Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) Sees Large Decrease in Short Interest

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totaling 10,907,616 shares, a drop of 14.2% from the March 15th total of 12,713,778 shares. Currently, 19.7% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,561,294 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 4.3 days.

Whirlpool Price Performance

Shares of Whirlpool stock traded up $0.76 during trading on Friday, hitting $56.75. 2,944,952 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,193,773. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.04, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 1.30. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $64.27 and a 200 day moving average price of $72.26. Whirlpool has a fifty-two week low of $50.41 and a fifty-two week high of $111.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The company reported $1.10 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.27 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.57 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.000-7.000 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Whirlpool will post 9.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Whirlpool Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 26th. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th were given a dividend of $0.90 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.3%. Whirlpool’s dividend payout ratio is 63.72%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Whirlpool

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its position in Whirlpool by 56.7% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,120 shares of the company’s stock valued at $281,000 after purchasing an additional 1,129 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC increased its position in shares of Whirlpool by 206.5% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 8,528 shares of the company’s stock worth $769,000 after purchasing an additional 5,746 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its position in shares of Whirlpool by 15.0% in 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 in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Whirlpool by 3.2% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 229,566 shares of the company’s stock worth $23,283,000 after buying an additional 7,151 shares during the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised 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 worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.78% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently commented on WHR shares. Weiss Ratings raised Whirlpool from a “sell (d)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target 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. BNP Paribas Exane upgraded shares of Whirlpool to a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, March 16th. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Whirlpool in a report on Monday, March 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Whirlpool from $76.00 to $59.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 13th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Whirlpool currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $82.00.

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.