Core Insights - Pool Corp. is a leading distributor in the swimming pool supplies and equipment industry, serving various customers including pool builders and retailers [1] - CFRA upgraded Pool Corp.'s stock to a "Buy" rating on December 22, 2025, with a stock price of $232.30, indicating a positive outlook for the company [2] - Azureon, a competitor, has adopted ServiceTitan as its core technology platform to improve operational efficiency, which may affect Pool Corp.'s competitive position [3] Financial Performance - Pool Corp.'s current stock price is $232.30, reflecting a slight increase of 0.12%, with trading fluctuations between $231.06 and $234 on the day [4] - Over the past year, the stock has experienced volatility, with a high of $374.74 and a low of $229.63 [4] - The company has a market capitalization of approximately $8.68 billion and a trading volume of 658,433 shares, indicating its significant presence in the market [5] Competitive Landscape - The upgrade by CFRA and Azureon's strategic technology adoption highlight the competitive dynamics within the pool industry, suggesting potential growth and innovation opportunities [5][6]

Core Viewpoint - The article presents a list of 12 stocks that are recommended for investment during the countdown to the new year, highlighting their long-term growth potential and current market conditions. Group 1: Recommended Stocks - **Apple**: Expected to achieve an 11% gain for the year, with a strong brand and growing AI integration across products, which may drive future revenue growth [5][6]. - **Costco**: Trading at 43x forward earnings estimates, down from over 58x, with a strong business model and high membership renewal rates above 90% in the U.S. and Canada [7][9]. - **Carnival**: The world's largest cruise operator has returned to profitability and is paying down debt, trading at only 11x forward earnings estimates [11][12]. - **Intuitive Surgical**: A leader in robotic surgery with a strong moat due to high costs of its systems and recurrent revenue from instruments and accessories [13][15]. - **Vertex Pharmaceuticals**: Leading in cystic fibrosis treatment with strong revenue and growth potential in new treatment areas [16][18]. - **Coca-Cola**: Strong brand and distribution network with a history of dividend increases for over 50 consecutive years, making it a solid choice for passive income [19][20]. - **Pool Corp.**: The largest supplier of pool equipment, trading at 22x forward earnings estimates, with consistent demand for maintenance services [21][22]. - **Amazon**: A leader in e-commerce and cloud computing, benefiting from AI growth, with AWS reporting a $132 billion annual revenue run rate [24][25]. - **Target**: Facing challenges but may recover in 2026, trading at 13x forward earnings estimates, presenting a potential buying opportunity [27][28]. - **CRISPR Therapeutics**: Recently approved a blood disorder treatment, with expected significant growth in the coming year [29][30]. - **Broadcom**: A networking giant emerging as a potential AI chip winner, with high demand for custom chips [31][32]. - **Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing**: A key player in chip production for AI, benefiting from multiple clients and significant investments in U.S. manufacturing [33][34].

Company Overview - Pool Corporation, based in Covington, Louisiana, is the world's leading independent distributor of swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related leisure products, with a market cap of $8.9 billion and operations in hundreds of locations serving over 125,000 wholesale customers globally [1]. Market Position - Pool Corporation is classified as a mid-cap stock, fitting the description of companies valued between $2 billion and $10 billion, with extensive operations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia [2]. Stock Performance - Pool's stock has experienced a significant decline, with prices dropping 35.9% from its 52-week high of $374.74 on March 10, and a 26.3% decrease over the past three months, underperforming the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLI) 3.4% increase during the same period [3]. - Year-to-date, Pool's stock has fallen 29.5%, and over the past 52 weeks, it has decreased by 35%, contrasting with XLI's 19% surge in 2025 and 13.8% returns over the past year [4]. Recent Financial Results - Following the release of better-than-expected Q3 results on October 23, Pool's stock saw a slight uptick, maintaining momentum from Q2 with top-line growth and margin expansion [5]. - For Q3, Pool's revenue increased by 1.3% year-over-year to approximately $1.5 billion, surpassing market expectations by 14 basis points, while adjusted EPS rose 4% year-over-year to $3.39, exceeding consensus estimates by 30 basis points [6]. Competitive Analysis - Compared to its peer Leslie's, Inc., which saw a 94.6% decline in 2025 and a 95.1% drop over the past 52 weeks, Pool has notably outperformed [7]. - Among 15 analysts covering Pool stock, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," with a mean price target of $329.27, indicating a potential upside of 37% from current price levels [7].

Core Insights - Warren Buffett is preparing Berkshire Hathaway for long-term success despite his impending retirement as CEO, with a planned transition to successor Greg Abel in 2025 [1][3] Investment Highlights - Berkshire Hathaway's Class A shares have increased by approximately 6,118,000% since Buffett took over, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's gain of less than 46,000% during the same period [2] - Buffett has made substantial investments in five key stocks for 2026, indicating confidence in their future performance [5] Alphabet (GOOGL) - Berkshire purchased 17,846,142 shares of Alphabet during the September-ended quarter, marking a significant investment in the company [6] - Alphabet holds a dominant position in the global internet search market, with a share of 89% to 93%, and is also a major player in cloud services, with Google Cloud's sales growing over 30% year-over-year [8][9] Sirius XM Holdings (SIRI) - Berkshire has acquired 7,338,544 shares of Sirius XM, holding over 37% of the company's outstanding shares [10] - Sirius XM operates as a legal monopoly in satellite radio, with 76% of its net sales coming from subscriptions, providing stability during economic downturns [11][12] Domino's Pizza (DPZ) - Berkshire has consistently purchased Domino's stock, acquiring 599,945 additional shares in 2025 [15] - Domino's has successfully rebuilt customer trust and is leveraging technology to enhance its operations, contributing to steady growth [16][17] UnitedHealth Group (UNH) - Berkshire purchased 5,039,564 shares of UnitedHealth Group, capitalizing on a price dislocation caused by management's warnings of higher costs [20][21] - The company's health insurance operations are predictable and profitable, with a focus on mitigating costs in its Medicare Advantage segment [22] Pool Corp. (POOL) - Berkshire has added 2,860,196 shares of Pool Corp over four consecutive quarters, benefiting from the cyclical nature of the pool and spa industry [26][27] - Pool Corp generates recurring revenue from maintenance and accessories, providing cash flow stability, and has a strong capital-return program [28][29]

Core Viewpoint - Warren Buffett's recent investment in Pool Corp. has underperformed significantly, raising questions about the long-term potential of this stock [1][2]. Performance Analysis - Over the past year, Pool Corp.'s stock has declined from approximately $400 to around $245, representing a 33% loss for investors who bought in around the same time as Berkshire Hathaway [3]. - In contrast, the S&P 500 has increased by about 14% during the same period, indicating that Pool has underperformed the broader market by approximately 47 percentage points [4]. - Over the medium term, Pool's stock has decreased by about 26% over the last three years and 25% over the last five years, which is still poor when compared to the S&P 500's nearly 75% and 100% growth, respectively [5][7]. - The opportunity cost of investing in Pool has been substantial, with losses of about 100 percentage points over three years and 125 percentage points over five years compared to the S&P 500 [7]. Dividend Impact - Pool Corp.'s small dividend has had minimal impact on mitigating losses, with reinvesting dividends only reducing five-year losses by approximately 1.75% [8]. Future Outlook - While Pool's stock is currently struggling, there is potential for recovery if the real estate market improves, although the timing of such a recovery is uncertain [9]. - The situation serves as a reminder that even for long-term investors, continuous monitoring of investments is essential to ensure alignment with investment goals [9].

Core Viewpoint - There is a strong long-term Buy thesis for Pool Corporation (POOL) at current valuations, indicating good value despite being near 5-year lows [1] Company Analysis - Pool Corporation is recognized for its effective execution in the market, suggesting a solid operational performance [1] - The analysis emphasizes a long-term perspective on value creation, indicating confidence in the company's future growth potential [1] Investment Strategy - The approach combines rigorous risk management with a focus on macroeconomic trends, corporate earnings, and financial statement analysis, aiming to provide actionable investment ideas [1]

Core Viewpoint - There is a strong long-term Buy thesis for Pool Corporation (POOL) at current valuations, indicating good value despite being near 5-year lows [1]. Group 1: Company Analysis - Pool Corporation is recognized for its effective execution, suggesting strong operational performance [1]. - The analysis emphasizes a long-term perspective on value creation, indicating confidence in the company's future growth potential [1]. Group 2: Analyst Background - The analyst has over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management, highlighting a robust background in equity valuation and market trends [1]. - The analyst's previous role as Vice President at Barclays involved leading teams in model validation and stress testing, showcasing expertise in both fundamental and technical analysis [1]. - The research approach combines rigorous risk management with a focus on macroeconomic trends and corporate earnings, aiming to provide actionable investment ideas [1].

Core Viewpoint - Airbus has initiated a significant recall affecting 6,000 A320 family jets, leading to widespread flight cancellations and delays globally, as safety concerns arise from a recent incident involving the aircraft [1][11]. Group 1: Recall Details - The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) mandated immediate repairs for the A320 aircraft, emphasizing that "safety is paramount" [1]. - The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring specific software modifications for certain Airbus planes [2]. - Airbus indicated that while most fixes involve simple software changes, a subset of jets will require more extensive hardware modifications, with the number needing extensive fixes being lower than initial estimates of 1,000 [3]. Group 2: Impact on Airlines - Major airlines such as Delta, United, and American Airlines reported varying impacts, with American Airlines stating that 209 of its 480 A320 aircraft would require fixes, expecting completion by Saturday [5]. - In Australia, Jetstar cancelled 90 flights due to the issue, affecting a significant number of passengers [6]. - ANA Holdings in Japan cancelled 65 flights, indicating potential further cancellations [7]. - Other airlines, including Lufthansa, IndiGo, and easyJet, also reported disruptions but some had already completed necessary updates [8][10]. Group 3: Incident Background - The recall was triggered by an incident involving a JetBlue flight that experienced a sudden drop in altitude, resulting in injuries to passengers [12]. - The problem was traced to the elevator and aileron computer (ELAC), which is critical for flight control [13]. Group 4: Industry Context - The recall represents one of the largest in Airbus's history and comes at a time when airline repair shops are already facing capacity shortages due to other maintenance demands [14]. - There are approximately 11,300 A320-family aircraft in operation worldwide, with 6,440 being the core A320 model [14].

Core Insights - Warren Buffett continues to invest in value stocks through Berkshire Hathaway, focusing on both existing and new holdings in 2025 [1][2] Group 1: Notable Investments - Constellation Brands Inc. (STZ) has seen Buffett increase his holdings to over $1 billion, as the company diversifies into non-alcoholic options to meet rising demand [3][4] - Pool Corp. (POOL) benefits from increased demand for pool maintenance, with Buffett's holdings nearing $450 million [5] - Domino's Pizza Inc. (DPZ) remains a focus for Buffett despite recent struggles, with a price-to-earnings ratio around 24, indicating potential value [6] - Sirius XM (SIRI) has over $2.7 billion in holdings from Buffett, who views the stock as a value opportunity despite recent price drops [7] - HEICO Corp (HEI) is positioned for growth due to increased defensive spending and government contracts, with Buffett continuing to invest since 2025 [8]

Core Viewpoint - Pool Corporation (POOL) has experienced a significant decline in share value, losing 37% over the past year due to a weak pool construction market and consumers postponing expensive discretionary purchases [1] Company Performance - The company's stock performance has been poor, with a 37% decrease in value over the last year [1] Market Conditions - The pool construction market remains persistently weak, impacting consumer spending on discretionary items [1]