NY -- Standard&Poor's CreditWire 9/30/96 -- Standard&Poor's today has placed its ratings of Whirlpool Corp. and Whirlpool Financial Corp. (see list below) on CreditWatch with negative implications following Whirlpool Corp.'s announcement that third quarter and full year 1996 results will be below previous expectations. About $1.7 billion of long-term debt is affected. The weaker-than-expected performance is largely due to continued sluggish demand and a lack of margin improvement in Europe -- Whirlpool's second-largest regional market. Whirlpool Europe is expected to post its fourth quarterly operating loss in the third quarter of 1996. While strength in North America and Latin America is mitigating some of the disappointing regional results, credit statistics are very weak for the rating,
