BENTON HARBOR, Mich., April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) was named one of the Most Respected U.S. Companies by Forbes magazine and the Reputation Institute. This is the fourth consecutive year Whirlpool has been included in the Most Respected Companies list.

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"We are proud to be recognized by Forbes and Reputation Institute as one of the most respected companies in the United States.  This is an honor for all of the Whirlpool employees who have contributed to our company's success during the last 100 years," said Jeff M. Fettig, chairman and CEO, Whirlpool Corporation. "Providing products and trusted brands that meet specific consumer needs, doing business with integrity and helping improve the communities where we operate has been our hallmark for 100 years. These principles will guide us into our next century of opportunity as we build on our strong heritage and values to generate growth and create long-term value for our shareholders, our employees and the families who use our products each and every day, everywhere around the world."

In the sixth annual survey of U.S. consumers conducted by Reputation Institute, Whirlpool earned a Pulse rating of 77.51, placing it 14th on the list of the largest 150 U.S. headquartered companies based on revenue.  The company ranked 25th on the list in 2010.

Reputation Institute's U.S. RepTrak™ Pulse Study measures the 150 largest, by revenue, independent U.S. public and mutual companies that are at least somewhat familiar to the general public. The U.S. RepTrak™ Pulse score is a measure of corporate reputation calculated by averaging perceptions of four indicators — trust, esteem, admiration, and good feeling — obtained from a representative sample of at least 100 U.S. respondents for each company and converted to a scale of 0 to 100. Ratings are based on 32,946 responses from online consumers in January and February 2011.

Reputation Institute's analysis of the seven dimensions of corporate reputation shows that perceptions of the enterprise (Workplace, Governance, Citizenship, Financial Performance and Leadership) trump product perceptions (Products & Services plus Innovation) when it comes to driving behaviors. The five enterprise dimensions drive 61 percent of purchase consideration and 58 percent of recommendation/advocacy behavior with consumers.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of more than $18 billion in 2010, 71,000 employees, and 66 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. Additional information about the company can be found at www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

About Whirlpool Corporation's 100th Anniversary

Founded on November 11, 1911, Whirlpool Corporation's time- and labor-saving appliance innovations have influenced home and family life during the last century. Driven by the belief that everyone needs a comfortable place to call home, Whirlpool Corporation is focused on improving lives one family, one home at a time.

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation