WHR

Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation, the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, was incorporated in 1955 under the laws of Delaware as the successor to a business that traces its origin to 1898. Whirlpool manufactures products in 12 countries under 13 principal brand names and markets products in nearly every country around the world. Whirlpool’s geographic segments consist of North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. As of December 31, 2009, we had approximately 67,000 employees.

Whirlpool manufactures and markets a full line of major appliances and related products, primarily for home use. Our principal products are laundry appliances, refrigerators, cooking appliances, dishwashers, mixers and other small household appliances. We also produce hermetic compressors for refrigeration systems.

In North America, Whirlpool markets and distributes major home appliances and portable appliances under a variety of brand names. In the United States, we market and distribute products primarily under the Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Roper, Estate, Admiral, Magic Chef, Amana, and Inglis brand names primarily to retailers, distributors, and builders. In Canada, we market and distribute major home appliances primarily under the Inglis, Admiral, Whirlpool, Maytag, Jenn-Air, Magic Chef, Amana, Roper, Estate, and KitchenAid brand names. In Mexico, we market and distribute major home appliances primarily under the Whirlpool, Maytag, Acros, KitchenAid, and Supermatic brand names. We sell some products to other manufacturers, distributors, and retailers for resale in North America under those manufacturers’ and retailers’ respective brand names. We have manufacturing facilities in the United States and Mexico.

Whirlpool is a major supplier to Sears of laundry, refrigerator, dishwasher, and trash compactor home appliances. Sears markets some of the products that we supply to them under its Kenmore brand name. Sears is also a major outlet for our Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, and Amana brand products. In 2009, 2008 and 2007, approximately 10%, 11% and 12%, respectively, of our consolidated net sales were attributable to sales to Sears. More information regarding Whirlpool’s relationship with Sears can be found under the caption “Forward-Looking Perspective” in the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” contained in the Financial Supplement to this Report.

In Europe, we market and distribute our major home appliances primarily under the Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana, Bauknecht, Ignis, Laden, and Polar brand names, and major and portable appliances under the KitchenAid brand name. In addition to our extensive operations in Western Europe, we have sales subsidiaries in Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Croatia, Morocco, and Turkey, with representative offices in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro. Whirlpool markets a full line of products under the Whirlpool, KIC, and Ignis brand names in South Africa.

Whirlpool’s European operations also sell products carrying the Whirlpool, Bauknecht, and Ignis brand names to distributors and dealers in Africa and the Middle East. Whirlpool has manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, and Sweden.

In Latin America, we market and distribute our major home appliances primarily under the Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Brastemp, Consul, and Eslabon de Lujo brand names. We manage appliance sales and distribution in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Peru through our Brazilian subsidiary, and in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay through our distributors. We manage appliance sales and distribution in Central American countries, the Caribbean, Venezuela, Colombia, Guatemala, and Ecuador through our Brazilian subsidiary and through distributors. In Latin America, Whirlpool has manufacturing facilities in Brazil.

In Asia, we have organized the marketing and distribution of our major home appliances into five operating groups: (1) China, which includes mainland China; (2) Hong Kong and Taiwan; (3) India, which includes Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan; (4) Oceania, which includes Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands; and (5) Southeast Asia, which includes Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Korea, and Japan. We market and sell our products in Asia primarily under the Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana, and Jenn-Air brand names by a combination of direct sales to appliance retailers and chain stores and through full-service distributors to a large network of retail stores. In Asia, we have manufacturing facilities in China and India.

Competition

Competition in the home appliance industry is intense. In addition to traditional competitors such as Electrolux, General Electric, and Kenmore, there are expanding foreign competitors such as LG, Bosch Siemens, Samsung and Haier. Moreover, the U.S. customer base is characterized by large, sophisticated trade customers who have many choices and demand competitive products, services, and prices. In most major markets throughout the world, 2009 was a challenging year with continued high costs in the areas of metals and oil-based materials, such as resins. In addition, in 2008 and 2009 we experienced significant macroeconomic challenges including instability in the financial markets. These challenges have impacted the global economy, the capital markets and global demand for our products. Competition in our markets is based upon a wide variety of factors, including cost, selling price, distribution, performance, innovation, product features, energy efficiency, quality, and other financial incentives. These financial incentives include cooperative advertising, co-marketing funds, salesperson incentives, volume rebates, and terms. We believe that we can best compete in the current environment by increasing productivity, improving quality, lowering costs, focusing on research and development including introducing new products through innovation, building strong brands, enhancing trade customer and consumer value with our product offerings, continuing to expand our global footprint, expanding trade distribution channels, and taking other efficiency-enhancing measures.

Other Information

We are generally not dependent upon any one source for raw materials or purchased components essential to our business. In areas where a single supplier is used, alternative sources are generally available and can be developed within the normal manufacturing environment. Some unanticipated costs may be incurred in transitioning to a new supplier if a prior single supplier relationship was abruptly interrupted or terminated. There has been continued cost pressure in some areas, such as metals and oil-based materials, during most of the year. In the later part of the year, costs in most of these areas started to show signs of relief, but remain at elevated levels. We believe such raw materials and components will be available in adequate quantities to meet anticipated production schedules.

The patents we presently own are considered, in the aggregate, to be valuable. Also, Whirlpool is the owner of a number of trademarks in the U.S. and foreign countries. The most important trademarks that we own in North America are Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Estate, Roper, Admiral, Amana, Jenn-Air, and Acros. The most important trademarks that we own in Europe are Whirlpool, Bauknecht, and Ignis. In Latin America, the most important trademarks that we own are Whirlpool, Brastemp, and Consul. The most important trademark that we own in Asia is Whirlpool. We receive royalties from licensing our trademarks to third parties to sell and service certain products bearing the Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Admiral, Amana, and Magic Chef brand names.

Expenditures for Whirlpool-sponsored research and development relating to new products and the improvement of existing products were approximately $455 million in 2009, $436 million in 2008, and $421 million in 2007.

Our manufacturing facilities are subject to numerous laws and regulations designed to protect or enhance the environment, many of which require federal, state, or other governmental licenses and permits with regard to wastewater discharges, air emissions, and hazardous waste management. Our policy is to comply with all such laws and regulations. Where laws and regulations are less restrictive, we have established and are following our own standards consistent with our commitment to environmental responsibility.

We believe that we are in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable federal, state, local, and other governmental provisions relating to environmental protection in the countries in which we have manufacturing operations. Compliance with these environmental laws and regulations has not had a material effect on capital expenditures, earnings, or our competitive position. Capital expenditures and expenses for manufacturing operations directly attributable to compliance with these environmental provisions worldwide amounted to approximately $29 million in 2009, $31 million in 2008 and $28 million in 2007. We estimate that in 2010, environmental capital expenditures and expenses for manufacturing operations will be approximately $29 million. Capital expenditures and expenses for product related environmental activities were not material in any of the past three years and are not expected to be material in 2010.

The entire major home appliance industry, including Whirlpool, must contend with the adoption of stricter governmental energy and environmental standards. These standards will be phased in over the next several years and include the general phase-out of ozone depleting chemicals used in refrigeration, energy standards rulemakings for selected major appliances, regulatory restrictions on the materials content specified for use in our products by some jurisdictions, and mandated recycling of our products at the end of their useful lives. Compliance with these various standards, as they become effective, will require some product redesign. However, we believe, based on our understanding of the current state of proposed regulations, that we will be able to develop, manufacture, and market products that comply with these regulations.

State and federal environmental protection agencies have notified us of our possible involvement in a number of “Superfund” sites in the United States. However, based upon our evaluation of the facts and circumstances relating to these sites along with the evaluation of our technical consultants, we do not presently anticipate any material adverse effect upon our earnings, financial condition, or competitive position arising out of the resolution of these matters or the resolution of any other known governmental proceeding regarding environmental protection matters.

Maytag Acquisition

On March 31, 2006, we completed our acquisition of Maytag. The aggregate purchase price for Maytag was approximately $1.9 billion, including approximately $848 million of cash and approximately 9.7 million shares of Whirlpool common stock. Maytag had consolidated net sales for the year ended December 31, 2005 of approximately $4.9 billion. With the acquisition, Whirlpool added an array of home appliance brands including Maytag, Jenn-Air, Amana, Magic Chef, and Admiral. We are realizing cost savings from all areas across the value chain including product manufacturing and marketing, global procurement, logistics, infrastructure and support areas, product research and development, and asset utilization. In 2007, we completed the sale of all Maytag adjacent businesses which were not part of the core appliance business.