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POOLPool CorporationSell5.5·$180.95-2.46%
POOL · Why this verdict

Why Pool (POOL) is rated SELL

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictSELL
Overall score5.5/10
ConfidenceHIGH
MacroRISK_OFF

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

6.1/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E7.4
P/S9.5
EV/EBITDA4.1
Fwd P/E7.9
PEG1.1
Analyst target7.5
  • Forward P/E: 15.4x
  • PEG: 7.34

Quality

5.3/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE10.0
ROA6.3
Gross margin1.9
Op margin2.9
Net margin3.8
Current ratio6.6
FCF quality4.3
Moat5.4
Piotroski F6.7
  • Excellent ROE: 34%
  • Earnings quality warning: 55% FCF/NI
  • No competitive moat

Growth

3.2/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth4.0
EPS growth2.4

Momentum

6.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI4.5
MACD10.0
OBV10.0
MA position1.0
Volume5.5
  • Volume accumulation (rising OBV)
  • Below 200-MA, MA slope -6.7%/30d — confirmed downtrend

Sentiment

7.3/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
LLM sentiment5.8
Analyst rating7.0
Price target9.2
  • Analyst upside: 41%

Insider

6.2/10data confidence 75%
ComponentSub-score
materiality6.5
insider conviction7.1
holder change5.1
  • Modest insider buying — $4,964,297 (0.073% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

6.0/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank7.2
quality rank8.2
growth rank3.8
  • Attractive P/E vs peers
  • Superior ROE vs peers

Technical

4.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger5.1
support resistance5.2
52w position0.7
gap6.0

Risk (lower is worse)

4.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest3.9
days to cover6.8
volatility4.8
put call0.0
implied vol4.5
beta6.6
debt equity4.2
news risk6.0
  • Elevated put/call: 3.05
  • Concentration risks: 2 HIGH, 2 MED (10-K Item 1A — sized via position_sizing, validated via buy_confidence)

Catalyst

5.5/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm5.0
earnings history6.7
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg1.7
dividend safety6.5
news activity8.0
  • Strong earnings: 3B/1M
  • Dividend: 280.0%

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_SELL
Passed (7)
  • MOMENTUM:6.2>=5.5
  • ASYMMETRY:3.7>=1.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • NEWS_EVENTS:NONE_RECENT
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:44d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (0)

none

Warning (2)
  • DEATH_CROSS:momentum=6.2>=5.0 recovering
  • 8K_CSUITE_CHANGE:5.02 (officer departure/appointment)
Reward-to-Risk
3.73
Upside
+23.0%
Downside
6.2%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupRECOVERY Death cross but MACD improving, RSI 49

EdgeNO_EDGE No clear edge identified

SuitabilityMODERATE Balanced profile

Investment implication

The F-path SELL output reflects an overall score of 3.8 below the 5.6 soft trigger — multiple weakening dimensions accumulated rather than a single hard-floor breach. The strongest dimension ( Sentiment at 7.3) was not enough to lift the adjusted overall above the threshold. Current asymmetry R:R is 3.73 — supplementary context, not the trigger for this path.

The strongest dimensions are Sentiment at 7.3, Momentum at 6.2, and Insider at 6.2; the weakest are Growth at 3.2, Technical at 4.2, and Risk (lower is worse) at 4.6. The V9 engine cleared all gates with 2 warnings, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of 3.73 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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