Samsung Electronics Co. stayed firm at the top of the U.S. home appliance market for the sixth straight quarter despite trade actions from U.S. rival Whirlpool Corp.

According to data released by U.S. market research firm TraQline on Monday, the Korean tech giant claimed a 19.3 percent share in the U.S. appliance market in the third quarter. Based on the cumulative sales results in the January-September period, its share was 18.9 percent, up 2.1 percentage points against the year-ago period.

LG Electronics Inc. came in second at 15.7 percent, followed by Whirlpool at 15.4 percent. But when considering market share by manufacturer, Whirlpool stood first as it owns various brands.

In the refrigerator category, Samsung Electronics commanded a 22.1 percent share, retaining its No. 1 ranking for six consecutive quarters, as its products with innovative features such as Family Hub and Food Showcase performed well. It also claimed a 30.8 percent share in the premium French-door refrigerator segment, extending its winning streak for 34 quarters.

Samsung remained the leader in the washing machine category with a 20 percent share, securing the top spot for five straight quarters, thanks to the success of FlexWash - its latest washer that provides two separate compartments for large and small laundry loads. It is trailed by LG Electronics at 16.7 percent and Whirlpool at 16.1 percent.

The Korean electronics companies are readying against higher tariffs in the U.S. market after Whirlpool filed for a safeguard provision on Samsung and LG washers, arguing that cheaper imported washing machines by the Korean manufacturers have hurt its washer sales in its critical North American market.

In the oven range category, Samsung seized the lead for the first time in the premium double oven segment with a 28.8 percent share in the third quarter, up 11.2 percentage points from the same period last year. The double oven allows users to cook two different dishes at once at different temperatures.

By Song Sung-hoon and Kim Hyo-jin

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