Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC – Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 7,997 shares of the data storage provider’s stock, valued at approximately $960,000. Get Western Digital alerts: Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of WDC. SYM FINANCIAL Corp bought a new position in shares of Western Digital during ...

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of conducting personal in-depth research and due diligence before making investment decisions, highlighting the inherent risks involved in trading [3]. Group 1 - The analysis is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as professional investment advice [3]. - There is a clear disclaimer regarding the lack of any stock, option, or similar derivative positions in the companies mentioned, indicating a neutral stance [2]. - The article expresses the author's personal opinions and does not reflect the views of any affiliated organization [4].

Core Insights - José Muñoz, the first non-Korean leader of the automaker, aims to accelerate the establishment of factories in the U.S. [1] Company Strategy - The company is focusing on expanding its manufacturing footprint in the U.S. to enhance production capabilities [1]

Core Viewpoint - Western Digital reported strong financial results for Q2 FY26, with significant year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter growth in revenue and shipment capacity [1] Financial Performance - Revenue for Q2 FY26 reached $3.017 billion (approximately 21.012 billion RMB), representing a 25% year-over-year increase and a 7.06% quarter-over-quarter increase [1] - Total shipment capacity was 215EB, showing a year-over-year growth of 22.16% and a quarter-over-quarter growth of 5.39% [1] Customer Agreements - The company has signed procurement agreements with its top seven customers for the calendar year 2026, indicating that production capacity for the year is nearly sold out [1] - Agreements with two of the top five customers extend into the calendar year 2027, with one agreement even extending to 2028 [1] Pricing and Cost Trends - The average price per TB increased slightly by 2-3% compared to the previous quarter, while the cost per TB decreased by approximately 10% year-over-year [1] - UltraSMR technology has contributed to over half of the overall nearline HDD shipment capacity [1] Future Outlook - For Q3 FY26, Western Digital expects revenue to be in the range of $3.2 billion ± $100 million [1]

Core Insights - The company is experiencing significant demand driven by advancements in AI, particularly in model training and inference, which require increased storage capacity [2][3] - The company has been preparing for this demand surge over the past three to four quarters by innovating and delivering higher capacity drives [2][5] - Current product offerings have increased from 24 terabytes to 32 terabytes per drive, with plans for even higher capacity drives in the near future [5][6] Production and Capacity - The company is not adding production capacity in terms of unit output but is focusing on technological innovation to deliver higher capacity drives [4][5] - The emphasis on higher aerial density drives has contributed to margin expansion [5] Customer Base and Market Position - The company primarily serves hyperscale customers, as the majority of storage is shifting to the cloud due to the need for AI capabilities [8][9] - Engineering teams are closely aligned with the needs of hyperscale customers to meet their capacity and functionality requirements [9] Market Outlook - Demand for storage is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 25% over the next five years [10] - The company has secured long-term contracts with major customers, indicating strong future demand, with some agreements extending to the end of calendar year 2027 [10]

Sandisk Stock Is Up 1,600% After Its Spinoff. Five More to Watch - Barron'sSkip to Main ContentThis copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.# Up 1,500%, Is Sandisk the Best Spinoff Ever? Five More to WatchBy [Al Root]ShareResize---ReprintsIn this article[SNDK][WDC][SPX ...

Investors have had little reason to look away from Western Digital (WDC) in recent times. The company has staged an impressive rally to fresh 52-week highs as investors continue to feel positive about spending on infrastructure for artificial intelligence. In this context, the announcement of an Innovation Day event on Feb. 3 appears to be a calculated move. This is especially true in a market where investors are increasingly distinguishing between cyclical upswings and structural winners. Storage spendi ...

Core Viewpoint - Western Digital Corp (NASDAQ:WDC) is experiencing strong financial growth and has a positive outlook, supported by a new price target set by Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley at $325, indicating a potential upside of 16.73% from its current price of $278.41 [1][6]. Financial Performance - In Q2 2026, Western Digital reported revenue of $3 billion, reflecting a 25% increase year-over-year [2][6]. - The company's earnings per share (EPS) reached $2.13, surpassing the high end of their guidance range [2][6]. Product Delivery and Growth - Western Digital delivered 215 exabytes of data storage, marking a 22% year-over-year growth [3][6]. - The shipment of over 3.5 million units of its latest EPMR products indicates strong customer confidence in the company's offerings [3]. Margin Improvement - The gross margin improved to 46.1%, an increase of 770 basis points, attributed to a focus on higher capacity drives and effective cost control measures [3]. Strategic Initiatives - The company has secured long-term agreements with major customers, enhancing visibility into future demand [4]. - Western Digital is advancing its Hammer and EPMR roadmaps and has begun qualifying next-generation products, positioning itself for continued growth and innovation [4]. Stock Performance - Currently, WDC's stock price is $278.41, with a slight decrease of 0.46% or -$1.29 [5]. - The stock has fluctuated between $268.35 and $285.42 today, with the highest price over the past year being $285.42 [5]. - The company has a market capitalization of approximately $95.44 billion and a trading volume of 15.21 million shares [5].

Core Viewpoint - Western Digital Corporation has demonstrated strong financial performance and growth potential in the data storage industry, leading to an upgrade in stock rating by UBS. Financial Performance - Revenue for the second quarter of 2026 reached $3 billion, marking a 25% increase from the previous year [2][6] - Earnings per share (EPS) stood at $2.13, exceeding the high end of the company's guidance range [3] - Gross margin improved significantly to 46.1%, an increase of 770 basis points from the previous year, attributed to a strategic shift towards higher capacity drives and effective cost management [4][6] Product and Market Position - The company delivered 215 exabytes, reflecting a 22% year-over-year growth, driven by strong demand for nearline drives [3] - Over 3.5 million units of the latest generation EPMR products were shipped, indicating robust customer confidence [3] - Western Digital is advancing its Hammer and EPMR roadmaps and has begun qualifying next-generation products, positioning itself for continued growth [5] Stock Performance - UBS upgraded Western Digital to a "Buy" rating, increasing the price target from $230 to $285 [2][6] - The stock is currently priced at $278.41, with a trading volume of 15.21 million shares [5] - The stock's highest price over the past year was $285.42, while the lowest was $28.83 [5]

Core Insights - Western Digital Corporation (WDC) is a significant player in the data storage industry, manufacturing hard drives and solid-state drives, competing with firms like Seagate, Micron, Lam Research, Applied Materials, and Broadcom [1] Financial Performance - WDC has a Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 26.96% and a Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of 12.22%, resulting in a ROIC to WACC ratio of 2.21, indicating efficient capital utilization [2][6] - Seagate Technology Holdings (STX) has a higher ROIC of 35.65% and a lower WACC of 11.13%, leading to a ROIC to WACC ratio of 3.20, suggesting more effective capital utilization compared to WDC [3][6] - Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) also achieves a ROIC to WACC ratio of 3.20, with a ROIC of 38.61% and a WACC of 12.07%, outperforming WDC [3][6] - Micron Technology (MU) has a ROIC of 16.28% and a WACC of 22.09%, resulting in a ROIC to WACC ratio of 0.74, indicating less effective capital utilization compared to WDC [4][6] - Applied Materials (AMAT) and Broadcom (AVGO) have ROIC to WACC ratios of 1.93 and 1.75, respectively, showing varying levels of capital efficiency [4][5] Comparative Analysis - Overall, while WDC demonstrates strong capital utilization, Seagate and Lam Research outperform it in terms of the ROIC to WACC ratio, highlighting the importance of evaluating both metrics for understanding financial health and capital efficiency [5][6]