Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) Shares Climb 8.5% – Still a Buy?

Shares of Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) were up 8.5% during mid-day trading on Thursday. The company traded as high as $28.61 and last traded at $28.7730. Approximately 2,526,657 shares changed 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.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on WHR. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on shares of Whirlpool from $48.00 to $41.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Whirlpool in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Longbow Research reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Whirlpool in a report on Monday, October 19th. Mizuho dropped their price objective on Whirlpool from $45.00 to $40.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane started coverage on shares of Whirlpool in a research note on Monday, July 13th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $43.00 price target on the stock. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $36.44.

Whirlpool Stock Down 2.4%

The firm has a fifty day moving average of $33.83 and a 200 day moving average of $40.29. The stock has a market cap of $1.83 billion, a PE ratio of 9.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 25.60 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last announced its quarterly 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). Whirlpool had a net margin of 1.17% and a return on equity of 4.18%. The business had revenue of $3.52 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.55 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.34 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.500-3.000 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Whirlpool Corporation will post 1.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Whirlpool

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

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.