POOL vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at POOL and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
POOL is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | POOL | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Pool Corporation | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Distributors | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 11.75 billion USD | 15.86 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 13, 1995 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of POOL and ZTO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | POOL | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -3.42% | -1.28% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -2.33% | 13.58% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -7.45% | 1.98% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -8.87% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.21% | 1.84% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -7.62% | 2.25% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.46M | 3.39M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.59M | 2.52M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 30.35% | 39.66% |
| Beta | 1.12 | 0.85 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
POOL
31.34%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 18.85%
- Q3
- 17.85%
- Median
- 13.11%
- Q1
- 11.23%
- Min
- 11.19%
POOL’s Return on Equity of 31.34% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Distributors industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
ZTO
15.30%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.47%
- Median
- 11.35%
- Q1
- 7.21%
- Min
- 2.53%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 15.30% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
POOL
7.79%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 5.04%
- Q3
- 4.92%
- Median
- 4.56%
- Q1
- 4.55%
- Min
- 4.54%
POOL’s Net Profit Margin of 7.79% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Distributors industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
ZTO
20.76%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 10.27%
- Q3
- 6.18%
- Median
- 3.96%
- Q1
- 2.32%
- Min
- 0.61%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 20.76% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
POOL
11.13%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 11.14%
- Q3
- 7.80%
- Median
- 5.53%
- Q1
- 3.65%
- Min
- 3.17%
An Operating Profit Margin of 11.13% places POOL in the upper quartile for the Distributors industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
ZTO
25.33%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 17.40%
- Q3
- 8.87%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.03%
- Min
- 0.62%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 25.33% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | POOL | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 31.34% | 15.30% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 11.64% | 10.15% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 7.79% | 20.76% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.13% | 25.33% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 29.46% | 29.65% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
POOL
2.52
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.81
- Q3
- 1.72
- Median
- 1.48
- Q1
- 1.24
- Min
- 1.15
POOL’s Current Ratio of 2.52 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Distributors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
ZTO
1.05
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.83
- Q3
- 1.47
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.62
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.05 falls into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
POOL
0.95
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.09
- Q3
- 0.98
- Median
- 0.75
- Q1
- 0.52
- Min
- 0.46
POOL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.95 is typical for the Distributors industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
ZTO
0.27
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.06
- Median
- 0.72
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
POOL
12.28
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 13.15
- Q3
- 10.84
- Median
- 5.59
- Q1
- 4.01
- Min
- 3.80
POOL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 12.28 is in the upper quartile for the Distributors industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.56
- Q1
- 5.97
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | POOL | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.52 | 1.05 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.82 | 0.87 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.95 | 0.27 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 12.28 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
POOL
1.52%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 44.83%
- Q3
- 35.02%
- Median
- 4.81%
- Q1
- 3.26%
- Min
- 1.54%
POOL’s Dividend Yield of 1.52% is below the typical range for the Distributors industry. This indicates that shareholder returns are likely driven more by potential capital appreciation than by dividend income.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.43%
- Q3
- 3.10%
- Median
- 2.40%
- Q1
- 0.46%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
POOL
44.67%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1,122.47%
- Q3
- 858.23%
- Median
- 55.08%
- Q1
- 44.32%
- Min
- 34.92%
POOL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 44.67% is within the typical range for the Distributors industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 54.10%
- Q1
- 0.19%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | POOL | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.52% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 44.67% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
POOL
29.38
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 28.99
- Q3
- 25.04
- Median
- 23.42
- Q1
- 13.71
- Min
- 6.24
At 29.38, POOL’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Distributors industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
ZTO
12.01
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 34.55
- Q3
- 23.34
- Median
- 16.33
- Q1
- 13.38
- Min
- 6.36
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.01 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
POOL
2.29
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.14
- Q3
- 1.14
- Median
- 0.96
- Q1
- 0.61
- Min
- 0.28
With a P/S Ratio of 2.29, POOL trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Distributors industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
ZTO
2.49
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.13
- Q3
- 1.16
- Median
- 0.59
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.18
With a P/S Ratio of 2.49, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
POOL
8.44
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 3.72
- Q3
- 3.57
- Median
- 3.12
- Q1
- 2.41
- Min
- 1.47
At 8.44, POOL’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Distributors industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
ZTO
1.82
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 3.13
- Q3
- 2.81
- Median
- 1.82
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.74
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.82 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | POOL | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 29.38 | 12.01 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.29 | 2.49 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 8.44 | 1.82 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 24.87 | 9.58 |