Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) Lowered to “Strong Sell” Rating by Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen cut shares of Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note released on Saturday.

WHR has been the subject of several other research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their target price on Whirlpool from $37.00 to $32.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Bank of America cut their target price on Whirlpool from $60.00 to $50.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 20th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Whirlpool from a “sell (d)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. BNP Paribas Exane upgraded Whirlpool to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Finally, Citigroup started coverage on Whirlpool in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $60.00 target price for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $70.78.

Whirlpool Stock Down 6.6%

WHR stock opened at $45.03 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 0.88. The company has a market capitalization of $2.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.31, a PEG ratio of 13.83 and a beta of 1.23. Whirlpool has a fifty-two week low of $44.72 and a fifty-two week high of $111.96. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $56.65 and a 200-day moving average of $70.43.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported ($0.56) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.43 by ($0.99). The firm had revenue of $3.27 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.44 billion. Whirlpool had a return on equity of 7.68% and a net margin of 1.08%.The firm’s revenue was down 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.70 EPS. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.000-3.500 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Whirlpool will post 4.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Whirlpool Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th were paid a $0.90 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.0%. Whirlpool’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 63.72%.

Institutional Trading of Whirlpool

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans boosted its position in shares of Whirlpool by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 13,194 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,338,000 after acquiring an additional 109 shares during the last quarter. Old North State Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Whirlpool by 5.2% during the 4th quarter. Old North State Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,889 shares of the company’s stock valued at $209,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares during the last quarter. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Whirlpool by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management LLC now owns 52,944 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,161,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares during the last quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL boosted its position in shares of Whirlpool by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 5,150 shares of the company’s stock valued at $522,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Whirlpool by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 41,572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,268,000 after acquiring an additional 158 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.78% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Whirlpool

Here are the key news stories impacting Whirlpool this week:

• Negative Sentiment: Whirlpool missed Q1 expectations, posting a loss of $0.56 per share versus estimates for a profit, while revenue of $3.27 billion also came in below forecasts. Article: Whirlpool (WHR) Reports Q1 Loss, Misses Revenue Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: The company slashed FY2026 EPS guidance to $3.00-$3.50, far below Wall Street expectations, signaling weaker profitability ahead. Article: Whirlpool Stock Down 6.6%
• Negative Sentiment: Whirlpool suspended its dividend, a major concern for income-focused investors and a sign that management is conserving cash amid deteriorating demand. Article: For 70 Years, Whirlpool Paid a Dividend. Suddenly It Can’t Afford One.
• Negative Sentiment: Management said the Iran war and weaker consumer confidence are driving a “recession-level industry decline,” suggesting big-ticket appliance demand could stay soft. Article: Whirlpool says Iran war causing ‘recession-level industry decline.’ The shares are down 20%
• Negative Sentiment: A law firm has opened a securities-law investigation into Whirlpool, adding legal overhang after the earnings disappointment. Article: Whirlpool Corporation Shareholders Are Encouraged to Reach Out to Johnson Fistel for More Information About Potentially Recovering Their Losses

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.