LESL vs WSO vs POOL vs IBP

For growth investors, Installed Building Products, Inc.

(IBP) is the stronger pick with 1. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 6% for Leslie's, Inc. (LESL). Pool Corporation (POOL) offers the better valuation at 17. 6x trailing P/E (17. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Pool Corporation (POOL) a "Buy" — based on 21 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Pool Corporation (POOL) is the cheapest at 17.

6x versus Watsco, Inc. at 35. 0x. On forward P/E, Pool Corporation is actually cheaper at 17. 2x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Installed Building Products, Inc. wins at 0. 80x versus Pool Corporation's 4. 44x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Installed Building Products, Inc.

(IBP) delivered a total return of +80. 6%, compared to -99. 7% for Leslie's, Inc. (LESL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IBP returned +650. 1% versus LESL's -99. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Pool Corporation (POOL) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

00β versus Leslie's, Inc. 's 2. 20β — meaning LESL is approximately 119% more volatile than POOL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Watsco, Inc. (WSO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 148% for Installed Building Products, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Installed Building Products, Inc.

(IBP) is pulling ahead at 1. 0% versus -6. 6% for Leslie's, Inc. (LESL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Installed Building Products, Inc. grew EPS 6. 7% year-over-year, compared to -881. 2% for Leslie's, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, IBP leads at 3. 6% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Installed Building Products, Inc.

(IBP) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 9% net margin versus -19. 1% for Leslie's, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IBP leads at 13. 0% versus 1. 1% for LESL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LESL leads at 35. 4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Installed Building Products, Inc. (IBP) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 80x versus Pool Corporation's 4. 44x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Pool Corporation (POOL) trades at 17. 2x forward P/E versus 34. 0x for Watsco, Inc. — 16. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for POOL: 46. 7% to $279. 29.

In this comparison, WSO (2.

9% yield), POOL (2. 6% yield), IBP (1. 5% yield) pay a dividend. LESL does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Installed Building Products, Inc.

(IBP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 19), 1. 5% yield, +650. 1% 10Y return). Leslie's, Inc. (LESL) carries a higher beta of 2. 20 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (IBP: +650. 1%, LESL: -99. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (LESL (Consumer Cyclical) and WSO (Industrials) and POOL (Industrials) and IBP (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: LESL is a small-cap quality compounder stock; WSO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; POOL is a small-cap deep-value stock; IBP is a small-cap quality compounder stock. WSO, POOL, IBP pay a dividend while LESL does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.