Whirlpool Corporation

What brands does Whirlpool Corporation own?
Whirlpool Corporation owns eight major appliance brands: Whirlpool (mass-market), KitchenAid (premium kitchen), JennAir (luxury), Maytag (value-oriented), Amana (budget), Brastemp (Brazil), Consul (Brazil), and InSinkErator (garbage disposals). The company divested its EMEA major appliance business, including Indesit and Hotpoint, in April 2024, retaining a 25% stake in Beko Europe B.V.

Is Whirlpool Corporation publicly traded?
Yes, Whirlpool Corporation is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol WHR. The company has been publicly traded since 1956. Marc Bitzer serves as Chairman and CEO, and Roxanne Warner serves as Chief Financial Officer.

When was Whirlpool Corporation founded?
Whirlpool Corporation was founded in 1911 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, originally as the Upton Machine Company, producing electric motor-driven wringer washers. The company was renamed Whirlpool Corporation in 1950 and has over a century of experience in appliance manufacturing and innovation.

Where is Whirlpool Corporation headquartered?
Whirlpool Corporation is headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA. The company operates 35 manufacturing and technology research centers across the United States, Mexico, and Brazil, with close to 90% of sales in the Americas.

What were Whirlpool's 2025 financial results?
In FY2025, Whirlpool reported net sales of $15.5 billion, down 6.5% from $16.6 billion in FY2024, primarily due to the EMEA divestiture and India deconsolidation. GAAP net earnings were $318 million, or $5.66 per diluted share, a significant improvement from a GAAP net loss of $323 million in FY2024. Ongoing EBIT was $729 million with a 4.7% margin, and ongoing EPS was $6.23.

What is Whirlpool's 2026 outlook?
In Q2 2026, Whirlpool revised its full-year 2026 guidance to net sales of approximately $15.0 billion, GAAP EPS of $2.25 to $2.75, and ongoing EPS of $2.50 to $3.00, reflecting increased interest expense from a new $2 billion ABL facility and $2 billion in secured bonds. The company expects cash provided by operating activities of approximately $700 million and free cash flow of over $300 million.

What are Whirlpool's main business segments?
Whirlpool operates through three segments: MDA North America ($10.2 billion in FY2025 net sales), MDA Latin America ($3.6 billion), and SDA Global ($1.7 billion). MDA North America is the largest segment, selling major appliances under the Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag, and Amana brands. SDA Global includes InSinkErator and KitchenAid small appliances.

How many employees does Whirlpool Corporation have?
Whirlpool Corporation employs approximately 41,000 people across 35 manufacturing and technology research centers. The company is a major employer in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and maintains significant employment across its manufacturing network in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil.

Whirlpool Corporation was founded in 1911 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, originally as the Upton Machine Company, producing electric motor-driven wringer washers. The company's early growth was driven by partnerships with Sears, Roebuck and Co., which sold Whirlpool-manufactured washing machines under the Kenmore brand.

In 1950, the company was renamed Whirlpool Corporation. Throughout the mid-20th century, Whirlpool expanded its product range beyond washing machines to include refrigerators, dishwashers, and other major home appliances. The company went public in 1956 and began expanding internationally through joint ventures and acquisitions.

Key acquisitions included the purchase of KitchenAid in 1986 from Hobart Corporation, which gave Whirlpool a premium kitchen appliance brand. In 1989, Whirlpool acquired the Roper and Admiral brands. The company expanded into Latin America through the acquisition of Brastemp and Consul in Brazil. In 2014, Whirlpool acquired Indesit, a major European appliance manufacturer, to strengthen its European presence.

In 2022, Whirlpool acquired InSinkErator, the world's largest manufacturer of garbage disposals, from Emerson Electric for approximately $3 billion, diversifying the company's portfolio beyond major appliances.

In April 2024, Whirlpool completed a major portfolio transformation by divesting its EMEA major domestic appliance business to Arçelik A.Ş., creating a new European appliance company called Beko Europe B.V. Whirlpool retained a 25% ownership stake in Beko Europe and retained ownership of InSinkErator and its EMEA KitchenAid small and major domestic appliance business. The divestiture was expected to deliver more than $750 million in net present value of future cash flow value.

In 2025, Whirlpool deconsolidated its India business while retaining a significant interest in the entity. The company also executed $200 million in structural cost take-out initiatives and launched record-level new products in the second half of the year, driving market share gains.

In Q2 2026, Whirlpool completed a $2 billion asset-based lending facility and issued $2 billion in secured bonds, extending its debt maturity profile to 2028 and creating financial flexibility. The company also announced price increases in Latin America following previously executed pricing actions in North America, representing its largest price increase in over a decade.

Whirlpool Corporation has a long track record of corporate responsibility leadership. In 2003, the company became the world's first appliance manufacturer to set a global greenhouse gas reduction target. In 2025, Whirlpool updated its Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitments with a new near-term target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 65% by 2030 compared to 2021 levels, and a new long-term net-zero target validated by the SBTi for 2050.

In 2025, Whirlpool reduced Scope 1 and 2 market-based emissions by 6% compared to 2024 and by 57% since 2021. The company matched 80% of its global electricity consumption with renewable energy sources. The company also expanded supplier emissions coverage to approximately 70% of estimated supplier emissions associated with direct production materials, with 79% of responding suppliers having established their own emissions reduction targets.

Whirlpool launched a certified refurbished pilot program in the U.S. in 2025, exploring circular economy approaches to appliance lifecycle management. The company has a 27-year relationship with Habitat for Humanity, supporting affordable housing initiatives. Approximately 80% of the major appliances Whirlpool sells in the U.S. come from American factories, and approximately 96% of the steel used is American-sourced.

Whirlpool Corporation has faced various regulatory and legal matters over the years. The company has been subject to product safety recalls, including recalls of certain washing machine and refrigerator models due to fire hazards or other safety concerns. These recalls are handled through the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The company's former EMEA operations faced legal matters related to historical compliance issues. Following the EMEA divestiture in April 2024, Whirlpool retained certain legacy EMEA legal matters, which were referenced in its financial disclosures.

In 2025, Whirlpool faced significant tariff exposure that impacted costs and margins. The company executed $200 million in structural cost take-out initiatives and implemented its largest price increase in over a decade to offset tariff impacts, which affected Q2 2026 results with ongoing EBIT margin declining to 1.8%.

The appliance manufacturing industry faces inherent environmental challenges related to energy consumption, water usage, and end-of-life product disposal. Whirlpool has addressed these through SBTi-validated emissions targets, renewable energy procurement, and product efficiency improvements.