Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) Downgraded to “Strong Sell” Rating by Zacks Research

Zacks Research cut shares of Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report issued on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research analysts have also recently commented on WHR. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of Whirlpool from $75.00 to $68.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Whirlpool from $78.00 to $76.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Whirlpool from a “sell (d)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $84.43.

Whirlpool Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:WHR opened at $58.30 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $3.30 billion, a PE ratio of 10.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 0.76. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $79.25 and a 200-day moving average of $78.51. Whirlpool has a one year low of $56.33 and a one year high of $111.96.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The company reported $1.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.54 by ($0.44). Whirlpool had a return on equity of 12.98% and a net margin of 2.04%.The company had revenue of $4.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.27 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.57 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was down 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.000-7.000 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Whirlpool will post 9.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Whirlpool Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be paid a dividend of $0.90 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.2%. Whirlpool’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 63.72%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Whirlpool

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Whirlpool during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Whirlpool by 172.0% during the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 389 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 246 shares during the last quarter. Garton & Associates Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Whirlpool in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $35,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in Whirlpool by 129.2% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 369 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. raised its position in Whirlpool by 113.4% during the fourth quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 527 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. 90.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Whirlpool Company Profile

Whirlpool Corporation is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of home appliances, with a product portfolio that spans major categories such as laundry, refrigeration, cooking, dishwashing and small electrics. Headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the company designs, produces and distributes its appliances through a network of wholly owned manufacturing facilities, joint ventures and third-party partners. Whirlpool serves both retail and professional markets, offering products under its flagship Whirlpool brand as well as several well-known names including Maytag, KitchenAid, JennAir, Amana, Brastemp and Consul.

In its laundry segment, Whirlpool provides top- and front-load washing machines, dryers and combination units designed to balance energy efficiency, capacity and convenience.