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Forensic Analysis · Durable-Goods Wholesale · as of Nov 8, 2026

Pool Corp (POOL)

A forensic read on Pool Corp built from its complete SEC filings — financial-health screens, earnings quality, red flags and a price-aware rating. Reproducible math, not opinion.

B · Sound & dependable
Forensic grade
Safe
Financial health
4.0
Distress distance
Clean
Earnings quality
3
Forensic signals
33.1%
ROE
-0.4%
Revenue growth

This free snapshot doesn't read filing or proxy text, so the auditor-quality and governance checks that can lower a grade were not evaluated (auditor quality, say on pay, board independence, going concern). Those checks only ever lower a grade, so the full analysis can land below the grade above but never above it — treat it as the most favourable reading, not the settled one.

Pool Corp earns a B (Sound & dependable) forensic quality grade, and its balance-sheet distress test reads 4.0, placing it in the Safe zone. 3 forensic signals were flagged in its latest SEC filings, led by shareholder returns.

What the filings flag

172% of FCF
FY2025
Shareholder returns. Returned $531M to shareholders (buybacks + dividends) in FY2025 — 172% of free cash flow. That is $222M (72%) more than free cash flow covered, and more than operating cash flow as well. New debt covered it: total debt rose $249M over FY2025, while cash rose $27M. A payout past free cash flow draws the balance sheet down in every year it continues, which isn't sustainable indefinitely. Counting the $23M of stock-based comp paid out in shares on top of that, the combined claim on free cash flow is 179%.
135d
FY2024→FY2025
Inventory days. Days inventory outstanding moved from 130 to 135 FY2024→FY2025 (against cost of goods sold; inventory +13% vs 0% in cost of sales). Inventory is building a little faster than sales — watch for markdowns.
$835,000
FY2023–FY2025
Goodwill impairments. Took $835,000 of goodwill writedowns across 2 years (FY2023 ($550,000), FY2025 ($285,000)) — about 0% of net income over the span. Writedowns mean past acquisitions underperformed what was paid for them.

Key fundamentals

Latest Revenue$5.29B
Revenue Growth YoY-0.4%
Revenue CAGR (2yr)-2.3%
Net Margin7.7%
Free Cash Flow$309.5M
Return on Equity33.1%
Debt / Equity1.01x

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Data from SEC EDGAR public filings · metrics as of Nov 8, 2026. Forensic signals flag probability, not certainty.

See a wrong number? Report an error with the filing it should match.