Whirlpool Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:WHR)

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) saw some unusual options trading on Monday. Traders purchased 22,147 put options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 280% compared to the average volume of 5,832 put options.

Whirlpool Stock Down 8.0%

Shares of Whirlpool stock traded down $3.59 on Monday, hitting $41.37. 2,701,485 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,631,385. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $56.65 and a 200 day moving average price of $70.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48. Whirlpool has a 12-month low of $41.15 and a 12-month high of $111.96. The company has a market cap of $2.68 billion, a PE ratio of 14.07, a PEG ratio of 10.43 and a beta of 1.23.

Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported ($0.56) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.43 by ($0.99). The business had revenue of $3.27 billion during 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 company’s revenue for the quarter was down 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.70 earnings per share. Whirlpool has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.000-3.500 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Whirlpool will post 4.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Whirlpool Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 26th. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th were issued a $0.90 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $3.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.7%. Whirlpool’s dividend payout ratio is currently 122.45%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have issued reports on WHR shares. Mizuho started coverage on shares of Whirlpool in a research note on Monday, April 20th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $55.00 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Whirlpool from $59.00 to $52.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Whirlpool from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d)” rating in a research note on Friday. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Whirlpool from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Whirlpool from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Saturday. Two 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, Whirlpool has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $68.89.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Whirlpool

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in Whirlpool by 96.0% during the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 101,907 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,352,000 after acquiring an additional 49,903 shares during the period. Causeway Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Whirlpool by 42.3% during the third quarter. Causeway Capital Management LLC now owns 617,039 shares of the company’s stock valued at $48,499,000 after acquiring an additional 183,496 shares during the period. M&T Bank Corp boosted its holdings in Whirlpool by 973.9% during the fourth quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 29,962 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,161,000 after acquiring an additional 27,172 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in Whirlpool by 34.0% during the third quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 401,640 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,569,000 after acquiring an additional 101,962 shares during the period. Finally, Newport Trust Company LLC boosted its holdings in Whirlpool by 5.5% during the third quarter. Newport Trust Company LLC now owns 2,169,688 shares of the company’s stock valued at $170,537,000 after acquiring an additional 112,579 shares during the period. 90.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.