Western Digital Expected to Announce Decreased Q1 Earnings; Top Analysts Adjust Predictions Before Earnings Call
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Oct 30 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Earnings Release: Western Digital Corporation is set to announce its first-quarter earnings on October 30, with analysts predicting earnings of $1.58 per share and revenue of $2.73 billion, a decline from the previous year.
Stock Performance: Following a positive fourth-quarter report, Western Digital shares rose by 13.2%, closing at $141.38.
Analyst Ratings: Several analysts have maintained or upgraded their ratings for Western Digital, with price targets ranging from $135 to $160, reflecting confidence in the company's performance.
Investment Insights: Benzinga provides access to the latest analyst ratings and insights for investors considering Western Digital stock.
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Analyst Views on WDC
Wall Street analysts forecast WDC stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for WDC is 189.74 USD with a low forecast of 135.00 USD and a high forecast of 250.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
19 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 279.700
Low
135.00
Averages
189.74
High
250.00
Current: 279.700
Low
135.00
Averages
189.74
High
250.00
About WDC
Western Digital Corporation is a developer, manufacturer and provider of data storage devices and solutions. It delivers hard disk drives (HDD) solutions for everyone from students, gamers, and home offices to enterprises and public clouds. The Company manufactures, markets, and sells data storage devices and solutions in the United States and in foreign countries through its sales personnel, dealers, distributors, retailers, and subsidiaries. Its portfolio of technology and products addresses multiple end markets: Cloud, Client, and Consumer. Cloud is comprised primarily of products for public or private cloud environments and end customers. Through the Client end market, it provides its original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and channel customers a range of hard drive solutions across personal computer, mobile, gaming, automotive, virtual reality headsets, at-home entertainment, and industrial spaces. The Consumer end market offers a range of retail and other end-user products.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Western Digital Stock Hits All-Time High Ahead of Earnings
- Stock Performance: Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:WDC) surged to an all-time high of $284 on Wednesday, closing at $279.70 with a 10.79% increase, reflecting strong investor optimism ahead of its earnings report.
- Earnings Expectations: The company anticipates revenues of $2.9 billion for Q2 FY2026, with a variance of $100 million, and diluted earnings per share of $1.88, plus or minus $0.15, driven primarily by data center demand.
- Innovation Day Event: On February 3, Western Digital will host an Innovation Day in New York to showcase key innovations aimed at addressing the growing data storage needs in the AI-driven economy, further solidifying its market position.
- Analyst Rating Upgrade: Mizuho raised Western Digital's price target from $240 to $265 while reaffirming an “outperform” rating, indicating strong market confidence in the company's future performance.
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Western Digital Q2 Earnings Exceed Expectations
- Strong Financial Performance: Western Digital reported Q2 revenue of $3.0 billion, a 25% year-over-year increase, with EPS at $2.13 and gross margin improving to 46.1%, reflecting robust market demand and effective cost management.
- Cloud-Driven Growth: Cloud revenue reached $2.7 billion, accounting for 89% of total revenue and growing 28% year-over-year, indicating the company's strategic positioning in AI and cloud storage is beginning to pay off.
- Accelerated Technological Innovation: The company shipped over 3.5 million units of its latest-generation ePMR drives this quarter, driving demand for higher-density storage, while the early qualification of HAMR technology is expected to enhance product competitiveness further.
- Continued Shareholder Returns: Western Digital repurchased $615 million in stock and paid $48 million in dividends this quarter, with free cash flow of $653 million, demonstrating strong cash generation capabilities and commitment to shareholders.
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