3 Storage Devices Stocks to Buy in a Flourishing Industry

Core Insights - The Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry is experiencing long-term growth driven by digital transformation, edge computing, AI workloads, and enterprise cloud adoption, with companies like Western Digital benefiting from increased demand for high-capacity HDDs and SSDs [1][2]. Industry Overview - The industry includes companies that design, develop, manufacture, and market HDDs and SSDs for various applications, including PCs, servers, and consumer electronics. Some players also offer software-defined storage solutions and purpose-built servers [3]. Trends Influencing the Industry - The rapid proliferation of AI is reshaping the tech landscape, increasing demand for high-speed, high-capacity storage solutions. Traditional storage architectures are being replaced by NVMe-based SSDs and software-defined storage to meet the needs of AI applications [4]. - Innovation in cloud storage technologies is driving industry growth, with companies leveraging AI and machine learning to optimize storage solutions amid increasing data complexity [5]. - Companies are focusing on virtualization and edge computing to enhance data storage efficiency, with a shift towards recurring revenue models as cloud-native storage gains traction [6]. Market Performance - The Zacks Computer-Storage Devices industry has outperformed the S&P 500, rising 57.7% over the past year compared to the S&P 500's 14.7% growth, although it lags behind the broader sector's 21.1% increase [12]. Valuation Metrics - The industry is currently trading at a forward 12-month Price/Earnings (P/E) ratio of 18.66X, below the S&P 500's 23.35X and the sector's 28.15X, indicating potential undervaluation [15]. Company Highlights - Western Digital (WDC): The company is experiencing strong demand for its high-capacity drives, with shipments of its ePMR products exceeding 2.2 million units in the September quarter. WDC expects fiscal second-quarter revenues of $2.9 billion, up 20% year-over-year, driven by data center demand [18][20]. - Sandisk Corporation (SNDK): Demand for Sandisk's NAND products is expected to exceed supply, with data center revenues growing 26% sequentially. The company anticipates fiscal second-quarter revenues between $2.55 billion and $2.65 billion, driven by bit growth and price increases [23][24]. - Teradata (TDC): TDC is well-positioned in the hybrid cloud space, with public cloud ARR increasing 11% year-over-year. The company expects free cash flow in the range of $260-$280 million for fiscal 2025 [29][30].