Traders Buy Large Volume of Put Options on Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR)

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) saw some unusual options trading on Wednesday. Investors bought 6,516 put options on the company. This represents an increase of 75% compared to the typical volume of 3,733 put options.

Whirlpool Price Performance

Whirlpool stock opened at $70.77 on Thursday. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $81.45 and its 200 day moving average is $80.36. Whirlpool has a one year low of $65.35 and a one year high of $111.96. The firm has a market cap of $4.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.52, a P/E/G ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06, a current ratio of 0.76 and a quick ratio of 0.40.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The company reported $1.10 earnings per share 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 analyst estimates of $4.27 billion. Whirlpool had a net margin of 2.04% and a return on equity of 12.98%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.57 EPS. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.000-7.000 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Whirlpool will post 9.52 EPS for the current year.

Whirlpool Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be given 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 yield of 5.1%. Whirlpool’s dividend payout ratio is 63.72%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Whirlpool in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its position 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 worth $28,000 after buying an additional 246 shares during the period. Garton & Associates Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Whirlpool in the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Whirlpool by 129.2% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 369 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 208 shares during the period. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in Whirlpool by 113.4% during the fourth quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 527 shares of the company’s stock worth $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.

Key Whirlpool News

Here are the key news stories impacting Whirlpool this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Activist pressure could force governance or strategic changes that unlock value — David Tepper/Appaloosa sent a forceful letter demanding sweeping changes and criticizing management decisions; activism raises the possibility of board/strategy reforms that some investors view as a catalyst for improved returns. Billionaire David Tepper Is Calling For Massive Changes at Whirlpool. Here’s What Investors Need to Know.
• Positive Sentiment: Some buyers stepped in despite the criticism, suggesting pockets of investor confidence or short-term technical support. (Coverage showed shares rose at times even as activists criticized the equity raise.) Whirlpool shares rise despite activist criticism of equity raise
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory backdrop: the House passed H.R.4626 (the “Don’t Mess With My Home Appliances Act”), which could limit new appliance efficiency mandates — potentially easing future compliance costs, but timing/impact remain uncertain. Congress Vote: The House has passed H.R. 4626 – Don’t Mess With My Home Appliances Act
• Neutral Sentiment: Demand outlook is mixed: housing softness is weighing on appliance demand, but management argues scale and positioning help navigate a slowing cycle — a mixed near‑term picture for revenue. Whirlpool’s Scale and Appliance Demand Meet a Slowing Housing Cycle
• Negative Sentiment: Major equity-linked financing priced: WHR sold ~6.88M common shares at $69 and 10.5M depositary shares tied to 8.50% mandatory-convertible preferreds — the ~ $800M transaction reduces near-term leverage but creates immediate dilution and a built‑in future conversion risk. Whirlpool Corporation Announces Pricing of Upsized Concurrent Offerings of Common Stock and Depositary Shares
• Negative Sentiment: Appaloosa/Tepper specifically attacked the equity raise as high‑cost and unnecessary dilution — public activist accusations increase near‑term governance risk and can amplify negative price reaction. David Tepper sends scathing letter to Whirlpool for destroying shareholder value, pushes for changes
• Negative Sentiment: Options market bearishness: an unusually large block of ~6,516 put contracts traded (~75% above average), signaling elevated hedging or speculative bets on further downside. (Market flow can accelerate moves.)
• Negative Sentiment: Fundamental pressure: Whirlpool missed Q4 estimates (EPS and revenue) and set FY26 guidance (~7.00 EPS) below street expectations — a backdrop that makes dilution and activist concerns more painful for current shareholders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WHR has been the topic of a number of research reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded Whirlpool from a “sell (d)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Whirlpool from $78.00 to $76.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Whirlpool from $82.00 to $75.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 30th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Whirlpool from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “underperform” rating on shares of Whirlpool in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Whirlpool has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $85.43.

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.