What Happened?

Shares of home appliances manufacturer Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) jumped 7.1% in the afternoon session after the company reported fourth-quarter 2025 earnings that beat profit expectations and provided an optimistic forecast for 2026. 

While revenue for the quarter came in slightly below forecasts at $4.1 billion, Whirlpool's earnings per share of $1.91 significantly surpassed the expected $1.53. The stock initially dropped in after-hours trading following the announcement. However, investor sentiment appeared to shift based on the company's positive outlook for the upcoming year. For 2026, Whirlpool projected revenue growth of about 5% and forecast a full-year ongoing earnings per share of $7.00. The company also expected to generate between $400 million and $500 million in free cash flow, which seemed to outweigh the quarterly revenue shortfall.

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What Is The Market Telling Us

Whirlpool’s shares are quite volatile and have had 15 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The previous big move we wrote about was 11 days ago when the stock dropped 4.8% on the news that the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell as much as 0.7%, reflecting lingering uncertainty, and capping off a volatile week which saw stocks enjoy some relief as President Donald Trump reduced tensions with European allies by backing off his threat of imposing new tariffs. Threats of tariffs initially created uncertainty for businesses, as they can lead to higher costs for multinational corporations and disrupt global supply chains. By withdrawing the threat, the administration removed a significant headwind for the market, prompting a relief rally. This development was a key factor in helping major indexes recover from earlier losses, even as some analysts noted that underlying geopolitical risks and market volatility remain concerns for investors.

Whirlpool is up 14.8% since the beginning of the year, but at $85.49 per share, it is still trading 22.7% below its 52-week high of $110.59 from July 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Whirlpool’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $447.36.

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