Whirlpool (WHR): Assessing Valuation After New 2026 Tariff and Housing Rebound Tailwind Narrative

Whirlpool (WHR) is back on investors radar as recent reporting highlights a potential 2026 tailwind, with tariffs and competitor inventory drawdowns potentially intersecting with a housing rebound and lower rates to lift margins.

See our latest analysis for Whirlpool.

Despite the upbeat 2026 narrative, Whirlpool’s recent share price performance has been rough, with a steep year to date share price return decline and a similarly weak one year total shareholder return. Any renewed optimism is still more about a shift in future expectations than a clear momentum turn.

If you are weighing Whirlpool’s recovery story against alternatives, this is also a good moment to broaden your watchlist and explore auto manufacturers as another way to tap into consumer cyclical trends.

With Whirlpool shares still trading below both analyst targets and some intrinsic value estimates after years of underperformance, the key question is whether this pessimism is overdone or whether the market has already priced in a 2026 rebound.

Most Popular Narrative Narrative: 11% Undervalued

With Whirlpool last closing at $77.26 against a narrative fair value of about $86.78, this framework implies moderate upside once margins normalize.

Recent and ongoing restructuring, cost takeout programs, and supply chain efficiencies are expected to deliver structural operating margin improvement, even as current headwinds fade.

Strengthened domestic U.S. manufacturing footprint positions Whirlpool to be a primary beneficiary of forthcoming tariff implementation, which will improve competitive positioning, support pricing power, and drive margin recovery as imported inventory clears and trade policies take full effect.

Read the complete narrative.

Curious how flat top line expectations can still underpin a higher fair value, thanks to margin repair and a future earnings multiple below today’s industry benchmark.

Result: Fair Value of $86.78 (UNDERVALUED)

Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts.

However, stalled housing demand and intensifying low cost Asian competition could cap margin recovery and challenge assumptions behind Whirlpool’s 2026 rebound narrative.

Find out about the key risks to this Whirlpool narrative.

Build Your Own Whirlpool Narrative

If this perspective does not fully resonate, or you prefer to dive into the numbers yourself, you can build a personalized Whirlpool thesis in minutes, Do it your way.

A great starting point for your Whirlpool research is our analysis highlighting 3 key rewards and 2 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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