Pool Corporation (POOL)
Pool Corporation is the largest wholesale distributor of swimming-pool supplies and outdoor-living products.
POOL vs WSM: how the two businesses compare
- Bigger business: WSM, with $7.8B of yearly revenue, about 1.5× POOL's $5.3B.
- More profitable: WSM keeps 14 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 8 cents at POOL.
- More cash from each sale: WSM turns 17 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 7 cents at POOL.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
Williams-Sonoma (WSM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $7.8B in its fiscal year ended Feb 2026, about 1.5× POOL's $5.3B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). POOL's net margin was 7.7% and WSM's 13.9%. The SEC classifies them differently (Wholesale-Misc Durable Goods; Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry.
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Consumer Discretionary
- Different
- Separate classifications
- Different
- POOL December 31 · WSM January 31
- Mar 26, 2026
POOL vs WSM: quick comparison
| Company fact | POOL | WSM |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Pool Corporation | Williams-Sonoma, Inc. |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| SEC industry | Wholesale-Misc Durable Goods | Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | January 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-02-26 | 10-K · 2026-03-26 |
POOL vs WSM: audited financials
- Scale: WSM's $7.8B of revenue is about 1.5× POOL's $5.3B.
- Net margin: WSM kept 13.9% of revenue as net income versus 7.7% at POOL.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled POOL 6.9% of revenue, or 0.90× net income; WSM 16.8% of revenue, or 1.21× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: the fiscal years end about 1 month apart (2025-12-31 for POOL, 2026-02-01 for WSM), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | POOL | WSM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $5.3B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $7.8B2025-02-03 to 2026-02-01 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $406M2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $1.1B2025-02-03 to 2026-02-01 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $366M2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $1.3B2025-02-03 to 2026-02-01 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $10.852025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $8.842025-02-03 to 2026-02-01 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 7.7%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | 13.9%2025-02-03 to 2026-02-01 · SEC filing |
POOL: FY ending 2025-12-31 · WSM: FY ending 2026-02-01. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where POOL and WSM overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Shared research theme: Economic trends.
Differences
- Different SEC industries: POOL files as Wholesale-Misc Durable Goods; WSM as Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores.
- Offset fiscal calendars: POOL's year ends December 31 and WSM's January 31, about 1 month apart.
- Profitability: net margin of 7.7% for POOL versus 13.9% for WSM.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSM)
Williams-Sonoma is a home-furnishings retailer with brands including Pottery Barn, West Elm, and its namesake stores.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves POOL
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for POOL. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-26.
What moves WSM
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for WSM. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-03-26.
The investment question
You now know WSM reports about 1.5× POOL's revenue, and WSM keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to economic trends, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. POOL's fiscal year ends December 31, while WSM's ends January 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 1 matched transaction row for POOL and 3 matched transaction rows for WSM. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
POOL primary filings
WSM primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
POOL vs WSM FAQs
Are POOL and WSM direct competitors?
Not necessarily. Pool files as Wholesale-Misc Durable Goods and Williams-Sonoma as Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores. The pair is compared because both map to the Economic trends research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.
Is POOL or WSM the bigger company by revenue?
Williams-Sonoma (WSM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $7.8B in its fiscal year ended Feb 2026, about 1.5× POOL's $5.3B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). POOL's net margin was 7.7% and WSM's 13.9%. The SEC classifies them differently (Wholesale-Misc Durable Goods; Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, POOL or WSM?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this POOL vs WSM comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Pool Corporation and Williams-Sonoma, Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
POOL vs WSM compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
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