Whirlpool Corp reported a lower second-quarter profit on Wednesday as sales at the world's biggest appliance maker crumbled in the global economic slowdown.

Net earnings available to common shareholders of the maker of Maytag and KitchenAid appliances fell to $78 million, or $1.04 a share, from $117 million, or $1.53 a share, a year earlier.

In April, Whirlpool said it saw a more challenging market than it had previously expected for the rest of the year as consumers continued to delay replacement purchases, even for appliances that are beyond repair, because of the economic uncertainty.

Sales at the Benton Harbor, Michigan-based company fell 18 percent to $4.17 billion.

(Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan in Bangalore; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

Michigan