Renaissance Technologies LLC Increases Stake in Whirlpool Co. (NYSE:WHR)

Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its holdings in Whirlpool Co. (NYSE:WHR) by 367.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 72,657 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 57,100 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned approximately 0.13% of Whirlpool worth $8,318,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. purchased a new position in Whirlpool during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Whirlpool during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Nemes Rush Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Whirlpool by 79.1% during the 4th quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 274 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in shares of Whirlpool by 323.1% in the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 275 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares during the period. Finally, Bogart Wealth LLC increased its position in 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 during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.78% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price 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 upgraded Whirlpool from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Whirlpool currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $106.00.

Whirlpool Stock Performance

NYSE:WHR opened at $78.68 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.36 billion, a P/E ratio of -13.43 and a beta of 1.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a current ratio of 0.72. Whirlpool Co. has a fifty-two week low of $75.04 and a fifty-two week high of $135.49. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $92.74 and a 200 day moving average price of $105.91.

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

Whirlpool Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, June 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 16th will be paid a $1.75 dividend. This represents a $7.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.90%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 16th. Whirlpool’s payout ratio is -119.45%.

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.