Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) Sets New 1-Year Low Following Analyst Downgrade

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR)’s stock price hit a new 52-week low during trading on Monday after JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on the stock from $76.00 to $59.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has a neutral rating on the stock. Whirlpool traded as low as $56.01 and last traded at $56.3160, with a volume of 1207836 shares. The stock had previously closed at $57.49.

Several other brokerages have also issued reports on WHR. Zacks Research lowered shares of Whirlpool from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price target on Whirlpool from $75.00 to $68.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Whirlpool from a “sell (d)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $82.00.

Institutional Trading of Whirlpool

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WHR. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Whirlpool by 56.7% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,120 shares of the company’s stock worth $281,000 after buying an additional 1,129 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its holdings in Whirlpool by 206.5% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 8,528 shares of the company’s stock valued at $769,000 after acquiring an additional 5,746 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its position in Whirlpool by 15.0% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 214,918 shares of the company’s stock worth $19,371,000 after acquiring an additional 27,995 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP increased its stake in Whirlpool by 102.8% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,085 shares of the company’s stock worth $110,000 after purchasing an additional 550 shares during the period. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Whirlpool by 4.7% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,221,838 shares of the company’s stock valued at $124,189,000 after purchasing an additional 54,584 shares during the last quarter. 90.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Whirlpool Stock Down 1.8%

The stock has a market cap of $3.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a quick ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $78.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $77.88.

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

Whirlpool Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th will be issued a dividend of $0.90 per share. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. Whirlpool’s payout ratio is currently 63.72%.

About Whirlpool

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.