Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) Cut to "Strong Sell" at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Whirlpool to “strong sell” from “sell,” while the broader analyst consensus is “Reduce,” with nine Hold ratings and four Sell ratings.
• Analysts have lowered their price targets, with the average target at $36.44; recent targets range from $30 to $43 compared with the stock’s Friday close of $28.11.
• Whirlpool’s latest quarter showed pressure, including a $0.21 loss per share versus a $0.06 expected loss and a 6.8% year-over-year revenue decline to $3.52 billion.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other research analysts have also recently weighed in on WHR. BNP Paribas Exane assumed coverage on shares of Whirlpool in a report on Monday, July 13th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $43.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Whirlpool in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Mizuho dropped their target price on Whirlpool from $45.00 to $40.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price target on Whirlpool from $45.00 to $37.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Whirlpool from $39.00 to $30.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 16th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $36.44.

Whirlpool Price Performance

Shares of NYSE WHR opened at $28.11 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.90, a PEG ratio of 25.60 and a beta of 1.21. Whirlpool has a 12 month low of $26.08 and a 12 month high of $94.82. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $33.83 and its 200-day simple moving average is $40.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.71.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported ($0.21) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.06) by ($0.15). Whirlpool had a net margin of 1.17% and a return on equity of 4.18%. The firm had revenue of $3.52 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.55 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.34 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was down 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.500-3.000 EPS. Analysts expect that Whirlpool will post 1.13 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Whirlpool

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

About Whirlpool

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.

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