Shares in household appliance company (NYSE: WHR) rose by 11.8% in December, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. The move comes as the market took a brighter view of interest-rate-sensitive stocks in the light of reductions in market rates throughout the month.

There's no doubt companies like Whirlpool faced a challenging environment in 2023. Rising interest rates pressured consumer discretionary spending, which means more promotional activity to drive sales growth in Whirlpool's case. The pressures can be seen in its guidance through the year.

The changes in the margin guidance, and therefore earnings and cash flow, come down to returning promotional activities to pre-pandemic levels. Whirlpool CEO Marc Bitzer was quite clear on the matter during the third-quarter earnings call in October.

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Source Fool.com