Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) Cut to Strong Sell at Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research downgraded Whirlpool to “strong sell” from “hold,” adding to broadly negative analyst sentiment. The stock has an average “Reduce” rating and an average price target of $45.44.
• Whirlpool shares opened at $30.18, near their 52-week low of $29.49, after the company reported a quarterly EPS loss of $0.21 versus the $0.06 expected and a 6.8% year-over-year revenue decline.
• Institutional ownership remains high at 90.78%, with several major investors establishing or expanding positions, including Primecap Management, RWWM, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR - Get Free Report) was downgraded by investment analysts at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, Zacks reports.

WHR has been the subject of a number of other reports. Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of Whirlpool from $38.00 to $31.00 and set an "underperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Whirlpool from $42.00 to $39.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 11th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on shares of Whirlpool from $45.00 to $37.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Whirlpool from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an "underperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Whirlpool from a "strong sell" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $45.44.

Whirlpool Stock Up 0.5%

Whirlpool stock opened at $30.18 on Monday. Whirlpool has a 1-year low of $29.49 and a 1-year high of $94.82. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $37.33 and a 200-day moving average price of $42.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.34, a PEG ratio of 13.35 and a beta of 1.21.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR - Get Free Report) last announced 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 business had revenue of $3.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.55 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.34 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was down 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.500-3.000 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Whirlpool will post 2.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Primecap Management Co. CA purchased a new position in Whirlpool during the second quarter valued at approximately $141,801,000. RWWM Inc. grew its stake in shares of Whirlpool by 191.6% during the 1st 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 during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in shares of Whirlpool during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $61,003,000. Nykredit A S acquired a new position in shares of Whirlpool in the 2nd quarter valued at $51,953,000. Finally, Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in Whirlpool during the second quarter worth $24,601,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.78% of the company's stock.

Whirlpool Company Profile

Whirlpool Corporation is a global manufacturer and marketer of home appliances, serving consumers through a portfolio of well-known brands that includes Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana and JennAir. Its products are sold through retailers, distributors and other channels to residential customers in multiple markets.

The company's primary product categories include refrigerators and freezers, cooking appliances, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers. Through KitchenAid and other brands, Whirlpool also offers small domestic appliances and related products designed for food preparation and household use.

Whirlpool traces its history to 1911, when the Upton Machine Company began producing electric washing machines.

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