Core Viewpoint - Shares of Pool Corp are currently trading at a lower price than what Berkshire Hathaway paid, presenting a potential investment opportunity, but caution is advised due to market conditions and company performance [1][2]. Company Overview - Pool Corp is the world's largest wholesaler of pools, pool equipment, parts, and supplies, with a significant portion of its revenue derived from servicing and maintaining existing pools [8][10]. - Approximately 64% of Pool's revenue comes from servicing existing pools, while only 14% is from new pool installations [10]. Investment Activity - Berkshire Hathaway began acquiring shares of Pool Corp in Q3 2024, initially purchasing 404,057 shares valued at $152.2 million, and increased its stake to over $1 billion by Q2 2025 [3][4]. - The total stake held by Berkshire in Pool Corp reached 9.2% of the company [4]. Share Price Analysis - The lowest price Berkshire could have paid for Pool shares was $296.17 in Q3 2024, with prices fluctuating in subsequent quarters, reaching a low of $285 in Q2 2025 [5][6]. - Current trading price of Pool shares is $267.06, which is lower than any price Berkshire paid [7]. Market Conditions - Pool Corp's stock price surged during the pandemic due to increased demand for home leisure options, but has since declined due to rising mortgage rates and falling home construction starts [8][9]. - The market for new pool installations remains soft, which is expected to continue until the housing market improves [10]. Valuation and Investment Considerations - Pool Corp is currently trading at a below-average valuation of 26 times trailing earnings and offers a dividend yield of 1.73% [11]. - Long-term investors may find Pool Corp appealing despite near-term volatility, but it may be prudent to wait for signs of recovery in the housing market before investing [11].

Core Insights - Cash App has launched a new feature called Pools, aimed at simplifying group payments and enhancing peer-to-peer payment capabilities [1][3] - The feature allows users to create a shared balance for group payments, enabling contributions from both Cash App users and those using Apple Pay or Google Pay [2][3] - This launch is part of Cash App's strategy to regain market share against competitors like Venmo, which has shown significant revenue growth recently [4][5] Company Strategy - The introduction of Pools marks a strategic reset for Block, as the company aims to refocus on growing Cash App's user base after disappointing first-quarter results [6] - The company views each non-user contributing to a pool as a potential new user, emphasizing network expansion and virality of peer-to-peer products [8][11] - The development of Pools reflects a cultural shift within Block, characterized by rapid development and a focus on core functionalities [9][10] Market Context - Venmo has reported over 20% year-over-year revenue growth, indicating strong competition in the peer-to-peer payment space [4][5] - Cash App's CEO has acknowledged the need to enhance peer-to-peer engagement as a foundation for the app's success, despite expanding into banking and lending products [11][12] - The Pools feature is currently available to a limited number of users, with plans for broader rollout in the coming months [13]

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