Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC) finished the Christmas Eve session modestly higher and stayed relatively calm after the bell, as investors navigated a holiday-shortened trading day and a thin liquidity backdrop. The bigger story into the next session is less about a single headline and more about positioning: WDC remains a high-beta beneficiary of the AI data-center storage buildout, and it’s still digesting the impact of recent index changes and shifting macro expectations.
One important calendar note upfront: U.S. stock markets are closed on Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025), and the next regular session is Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. Christmas Eve (today) also came with an early close. [1]
Western Digital stock price after the bell: where WDC closed and how it traded late
In the shortened Dec. 24 session, Western Digital closed at $179.56, up from the prior close, after trading in a relatively wide intraday range—typical of a stock with strong momentum even when the broader market’s volume is muted. Reported intraday figures show an open near $179.21, a high around $182.54, and a low around $177.77, with volume notably lighter than what many investors would consider a “normal” full session. [2]
After-hours trading was uneventful: WDC was little changed around $179.5 in extended action immediately following the close, suggesting no major late-breaking company-specific catalyst hit the tape. [3]
Why the holiday timing matters for interpreting today’s move
Christmas Eve is not a normal market day. NYSE markets closed early at 1:00 p.m. ET on Dec. 24, 2025, which can amplify noise in price action because fewer participants are active and many desks are lightly staffed. [4]
The market backdrop today: early close, holiday schedule, and a “quiet” after-hours tape
While investors often talk about “tomorrow’s open,” this week’s schedule is different:
- Thursday, Dec. 25: U.S. stock and bond markets closed for Christmas. [5]
- Friday, Dec. 26: U.S. markets are scheduled to reopen for a full trading day—even though federal offices were ordered closed on Dec. 24 and Dec. 26 for this year, major exchanges said they would follow their standard trading schedules. [6]
For WDC holders, that means the next true “price discovery” moment isn’t Thursday morning—it’s Friday’s premarket and opening print.
What moved WDC today? No single headline—mostly positioning and sector gravity
A scan of widely reported developments on Dec. 24 doesn’t point to a fresh Western Digital press release or a sudden earnings revision as the dominant driver of today’s after-the-bell setup. Instead, WDC’s action fits the pattern of:
- Holiday liquidity + momentum stock behavior.
WDC has been trading like a momentum-and-theme name (AI infrastructure / data-center storage). In holiday weeks, these stocks can drift on relatively small flows. - Ongoing “AI storage” narrative support.
Western Digital’s most recent reported results emphasized strong performance tied to storage demand, including revenue of $2.82 billion (up 27% year over year) in its fiscal Q1 2026 report, alongside improving profitability metrics and cash generation. Investors have largely treated that as confirmation that high-capacity storage is part of the AI buildout supply chain, not just a commodity corner of hardware. [7] - Residual index-related demand.
Western Digital was recently added to a major benchmark, which can change who owns the stock and how it trades day-to-day.
Nasdaq-100 inclusion is still part of the WDC story going into year-end
Western Digital became a new Nasdaq-100 constituent effective prior to market open on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, as part of the index’s annual reconstitution. [8]
Why that still matters after the event:
- Passive and benchmarked flows don’t always complete in a single print—positioning can continue to settle as funds rebalance, tax-manage, or adjust tracking error into year-end.
- Index membership can also affect options activity, liquidity patterns, and “pair-trading” behavior vs. other Nasdaq-100 hardware and AI infrastructure names.
This doesn’t guarantee upside—index effects fade—but it helps explain why WDC can stay “in play” even on a low-news day.
Today’s key macro headline: jobless claims and what it implies for rates
One of the most market-relevant datapoints released today was U.S. labor-market data:
- Initial jobless claims fell by 10,000 to 214,000 (seasonally adjusted) for the week ending Dec. 20, 2025.
- Continuing claims rose to about 1.923 million, a sign that while layoffs remain low, finding a new job may be taking longer—often interpreted as a “low-hire, low-fire” labor market. [9]
Why this matters for WDC specifically:
- Western Digital is a cyclical-ish tech hardware name with a strong AI tailwind. Expectations for interest rates and growth can influence valuation multiples, risk appetite, and the bid for high-beta tech.
- A “no panic in layoffs, but hiring is sticky” picture tends to keep markets focused on whether the Fed stays cautious—or feels comfortable easing again—into 2026.
Forecasts and analyst expectations: price targets vary widely, but the range tells you the debate
Analyst targets on WDC are not tightly clustered right now—an important signal in itself. Depending on the data provider and analyst set:
- One widely cited compilation shows an average price target around the high-$180s with a high-end target as high as $250 and a low-end target around $135. [10]
- Another consensus snapshot points to an average target in the low-to-mid $170s, implying limited downside/upside from late-December levels—again with a very wide high/low spread. [11]
How to read that as you head into the next session:
- The wide range often appears when a stock has made a large move and the market is actively repricing the durability of the cycle (here: AI/data-center capex and storage pricing power).
- Bulls are effectively betting that Western Digital’s AI-linked demand and product mix can support higher-through-cycle margins for longer than past storage upcycles.
- Bears are focused on the historical reality that storage is cyclical, and that strong pricing/margins can normalize quickly if supply loosens or hyperscaler demand pauses.
Earnings timing: what the calendar says (and why you should treat it as “subject to change”)
If you’re looking for the next major catalyst, earnings is usually it—but the exact date can vary by source until the company confirms.
- Nasdaq’s earnings page currently lists an estimated earnings date of Feb. 4, 2026. [12]
- Zacks similarly points to Feb. 4, 2026 as the expected next release window. [13]
Practical takeaway: if you trade around earnings, treat these as placeholder dates until Western Digital posts an official announcement.
What to know before the market opens “tomorrow”: the real setup is Friday, Dec. 26
Because markets are closed Thursday, the key “before the open” checklist is really about what could shape sentiment into Friday morning.
1) Economic calendar: likely quiet into Friday
MarketWatch’s calendar shows no major U.S. economic reports scheduled for Thursday (Dec. 25) or Friday (Dec. 26). [14]
That can matter because in a low-data environment, stocks sometimes trade more on positioning and seasonality than on fundamentals.
2) Seasonality: Dec. 26 has a reputation—don’t overtrade it, but don’t ignore it
A MarketWatch report citing Bespoke Investment Group notes that Dec. 26 has historically been one of the most consistently positive days for the S&P 500, and it also falls inside the traditional “Santa Claus rally” window. [15]
For WDC, the implication is indirect: if broad risk sentiment is constructive on the first session after Christmas, high-beta tech names can get an extra lift. It’s not a rule—just a pattern many desks watch.
3) Trading hours and liquidity: Friday can see “snap-back” volume—or stay thin
- Today’s early close was official, and normal trading resumes Friday (full session). [16]
- Even so, between Christmas and New Year’s, liquidity can remain uneven, and single-stock moves can exaggerate on relatively small orders.
4) Filings and headline flow: EDGAR downtime can reduce “surprise” catalysts
The SEC noted that EDGAR would be closed from Dec. 24 through Dec. 26, 2025, which can affect the cadence of filings appearing on the public system. [17]
This doesn’t eliminate news risk (companies can still communicate in other ways), but it can reduce the odds of an unexpected filing-driven shock during the holiday stretch.
Key levels to watch on WDC going into the next session
For traders and investors watching near-term levels, two reference points stand out from recent data:
- $180 area: WDC is hovering around this psychological level after today’s close and after-hours trade. [18]
- Recent peak near the high-$180s: Data sources show a 52-week high around $188.77 and a wide 52-week range, reinforcing that WDC can move quickly in either direction. [19]
Support/resistance isn’t destiny, but in holiday weeks—when “fundamental” news is sparse—technical reference points can matter more than usual.
Bottom line for Western Digital stock after the bell on Dec. 24
Western Digital ended the shortened Christmas Eve session slightly higher and showed minimal after-hours volatility, suggesting no major new catalyst emerged late in the day. [20]
Before the next regular market open (Friday, Dec. 26), the most important things to track are:
- Broad risk sentiment (holiday-thin markets can amplify moves),
- Any AI infrastructure / storage-sector headlines that could spill into WDC,
- The post–Nasdaq-100 inclusion trading pattern,
- And the macro narrative after today’s jobless-claims signal. [21]
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Markets involve risk, and prices can move quickly—especially in holiday-thinned sessions.
References
1. www.nyse.com, 2. finance.yahoo.com, 3. finance.yahoo.com, 4. www.nyse.com, 5. www.marketwatch.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.westerndigital.com, 8. ir.nasdaq.com, 9. www.reuters.com, 10. www.tipranks.com, 11. www.marketbeat.com, 12. www.nasdaq.com, 13. www.zacks.com, 14. www.marketwatch.com, 15. www.marketwatch.com, 16. www.nyse.com, 17. www.sec.gov, 18. finance.yahoo.com, 19. www.investing.com, 20. finance.yahoo.com, 21. ir.nasdaq.com
