| Factor | Score | Distribution | Value | Avg | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valuation | 72 | 17.7x | 17.8x | Top tier | |
Growth | 45 | 7.8% | 7.1% | Around median | |
Quality | 72 | 10.1% | 4.5% | Top tier | |
Safety | 83 | — | 2.6x | Top tier | |
Capital Return | 94 | — | 2.12% | Top tier | |
Momentum | 28 | -2.8% | 2.9% | Bottom tier | |
Sentiment | 45 | 6 | 3 | Around median |
Estimates — analyst targets and a simplified DCF, not investment advice.
Ten ratios that matter, each compared against its sector median and average — so you can see whether a number is rich or cheap relative to peers in the same sector.
Hayward Holdings manufactures swimming pool equipment and technologies, and the resilience of its business model is supported by a large installed product base and aftermarket, replacement, and upgrade sales. Demand drivers cited by management include salt chlorine generators, automation systems, and lighting, alongside the connected OmniX platform and OmniPro app. The company also serves commercial pool and industrial flow control activities. Revenue is further supported by the dealer network and Hayward hub training centers, while management said that approximately 90% of products sold in the United States were manufactured or assembled at its domestic facilities as of July 29, 2026.
In Q2 fiscal 2026, net sales rose 6% to $318 million, and gross profit increased 8% to $155 million, while gross margin declined 50 basis points to 48.7%. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization rose 5% to $93 million, and its margin declined 40 basis points to 29.1%, while adjusted diluted earnings per share grew 8% to $0.26. For the first half of fiscal 2026, sales and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization each rose 9%, and adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 18%.
North America accounted for most of the Q2 fiscal 2026 mix, generating $278 million in sales, up 9%, driven by a 7% price increase and 2% volume growth. In contrast, sales in Europe and the Rest of World declined 8% to $41 million; Europe fell 4% and the Rest of World declined 16% amid disruptions related to conflicts in the Middle East. EDGAR data for fiscal 2025 show revenue of $1.1 billion and net income of $151.6 million, compared with $1.1 billion and $160.6 million, respectively, during the twelve-month period ended in 2026.
Automated analysis for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
The average analyst price target is $15.75 within a wide range of $11 to $19, and the average lies within the 52-week range of $12.93–$17.73, while standing approximately 11% below its high. The highest target exceeds the top of the 52-week range, while the lowest target is below its bottom, and with a Neutral consensus and no price-to-earnings ratio available in the data, the valuation reflects a balance between North American growth and balance-sheet improvement on one hand, and margin pressure and weakness in international markets on the other.
Figures in the text are as of 2026-08-31; the live price is shown at the top of the page.
Net sales rose 6% to $318 million in Q2 fiscal 2026, following 9% growth during the first half. North America led the performance with sales of $278 million and 9% growth, split between a 7% price increase and 2% volume growth. Demand sources identified by management include salt chlorine generators, automation, and lighting, in addition to the OmniX platform and double-digit growth in commercial pools and industrial flow control during the first half.
On July 29, 2026, management reaffirmed its expectation for approximately 5% net sales growth in fiscal 2026. It expects adjusted diluted earnings per share to increase between 9% and 13% to a range of $0.84–$0.87. It also maintained its free cash flow forecast near $200 million, with net interest expense of approximately $45 million, a normalized tax rate of approximately 24%, and capital expenditures of approximately $40 million.
Gross margin was 48.7% in Q2 fiscal 2026, down 50 basis points, but it was the second-highest quarterly margin since the initial public offering. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization margin declined 40 basis points to 29.1%, while the value of those earnings rose 5% to $93 million. Management expects fiscal 2026 gross margin to remain near the fiscal 2025 level, supported by pricing, productivity, and cost-reduction actions.
Hayward reduced net leverage to 1.5 times at the end of Q2 fiscal 2026, compared with 2.1 times a year earlier, its lowest level since going public in 2021. It refinanced a $960 million term loan to mature in 2033 instead of 2028, reducing the interest spread by 61 basis points and providing annual savings of approximately $6 million. Cash and short-term investments reached $483 million, while total liquidity exceeded $900 million after including the credit facility.
The first risk is geographic concentration, as approximately 87% of Q2 fiscal 2026 sales came from North America, while Europe and the Rest of World declined 8%. Inflation in specialty metals, freight, and resin also pressured gross margin by 50 basis points, and the company needs pricing and productivity to offset it. The 16% decline in Rest of World sales due to disruptions in the Middle East, along with the wide range of analyst targets between $11 and $19, adds a notable degree of operational and valuation uncertainty.
Hayward's new product vitality increased to 23% as of July 29, 2026, and the OmniX platform is leading expansion in connected products and the replacement and upgrade market. The company also supports dealers through the OmniPro app and Hayward hub training centers, with Q4 fiscal 2026 targeted for opening the sixth center in Atlanta. In North American customer service, the company said that 98% of calls are answered within one second by an artificial intelligence agent and that 80% are resolved without escalation to a technical representative.
