Standard&Poor's said today that there would be no impact on the ratings or outlook of Whirlpool Corp. (BBB+/Negative/A-2), following the company's announcement of its agreement in principle to buy the remaining 51%, which it does not own, of Vitromatic S.A. de C.V., the second largest Mexican appliance manufacturer, from Vitro S.A. The transaction (terms not disclosed) further expands Whirlpool's presence in Latin America, given Vitromatic's annual sales of more than $600 million. Whirlpool and Vitro have jointly owned Vitromatic since 1987, with Whirlpool's ownership stake of 49% to be increased to 100% upon the closing of this transaction, which is expected during the second quarter of 2002. Although Whirlpool's credit protection measures are expected to remain appropriate for
