Western Digital Corporation (WDC) AI Stock Analysis

NASDAQ: WDCAI research summary: business, growth, valuation, analysts, bull and bear case.

WDC AI stock analysis summary

AI Research

Western Digital Corporation is a global developer and manufacturer of data storage solutions, spanning hard disk drives and solid state drives. In FY2026, the company generated $12.92B in revenue and $9.42B in net income, supported by $3.51B in free cash flow. The stock trades at a trailing P/E of 12.3x with net cash of $527.0M on its balance sheet.

Market cap
$124.28B
Revenue (TTM)
$12.92B
P/E
12.3x
fwd 22.8x
1Y return
164.1%
S&P 500 16.8%
Avg. target
$668.50
101.4% vs last close

Bull case

  • Free cash flow expanded to $3.51B in FY2026, up from $1.28B in FY2025 and free cash flow of -$1.22B in FY2023.
  • Quarterly earnings surged 984.1% year-over-year in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, alongside 43.8% quarterly revenue growth.
  • Consensus forecasts project FY2027 EPS of $20.53, representing estimated year-over-year earnings growth of 100.9%.

Bear case

  • Western Digital's 5-year revenue CAGR from FY2021 to FY2026 was -5.3%.
  • The stock trades 19.1% below its 200-day average and has a volatile beta of 2.17.
  • The company's diluted share count grew 19.4% over 5 years while its annualized dividend growth fell 15.5%.

What Western Digital does

Western Digital Corporation is a developer, manufacturer, and distributor of data storage devices and solutions worldwide. The company provides hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid state drives (SSDs) for client devices such as PCs, gaming consoles, smart video systems, and set top boxes. It also offers embedded storage solutions for mobile devices, tablets, automotive systems, IoT, and industrial applications, alongside flash-based memory wafers. In enterprise markets, Western Digital sells helium hard drives, SSDs, and storage platforms to data centers and enterprise servers. Products are marketed under brands including Western Digital, SanDisk, and WD.

Growth and profitability

Western Digital generated revenue of $12.92B in FY2026, marking an increase of 35.7% following 50.7% growth to $9.52B in FY2025. Gross margin expanded to 48.9% in FY2026 from 38.8% in FY2025 and 22.2% in FY2023. Operating margin reached 34.5%, up from 24.5% in FY2025 and an operating margin of -8.8% in FY2023. Net income rose to $9.42B with an EPS of $10.10 in FY2026, compared to net income of $1.86B in FY2025 and net income of -$1.68B in FY2023. In the quarter ended June 30, 2026, quarterly revenue growth was 43.8% year-over-year, while quarterly earnings growth reached 984.1%.

WDC income statement →

Balance sheet and cash flow

As of June 30, 2026, Western Digital held $1.58B in cash and short-term investments against $1.05B in total debt, yielding net cash of $527.0M. The current ratio stood at 1.33, and the debt-to-equity ratio was 0.12 against shareholders' equity of $8.86B. In FY2026, the company generated $3.93B in operating cash flow and $3.51B in free cash flow. Cash deployment included $418.0M in capital expenditures, $2.59B in share buybacks, and $184.0M in dividends paid.

WDC balance sheet →

Valuation and performance

Western Digital trades at a trailing P/E of 12.3x and a forward P/E of 22.8x, both below the median of its Nasdaq-100 Technology peers at 43.3x and 25.7x, respectively. Its enterprise value to EBITDA ratio is 16.3x compared to the peer median of 32.8x, and its price-to-sales ratio is 9.6x versus the peer median of 12.4x. The stock returned 164.1% over the past year and 696.6% over five years, outperforming the S&P 500 (SPY) returns of 16.8% and 83.0% over the same periods.

WDC key metrics →

WDC dividend

Western Digital pays a quarterly dividend with an annual forward dividend of $0.60 per share, representing a dividend yield of 0.18%. The company has paid dividends for 2 consecutive years and maintains a payout ratio of 5.5%. Its annualized 5-year dividend growth rate is -15.5%, and the last ex-dividend date was September 8, 2026.

WDC dividend history →

What analysts expect

Western Digital has 17 Strong Buy, 4 Buy, and 5 Hold ratings from Wall Street analysts, with no Sell or Strong Sell ratings. The mean price target is $668.50, representing an upside of 101.4% above the last close of $332.00. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, consensus estimates project revenue of $19.27B and an EPS of $20.53, reflecting 100.9% EPS growth. The company beat EPS estimates in each of the last 4 quarters, with its next earnings date scheduled for October 22, 2026.

WDC forecast and price target →

Key risks and what to watch

  • Western Digital experienced prior cyclical downturns, including an operating margin of -8.8% and net income of -$1.68B in FY2023.
  • Price volatility has been wide, with a 52-week trading range between $117.23 and $799.87.
  • The company deployed $2.59B into share buybacks in FY2026 while carrying $1.05B in total debt.

AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer

About this WDC AI stock analysis

This page is an AI-written research summary of Western Digital Corporation (WDC). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.

Related: WDC income statement, WDC balance sheet, WDC key metrics, WDC analyst forecast, WDC chart. See the WDC stock overview for the latest quote and news.

WDC AI stock analysis FAQ

What is Western Digital's dividend yield and payout schedule?

Western Digital pays a quarterly dividend with an annual forward payout of $0.60 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 0.18%. Its payout ratio stands at 5.5%.

What are Western Digital's revenue and earnings expectations for FY2027?

Analysts estimate revenue of $19.27B and EPS of $20.53 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, representing projected EPS growth of 100.9%.

How does Western Digital's valuation compare to sector peers?

Western Digital trades at a forward P/E of 22.8x and an EV to EBITDA ratio of 16.3x, compared to the median of its Nasdaq-100 Technology peers at 25.7x and 32.8x, respectively.

How strong is Western Digital's balance sheet?

As of June 30, 2026, Western Digital held $1.58B in cash and short-term investments against $1.05B in total debt, leaving net cash of $527.0M and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12.

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