Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) Sets New 12-Month Low – Should You Sell?

Whirlpool Co. (NYSE:WHR)’s stock price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $83.30 and last traded at $83.03, with a volume of 20018 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $86.12.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on WHR shares. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Whirlpool from $125.00 to $138.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. StockNews.com raised shares of Whirlpool from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $106.00.

Whirlpool Trading Down 0.5 %

The firm has a market cap of $4.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -14.62 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a current ratio of 0.72. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $99.34 and a 200 day moving average price of $107.74.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The company reported $4.57 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.26 by $0.31. Whirlpool had a negative net margin of 1.95% and a positive return on equity of 21.89%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $3.85 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Whirlpool Co. will post 9.52 earnings per share for the current year.

Whirlpool Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, March 15th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a $1.75 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. This represents a $7.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.17%. Whirlpool’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -119.45%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WHR. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Whirlpool in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Whirlpool in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in Whirlpool by 323.1% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 275 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC increased its stake in Whirlpool by 79.1% during the fourth quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 274 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the period. Finally, Bogart Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Whirlpool by 113.6% during the fourth quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 282 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. 90.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Whirlpool Company Profile

Whirlpool Corporation manufactures and markets home appliances and related products and services in the North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The company's principal products include refrigerators, freezers, ice makers, and refrigerator water filters; laundry appliances, and commercial laundry products and related laundry accessories; cooking and other small domestic appliances; and dishwasher appliances and related accessories, as well as mixers.