WHR Slips 7% — Why Is Retail Expecting Whirlpool To Eliminate Dividend?

Whirlpool reported fourth quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.10, which fell well short of Wall Street consensus of $1.52 per share, according to data from fiscal.ai.

• It expects full-year ongoing earnings per diluted share of approximately $7.00, which was lower than the analyst expectations of $7.21 per share.
• The company said it expects debt reduction of approximately $400 million as it continues to review all options to reduce debt.
• Its FY2025 sales of $15.5 billion, fell 6.5% compared to FY2024.

Shares of Whirlpool slumped more than 8% on Thursday as weak fourth-quarter earnings and lower forecast for FY26 disappointed investors. 

The weak forecast prompted strong criticism from the retail traders on the performance of the company. 

How Did Stocktwits Users React?

Retail sentiment around WHR trended in ‘bullish’ territory amid ‘extremely high’ message volume. 

One bearish user on Whirlpool's earnings said, “Disappointment again? That’s only like 20 quarters in a row”. 

Another user on Stocktwits predicted that “the dividend is going to get cut or eliminated. They don’t have the cash this year from operations to fund their dividend.”

Weak Forecast

The company said on a full year basis in 2026, it expects net sales of $15.3 - $15.6 billion; approximately 5% growth vs 2025 like-for-like. 

It expects full-year ongoing earnings per diluted share of approximately $7.00, which was lower than the expectations of $7.21 per share by analysts. 

The company said it expects debt reduction of approximately $400 million as it continues to review all options to reduce debt that align with its capital allocation priorities and maximize shareholder value. 

“Price/mix to favorably impact our EBIT margin as we continue to deliver new product innovation and realize the momentum of our 2025 launches,” it said in a statement. 

Earnings Miss

The company reported fourth quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.10, which fell well short of Wall Street consensus of $1.52 per share, according to data from fiscal.ai.

Its revenue of $4.1 billion also came below analysts’ expectations of $4.27 billion. Its FY2025 sales of $15.5 billion, fell 6.5% compared to FY2024. 

“With a challenging 2025 behind us, our confidence for 2026 is based on our recent successful product launches, reduced promotional intensity and a gradual recovery of the housing market,” said CEO Marc Bitzer.