Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:WDC) stock is trading higher by nearly 2% in Monday’s premarket session after the stock fell 10.22% in the previous session.
The stock is gaining despite a softer futures backdrop. Nasdaq futures are down 0.15%, while S&P 500 futures have slipped 0.10%.
Eyes Key Technical Recovery
Monday’s gain follows a sharp Friday selloff after reports that Toshiba plans to double hard disk drive production capacity for artificial intelligence data centers by fiscal 2027.
The planned expansion raised concerns that additional supply could eventually pressure HDD pricing. Toshiba plans to invest about 60 billion yen, or $380 million, to expand facilities in the Philippines, according to Nikkei.
Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:STX) also came under pressure following the report.
Despite Toshiba’s expansion plans, nearline HDD supply remains tight as AI data centers drive storage demand.
Traders are now watching whether Western Digital can reclaim nearby moving averages after Friday’s decline.
Technical Analysis
Western Digital remains above its longer-term trend line. The stock is trading about 5.5% above its 200-day simple moving average of $400.02.
However, the intermediate trend has weakened. The stock is about 6.1% below its 20-day SMA of $449.44 and 9.5% below its 50-day SMA of $466.16.
That setup points to consolidation after a strong advance rather than a clear short-term uptrend.
Momentum is improving. The MACD is above its signal line, while the histogram is positive. That suggests selling pressure has eased.
The moving-average structure remains mixed. The 20-day SMA is below the 50-day SMA, signaling near-term weakness.
However, the 50-day SMA remains above the 200-day SMA, supporting the longer-term bullish trend.
Western Digital shares have gained 231.49% over the past 12 months. However, the stock remains well below its June 52-week high of $799.87.
- Key Resistance: $475.50. The level sits near the 50-day moving-average zone, where buying momentum could face resistance.
- Key Support: $407.50. The level is just above the 200-day SMA near $400 and could serve as an important area for buyers.
See More: Top Value Stocks
Earnings and Analyst Outlook
Western Digital’s next major catalyst could come with its estimated Oct. 29 earnings report.
Wall Street expects earnings of $3.81 per share, up from $1.78 a year earlier. Revenue is projected at $4.04 billion, compared with $2.82 billion in the year-ago period.
The stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of about 15.4 times.
Western Digital carries a Buy consensus rating with an average price forecast of $649.79. Recent analyst actions include:
- Citigroup: Buy; lowered price forecast to $740 on Aug. 7.
- TD Cowen: Buy; raised price forecast to $540 on Aug. 6.
- UBS: Neutral; lowered price forecast to $525 on Aug. 6.
Benzinga Edge Rankings
Western Digital’s Benzinga Edge scorecard shows strong momentum, quality and growth scores.
- Momentum: 97.53
- Quality: 95.71
- Value: 6.93
- Growth: 99.73
The rankings point to a momentum- and growth-driven profile with strong quality characteristics. Value remains the weakest factor.
The longer-term bullish setup remains intact as long as Western Digital holds the $407.50 support area. A move above the mid-$460s and $475.50 could strengthen the technical picture.
Top ETF Exposure
- Alger Concentrated Equity ETF (NYSE:CNEQ): 4.17% weight
- Invesco Dorsey Wright Technology Momentum ETF (NASDAQ:PTF): 3.84% weight
- Alger 35 ETF (NYSE:ATFV): 5.41% weight
Because Western Digital carries notable weight in these funds, ETF inflows or outflows can contribute to buying or selling pressure in the stock.
Price Action
Western Digital shares were up 1.62% at $422 in Monday’s premarket trading, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Image via Shutterstock
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