Whirlpool Beats on Earnings and Revenue, Issues Upbeat 2015 Guidance

Shares of Whirlpool are higher in Wednesday trading, after posting fourth-quarter results which topped forecasts. The appliance maker is also issuing upbeat guidance for 2015. Profit came in at $3.52 a share, $0.33 better than expectations. Revenue came in slightly better than expected. As for 2015, the maker of Whirlpool and Kitchen Aid appliances says it expects profits to climb this year as raw-material costs decline and it starts to see the benefits of acquisitions it made last year in Europe and Asia. Whirlpool shares have increased roughly 4 percent since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index has stayed nearly flat. The stock has climbed 59 percent in the last 12 months.