Zacks Research Downgrades Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) to Strong Sell

Key Points

• Zacks Research downgraded Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) from a "hold" to a "strong sell" in a report issued Tuesday.
• Whirlpool missed quarterly estimates, reporting $1.10 EPS versus $1.54 expected and $4.10B revenue versus $4.27B expected, and set FY2026 guidance at 7.00 EPS while analysts forecast about 9.52 EPS.
• The stock is trading near its one-year low (opened at $58.30, one-year low $56.33) and the analyst consensus is mixed-to-negative—an average rating of "Reduce" with 2 Buys, 4 Holds and 3 Sells.

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

WHR has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Weiss Ratings raised Whirlpool from a "sell (d)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on Whirlpool from $75.00 to $68.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Whirlpool from $78.00 to $76.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average target price of $84.43.

Whirlpool Stock Performance

Shares of WHR stock opened at $58.30 on Tuesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $79.25 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $78.51. Whirlpool has a one year low of $56.33 and a one year high of $111.96. The stock has a market cap of $3.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.32, a P/E/G ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.06, a current ratio of 0.76 and a quick ratio of 0.40.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The company reported $1.10 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.54 by ($0.44). Whirlpool had a return on equity of 12.98% and a net margin of 2.04%.The firm had revenue of $4.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.27 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.57 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.000-7.000 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Whirlpool will post 9.52 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Whirlpool

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Whirlpool in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in 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 last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its holdings in Whirlpool by 172.0% during the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 389 shares of the company's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 246 shares during the last quarter. Garton & Associates Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Whirlpool in the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, SBI Securities Co. Ltd. grew its holdings in Whirlpool by 113.4% in the 4th quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 527 shares of the company's stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 280 shares in the last quarter. 90.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Whirlpool Company Profile

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.

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