Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) Stock Price Up 8.5% – Should You Buy?

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) shares traded up 8.5% during mid-day trading on Thursday. The stock traded as high as $28.61 and last traded at $28.7730. Approximately 2,526,657 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 6% from the average session volume of 2,699,579 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.53.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Whirlpool from $32.00 to $22.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 7th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Whirlpool from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of Whirlpool from $39.00 to $30.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 16th. Longbow Research reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Whirlpool in a report on Monday. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane started coverage on shares of Whirlpool in a research note on Monday, July 13th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $43.00 target price on the stock. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $36.44.

Whirlpool Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 1.15. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $34.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $40.56. The company has a market cap of $1.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.89, a P/E/G ratio of 24.92 and a beta of 1.21.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last issued its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported ($0.21) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.06) by ($0.15). The company had revenue of $3.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.55 billion. Whirlpool had a net margin of 1.17% and a return on equity of 4.18%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.34 earnings per share. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.500-3.000 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Whirlpool Corporation will post 1.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Primecap Management Co. CA acquired a new stake in Whirlpool during the 2nd quarter worth $141,801,000. RWWM Inc. raised its position in shares of Whirlpool by 191.6% in the first quarter. RWWM Inc. now owns 2,422,618 shares of the company’s stock valued at $130,628,000 after buying an additional 1,591,849 shares during the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new stake in shares of Whirlpool in the second quarter valued at $61,003,000. Nykredit A S purchased a new stake in Whirlpool in the second quarter valued at approximately $51,953,000. Finally, Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Whirlpool in the 2nd quarter worth about $24,601,000. 90.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Whirlpool Company Profile

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is a global manufacturer and marketer of home appliances. The company develops products designed for kitchens and laundry rooms, including refrigerators and freezers, cooking appliances, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, and related household appliances.

Whirlpool sells products under a portfolio of well-known brands, including Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, JennAir and Amana. Its products are distributed through retailers, builders, distributors and other sales channels to residential customers in North America and international markets.

The company traces its history to 1911, when it was founded as the Upton Machine Company in Benton Harbor, Michigan.