Whirlpool Corp., the world’s leading manufacturer of home appliances, has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in its smaller European counterpart, Indesit Co., for about $1 billion.

The deal, announced late last week, would give Whirlpool a 60.4 percent stake in the Italian appliance maker—whose brands include Hotpoint and Scholtes brands—while also allowing it to expand its reach in the European market.