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

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR)’s stock price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day 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 changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $57.49.

Several other research firms also recently commented on WHR. Zacks Research downgraded Whirlpool from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Whirlpool from a “sell (d)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Whirlpool from $75.00 to $68.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Whirlpool has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $82.00.

Institutional Trading of Whirlpool

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in WHR. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Whirlpool in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its stake in Whirlpool by 172.0% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 389 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 246 shares during the last quarter. Garton & Associates Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Whirlpool during the fourth 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 purchasing an additional 208 shares during the period. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Whirlpool by 113.4% in the 4th quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 527 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 280 shares during the last quarter. 90.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Whirlpool Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $3.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a current ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $78.20 and a 200-day moving average price of $77.61.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The company reported $1.10 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.54 by ($0.44). The company 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 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 firm posted $4.57 EPS. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.000-7.000 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Whirlpool Corporation will post 9.52 earnings per share for the current year.

Whirlpool Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be paid a $0.90 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 27th. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.4%. Whirlpool’s dividend 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.