GAMMA Investing LLC Invests $98,000 in Pool Co. (NASDAQ:POOL)

GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pool Co. (NASDAQ:POOL) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 263 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $98,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of POOL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in Pool by 56.7% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 865,362 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $308,156,000 after buying an additional 313,190 shares during the last quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. grew its stake in Pool by 463.2% in the third quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. now owns 240,623 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $85,686,000 after purchasing an additional 197,900 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its stake in Pool by 30,047.2% in the fourth quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 183,898 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $73,322,000 after purchasing an additional 183,288 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in Pool by 55.0% in the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 339,378 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $120,852,000 after purchasing an additional 120,427 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in Pool by 22.0% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 634,329 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $225,885,000 after purchasing an additional 114,298 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.99% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Pool

In other news, General Counsel Jennifer M. Neil sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $401.00, for a total transaction of $441,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now owns 8,622 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,457,422. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 3.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Pool Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ POOL opened at $371.17 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $14.29 billion, a PE ratio of 29.04, a P/E/G ratio of 3.54 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.88 and a quick ratio of 0.56. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $392.78 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $374.08. Pool Co. has a fifty-two week low of $307.77 and a fifty-two week high of $422.73.

Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The specialty retailer reported $1.85 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.87 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $1.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.13 billion. Pool had a net margin of 9.17% and a return on equity of 35.49%. Pool’s revenue was down 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.46 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Pool Co. will post 13.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pool Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 14th were issued a dividend of $1.10 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, March 13th. This represents a $4.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.19%. Pool’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 34.43%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

POOL has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus restated a “hold” rating and issued a $370.00 price target on shares of Pool in a research note on Tuesday, March 5th. Loop Capital downgraded Pool from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $380.00 to $415.00 in a research note on Monday, January 8th. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on Pool from $407.00 to $436.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 28th. Finally, TheStreet downgraded Pool from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $397.80.

Pool Profile

Pool Corporation distributes swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related leisure products in the United States and internationally. The company offers maintenance products, including chemicals, supplies, and pool accessories; repair and replacement parts for pool equipment, such as cleaners, filters, heaters, pumps, and lights; and building materials, such as concrete, plumbing and electrical components, functional and decorative pool surfaces, decking materials, tiles, hardscapes, and natural stones for pool installations and remodeling.