By John Keilman

Appliance maker Whirlpool is hoping for a quick rebound in consumer confidence after it hit a 12-year low in a recent survey from The Conference Board.

Chief Executive Marc Bitzer said while many things likely drove the reading lower, including the events in Minnesota, history has shown it can be transitory.

"I'm not quite sure I would take that as an extrapolation for the full year, just because we've seen these things change pretty rapidly in the past," he said.

Whirlpool on Wednesday projected its organic net sales will rise about 5% in 2026, thanks in part to a number of new products released last year. It predicted full-year adjusted earnings of $7 per share, short of Wall Street's expectation of $7.17.

In the latest quarter, the company's adjusted earnings came in at $1.10, well below the $1.52 expected by analysts polled by FactSet. Bitzer blamed the earnings miss on discounting that became more aggressive than anticipated during the crucial Black Friday sales period.

Shares in the company fell more than 3% in after-hours trading.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 28, 2026 16:50 ET (21:50 GMT)

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