness to spend on remodeling and new pools, the more profitable, faster-growing side of the business.
- Fragmented, competitive distribution market — Pool Corporation competes with other national and regional distributors, mass-market retailers and online sellers, all bidding for the same professional customer base.
The case for
Buyers argue that Pool Corporation's scale and distribution density give it durable purchasing and service advantages in a fragmented industry, that the 64% maintenance base provides a defensive floor to revenue, and that discretionary demand for remodeling and new pools should recover as interest rates ease.
The case against
Sellers worry that the discretionary two-thirds of sales — remodeling and new construction — is directly exposed to interest rates and housing activity, that weather variability makes results lumpy quarter to quarter, and that scale advantages erode if manufacturers increasingly sell direct to professional installers.
Written by the editors, published on August 18, 2026
Direct competitors
Who this company fights with for the same customers
No editorial profile for this company yet
No competitor list for this company yet.
Balance Sheet & Liquidity
Revenue
$5.36B
Trailing 12 months (through 3/31/2026)
Net Income
$406M
Trailing 12 months (through 3/31/2026)
Free Cash Flow
$310M
Total Equity
$1.19B
Total Liabilities
$2.44B
Current Ratio
1.87
Interest Coverage
-
Debt/EBITDA
2.50
Earnings Per Share
Revenue & Net Income
Free Cash Flow
Income Breakdown
Historical statement
Margins over time
Debt over time
How heavy the debt is
Growth grid
Growth — Revenue
Fair Value Estimation
Fair Value
$224.19
Current Price
$184.69
Margin of Safety
+17.6%
Fair Value Range
$157.61 - $290.77
Estimation Methods
Valuation Metrics
P/E Ratio
17.30
ROE
34.3%
P/B Ratio
6.05
P/FCF
21.94
Gross Margin
29.7%
ROIC
16.8%
Profitability Radar
Value Creation (Economic Moat)
ROIC
16.8%
WACC
8.3%
ROIC − WACC
+8.5 pp
ROIC exceeds the cost of capital — the company is creating value for shareholders.
Fundamental Analysis Criteria
Passed (17)
- EPS shows upward trend
- EPS CAGR 14.00%
- Price CAGR 6.06%
- ROIC 16.8%
- P/FCF 21.94
- Debt/Equity ratio
- Operating Margin 10.9%
- Positive Free Cash Flow
- CapEx intensity
- Current Ratio
- Debt/EBITDA
- Return on Tangible Assets
- ROE 32.3%
- Revenue Growth 5Y 6.1%
- Earnings Quality (OCF/NI) 0.90
- Share Dilution -2.5%
- Piotroski F-Score 5/9
Failed (9)
- Gross Margin 29.7%
- P/B Ratio 6.05
- Low reliance on intangibles
- Price below Graham Number
- DCF valuation (Overvalued)
- Analyst Consensus 48% Buy
- Earnings Surprise avg -3.7%
- PEG Ratio 4.55
- Net Margin Trend 7.6% vs 7.8%
Unavailable (2)
- Dividend Payout NaN%
- Interest Coverage
Piotroski F-Score
Mixed signals: some areas need attention
Earnings Quality
Moderate: some gap between profits and cash
Share Dilution
Buying back shares. Shareholder friendly
Governance
Executive Team
| Name | Title | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. John E. Stokely | Executive Chairman | 72 |
| Ms. Melanie M. Housey Hart CPA | Senior VP, CFO & Treasurer | 52 |
| Ms. Jennifer M. Neil | Senior VP, Corporate Secretary & Chief Legal Officer | 51 |
| Mr. Kenneth G. St. Romain | Senior Vice President | 62 |
| Mr. John B. Watwood | President & CEO | 46 |
| Mr. Walker F. Saik | Chief Accounting Officer & Corporate Controller | 41 |
| Mr. Todd R. Marshall | VP & Chief Information Officer | - |
| Mr. Curtis J. Scheel | Director of Investor Relations | 66 |
| Ms. Carolyne K. Large | Vice President of Marketing | - |
| Mr. Luther A. Willems | VP & Chief Human Resources Officer | - |
Audit Risk
2
Board Risk
1
Compensation Risk
2
Shareholder Rights Risk
1
Part 2 · The price and when to enter
This part won't tell you whether the company is worth owning: it helps you choose when to buy it, once the fundamentals have convinced you. Inside: technical analysis, potential, historical drawdowns, gamma exposure.
Latest News
Recent headlines for POOL, sourced from Markets Gazette.
- 3/5/2026NEGATIVESteadfast Capital Liquidates Pool Corporation Position With $156 Million Exit
Steadfast Capital has liquidated its entire position in Pool Corporation, an exit valued at $156 million. Pool Corporation is a leading distributor of pool and outdoor living products, with a significant presence across North America, Europe, and Australia. The sale of such a substantial stake by an institutional investor can be interpreted as a signal of reduced confidence or a strategic profit-taking maneuver. For investors, this event raises questions about the stock's future outlook and may indicate impending selling pressure, potentially impacting the share price negatively.
- 2/27/2026NEGATIVEPool Stock Is Down 35% This Past Year, and One Fund Recently Disclosed Dumping a $10 Million Stake
Pool Corporation's stock has plummeted by 35% over the past year, a significant red flag for investors. This concerning trend was exacerbated by the recent disclosure that a fund divested a $10 million stake in the company. Such a move by institutional investors often signals a lack of confidence in the firm's future prospects. Pool Corporation, a distributor of pool supplies and equipment across North America, Europe, and Australia, faces questions regarding its operational challenges or revised growth expectations. The substantial capital outflow and poor stock performance suggest potential headwinds, making it a less attractive investment in the short to medium term.
via Markets Gazette