New York, Jan 23, 2026, 09:34 EST — Regular session
- Sandisk shares traded close to $500 early Friday following a turbulent week.
- New filings revealed BlackRock holds a 6% stake, alongside an insider preparing to sell shares.
- Traders are turning to Jan. 29 earnings for a reality check on NAND pricing and demand.
Sandisk Corp (SNDK) shares climbed 0.5% to $503.44 by 9:34 a.m. EST Friday, hovering near yesterday’s highs. S3 Partners noted that “short sellers have moved in lockstep over the last few months, utilizing a reversal strategy by shorting aggressively into the rally.” Bloomberg reported short interest jumped to 7.5% of the float, up from around 4% since early November, piling on roughly $3 billion in unrealized losses on those short positions. 1
The flash-memory company — known primarily for NAND chips used in solid-state drives and other storage devices — will release its fiscal second-quarter results after markets close on Thursday, Jan. 29. Its stock has surged about 112% this year, dwarfing the S&P 500’s roughly 1% rise, making this earnings report a crucial moment for a stock that’s become a popular momentum play. 2
On Jan. 21, BlackRock disclosed in a Schedule 13G filing that it beneficially owns 8,825,007 shares of Sandisk, representing 6.0% of the company’s outstanding common stock. The filing listed Dec. 31, 2025, as the event date. 3
The following day brought another filing. Kimberly Alexy filed a Form 144, revealing plans to offload as many as 1,367 shares valued around $690,335 via Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, according to the paperwork. Form 144 is mandatory before selling certain restricted or control securities. 4
The stock’s recent moves have been notably volatile, even for tech. On Thursday, SNDK fluctuated between $467.56 and $509.50 before closing at $503.44. Trading volume hit roughly 20.48 million shares, per Yahoo Finance historical data. 5
The surge isn’t limited to storage alone. Western Digital has climbed to record highs ahead of its January 29 earnings report, with several analysts boosting their price targets. Morgan Stanley’s Erik Woodring even labeled it his “top pick,” according to Investors.com. 6
Pricing trends are shifting. Intel warned that memory prices have jumped 40%-50% this quarter, according to Barron’s. This surge puts cost pressure on device makers but could boost suppliers of memory and storage components.
But the run-up cuts both ways. MarketWatch data shows Sandisk’s price targets range from $235 to $580, with a median near $365. That leaves little wiggle room for a weak quarter or a cautious outlook in a stock that’s been trading like a crowded theme. 7
Investors will zero in on management’s take regarding NAND pricing, supply constraints, and orders linked to data-center expansions from “hyperscalers,” the sector’s label for top cloud providers. Sandisk is scheduled to hold its earnings call on Jan. 29 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific (4:30 p.m. EST). 8
Until then, the tape will do the talking — and any change in short positioning could make moves more pronounced. Sandisk’s fiscal second-quarter results, due after the bell on Jan. 29, stand as the next major catalyst.
