New York, January 26, 2026, 19:51 EST — After-hours
- Western Digital shares climbed 1.9% to $240.85, staying close to recent highs despite a volatile intraday move.
- Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target to $300 and maintained an overweight rating, according to a report.
- Traders are gearing up for Seagate’s earnings report on Tuesday, followed by Western Digital’s results on Thursday.
Western Digital Corp shares climbed 1.9% to $240.85 in late after-hours trading Monday, swinging between $233.53 and $250.31 during the regular session, LSEG data showed.
Timing is key. Western Digital is set to release its fiscal second-quarter results after Thursday’s closing bell and follow up with a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET. That keeps the stock active for traders who’ve been targeting storage firms this earnings season.
Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target on Western Digital to $300 from $250 while keeping an “overweight” rating, MT Newswires reported Monday. The “overweight” label signals expectations that the stock will outperform its peers over the next year. MarketScreener
Western Digital’s rise lagged behind a few storage rivals Monday. Seagate Technology jumped 3.5%, and NetApp added 1.4%. Western Digital, meanwhile, closed on below-average volume, according to MarketWatch data.
Tradr ETFs is set to debut a 2x long daily Western Digital ETF (WDCX) on Cboe this Tuesday. Leveraged ETFs like this aim to double the stock’s daily performance but reset every day, which often leads to increased volatility if held beyond a day or two.
Western Digital’s structure today reflects its recent spin-off of the flash business. The company announced it finalized the Flash unit separation in February 2025, narrowing its focus to hard-disk drives aimed at cloud and enterprise clients.
Thursday’s spotlight will be on whether hard drive pricing and mix stayed strong into the quarter—and what management reveals about demand from major cloud players expanding AI-focused data centers. Comments on margins could be just as crucial as the top-line revenue figure.
When the company last reported on demand, CEO Irving Tan highlighted the boost from cloud growth. “Western Digital continues to execute well in a strong demand environment driven by growth of data storage in the cloud,” Tan said in October. Reuters
Sector signals come first. Seagate, Western Digital’s nearest public competitor in the hard drive space, will release its fiscal second-quarter results after the U.S. market closes Tuesday. A conference call is set for 5:00 p.m. ET.
Western Digital bulls face a straightforward risk: expectations have climbed steeply. Even a slight dip in pricing, a slowdown from hyperscalers, or a wary forecast could send the stock tumbling, especially as leveraged products magnify short-term moves.
Traders have another key date to watch: Western Digital announced it will host an Innovation Day on Feb. 3 in New York. The event will showcase products targeting growing storage needs driven by AI workloads.
Seagate reports late Tuesday, followed by Western Digital’s earnings after Thursday’s close. Guidance and cloud demand cues will likely steer the market’s mood for the week.
