Insider Transaction: James Peters Sells $626K Worth Of Whirlpool Shares

Disclosed on October 29, James Peters, EVP at Whirlpool WHR, executed a substantial insider sell as per the latest SEC filing.

What Happened: Peters's decision to sell 6,000 shares of Whirlpool was revealed in a Form 4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. The total value of the sale is $626,864.

Monitoring the market, Whirlpool's shares up by 0.5% at $103.2 during Wednesday's morning.

About Whirlpool

Whirlpool Corp is a manufacturer and marketer of home appliances and related products. Its reportable segments consist of five operating segments, which consist of Domestic Appliances (MDA) North America; MDA Europe, MDA Latin America; MDA Asia; and Small Domestic Appliances (SDA). Product categories include refrigeration, laundry, cooking, and dishwashing. The company has also a portfolio of small domestic appliances, including the KitchenAid stand mixer. The company's international brands include Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, and Brastemp among others.

Whirlpool's Economic Impact: An Analysis

Decline in Revenue: Over the 3 months period, Whirlpool faced challenges, resulting in a decline of approximately -18.94% in revenue growth as of 30 September, 2024. This signifies a reduction in the company's top-line earnings. In comparison to its industry peers, the company trails behind with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Consumer Discretionary sector.

Evaluating Earnings Performance:

• Gross Margin: With a low gross margin of 16.1%, the company exhibits below-average profitability, signaling potential struggles in cost efficiency compared to its industry peers.

• Earnings per Share (EPS): Whirlpool's EPS is significantly higher than the industry average. The company demonstrates a robust bottom-line performance with a current EPS of 2.01.

Debt Management: With a high debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, Whirlpool faces challenges in effectively managing its debt levels, indicating potential financial strain.

Valuation Overview:

• Price to Earnings (P/E) Ratio: The P/E ratio of 10.11 is lower than the industry average, implying a discounted valuation for Whirlpool's stock.

• Price to Sales (P/S) Ratio: The P/S ratio of 0.32 is lower than the industry average, implying a discounted valuation for Whirlpool's stock in relation to sales performance.

• EV/EBITDA Analysis (Enterprise Value to its Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation & Amortization): With a lower-than-industry-average EV/EBITDA ratio of 11.87, Whirlpool presents a potential value opportunity, as investors are paying less for each unit of EBITDA.

Market Capitalization: Exceeding industry standards, the company's market capitalization places it above industry average in size relative to peers. This emphasizes its significant scale and robust market position.

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Delving Into the Significance of Insider Transactions

While insider transactions should not be the sole basis for making investment decisions, they can play a significant role in an investor's decision-making process.

Exploring the legal landscape, an "insider" is defined as any officer, director, or beneficial owner holding more than ten percent of a company's equity securities, as stipulated by Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This encompasses executives in the c-suite and major hedge funds. These insiders are required to report their transactions through a Form 4 filing, which must be submitted within two business days of the transaction.

Highlighted by a company insider's new purchase, there's a positive anticipation for the stock to rise.

But, insider sells may not necessarily indicate a bearish view and can be motivated by various factors.

A Deep Dive into Insider Transaction Codes

Delving into transactions, investors typically prioritize those unfolding in the open market, as precisely outlined in Table I of the Form 4 filing. A P in Box 3 indicates a purchase, while S signifies a sale. Transaction code C signals the conversion of an option, and transaction code A denotes a grant, award, or other acquisition of securities from the company.

Check Out The Full List Of Whirlpool's Insider Trades.

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This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.