POOL vs HAYW vs IBP vs LESL

For growth investors, Hayward Holdings, Inc.

(HAYW) is the stronger pick with 6. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 6% for Leslie's, Inc. (LESL). Pool Corporation (POOL) offers the better valuation at 17. 3x trailing P/E (17. 0x 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.

3x versus Installed Building Products, Inc. at 30. 8x. On forward P/E, Pool Corporation is actually cheaper at 17. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Hayward Holdings, Inc. wins at 0. 12x versus Pool Corporation's 4. 38x — 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 +126. 8%, compared to -99. 7% for Leslie's, Inc. (LESL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IBP returned +894. 2% versus LESL's -99. 6%. 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, Hayward Holdings, Inc. (HAYW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 148% for Installed Building Products, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Hayward Holdings, Inc.

(HAYW) is pulling ahead at 6. 7% versus -6. 6% for Leslie's, Inc. (LESL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Hayward Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 25. 9% 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.

Hayward Holdings, Inc.

(HAYW) is the more profitable company, earning 13. 5% net margin versus -19. 1% for Leslie's, Inc. — meaning it keeps 13. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HAYW leads at 21. 1% versus 1. 1% for LESL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HAYW leads at 45. 6%, 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, Hayward Holdings, Inc. (HAYW) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 12x versus Pool Corporation's 4. 38x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Pool Corporation (POOL) trades at 17. 0x forward P/E versus 26. 9x for Installed Building Products, Inc. — 9. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for POOL: 48. 6% to $279. 29.

In this comparison, POOL (2.

6% yield), IBP (1. 1% yield) pay a dividend. HAYW, LESL do 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. 1% yield, +894. 2% 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: +894. 2%, LESL: -99. 6%), 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 (POOL (Industrials) and HAYW (Industrials) and IBP (Consumer Cyclical) and LESL (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: POOL is a small-cap deep-value stock; HAYW is a small-cap quality compounder stock; IBP is a small-cap quality compounder stock; LESL is a small-cap quality compounder stock. POOL, IBP pay a dividend while HAYW, LESL do 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.