Western Digital Corporation (WDC) Earnings Review

Western Digital Corporation earnings review — the reported quarter's EPS and revenue against the Street's estimates, the forward outlook, margins, cash flow, and valuation reset as of August 14, 2026.

By TGMCharts Research · Data as of · Updated

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Western Digital Corporation posted EPS of $3.56 versus the $3.30 consensus (a 7.87% surprise) on revenue of $3.75B; whether it changed the thesis depends on the forward setup, not the headline.

The review ties the print to the durable trend: the TTM revenue change is 13.36%, operating margin is 34.89%, and the market pays 20.50x trailing earnings; next-quarter consensus is $3.76 EPS.

  • Western Digital Corporation posted EPS of $3.56 versus the $3.30 consensus — a surprise of 7.87%.
  • Revenue was $3.75B against a $3.70B estimate — a revenue surprise of 1.27%.
  • Trailing-twelve-month revenue change is 13.36% and EPS change is 409.57%.
  • Operating margin is 34.89% and net margin is 72.95%.
  • Next quarter consensus is $3.76 EPS on $4.13B revenue, with the next report due October 29, 2026.

Quarterly Setup

The reported quarter against the Street's estimates, plus the latest TTM trend behind it.

Actual EPS
$3.56
EPS estimate
$3.30
EPS surprise
7.87%
Revenue surprise
1.27%
Revenue TTM growth
13.36%
Operating margin
34.89%

The Read

Western Digital Corporation has reported, and this is the earnings review: what the quarter delivered against the Street's expectations, and what it means for the underlying business. Actual EPS landed at $3.56 against the $3.30 consensus — a surprise of 7.87% — on revenue of $3.75B versus a $3.70B estimate.

An earnings print only matters if it connects to the durable trend. The trailing-twelve-month revenue change is 13.36% while the TTM EPS change is 409.57%, so the rest of this review tests whether the quarter reinforced that direction across cash flow, margins, and the forward setup rather than simply clearing a bar.

Current compounder snapshot · WDC

Live supporting context; not part of the article's frozen 2026-08-14 evidence snapshot.

Score
32/100
10Y CAGR
-0.1%
Median YoY
2.9%
YoY volatility
σ 28.2pp· choppy
Quarters ≥ 20%
12 of 40
Negative quarters
19
Valuation vs own 10Y history
P/S 15.6x · 10Y median 0.9x · 98th percentile · as of Aug 17, 2026
How this score is computed
  • Quarters at or above 20%: 12 of 40 12 of 40 pts
  • Steadiness (typical swing 28.2pp) → 4.9 of 25 pts
  • Pace (median 2.9% YoY) → 0 of 20 pts
  • Latest quarter (43.8% YoY) → 15 of 15 pts
  • Score: 32 of 100

Annualized revenue (TTM) · by quarter, last 40

$0.00$5.00B$10.00B$15.00B$20.00B$25.00B20172019202120232025

Quarterly YoY revenue growth vs the 20% line

-60%-40%-20%0%25%50%75%20%20172019202120232025

P/S multiple vs its 10Y median

0x5x10x15x20x25x10Y median 0.9x20172019202120232025

WDC compounder charts →All consistent compounders →

The Quarter Reported

Start with the scorecard. Western Digital Corporation posted EPS of $3.56 against the $3.30 analysts modeled, an EPS surprise of 7.87%, while revenue of $3.75B compared with the $3.70B consensus for a revenue surprise of 1.27%.

The two surprises together say more than either alone, because a revenue-led result is more durable than one carried by a tax item or a share-count effect on EPS. This section treats the print as a data point about execution against expectations; whether it changed the thesis is decided by the trend lines and the forward outlook below.

Earnings scorecard: reported vs expected

The quarter's actual EPS and revenue against the Street's consensus, with the forward-quarter setup.

Quarterly EPS

Reported
$3.56
Street estimate
$3.30

Quarterly revenue

Reported
$3.75B
Street estimate
$3.70B

Next quarter — EPS consensus

Reported
Street estimate
$3.76

Next quarter — revenue consensus

Reported
Street estimate
$4.13B
TTM revenue

WDC TTM revenue Chart

$12.92B

TTM revenue keeps the quarterly review focused on the most recent four-quarter business base.

-28.43% over 5Y

Latest revenue TTM growth: 13.36%.

Revenue TTM growth of 13.36% is the first quarterly-review checkpoint. It shows whether the latest reported periods are still adding to the business base.

Revenue And Earnings Direction

The TTM revenue change of 13.36% is most useful beside the net income change of 404.50%. When sales and earnings move apart, the review shifts from a growth story to a margin story. The EPS change of 409.57% then shows what the latest reporting cycle actually delivered per share after buybacks and mix.

TTM net income

WDC TTM net income Chart

$9.42B

Net income TTM history checks whether revenue momentum is reaching the bottom line.

+532.06% over 5Y

Latest net income TTM growth: 404.50%.

Net income TTM growth of 404.50% is the earnings-conversion check. If it diverges from revenue growth, the review should focus on margins rather than only sales.

EPS

WDC EPS Chart

$26.92

EPS connects reported earnings momentum to the per-share outcome.

+459.67% over 5Y

Latest EPS TTM growth: 409.57%.

EPS TTM growth of 409.57% shows what the recent reporting cycle delivered per share. It is most useful beside revenue and margin data, not as a standalone verdict.

Cash Flow Conversion

Cash conversion is the honesty check on the earnings line. The free-cash-flow change of 151.84% either confirms the EPS result or challenges it, and an earnings review is incomplete when it reports a beat or miss without asking whether cash generation moved the same way.

TTM free cash flow

WDC TTM free cash flow Chart

$3.22B

Free cash flow TTM is the cash-conversion counterpoint to earnings momentum.

+183.04% over 5Y

Latest FCF TTM growth: 151.84%.

Free-cash-flow TTM growth of 151.84% can confirm or challenge the earnings story. A quarterly review is incomplete if cash conversion is moving differently from EPS.

Margin Quality

Margin quality decides whether the revenue base is becoming more profitable. Operating margin is 34.89%, gross margin is 48.85%, and net margin is 72.95%. The margin chart belongs here because this is the section that explains why earnings can diverge from sales after a print.

operating margin

WDC operating margin

41.71%

Operating margin shows whether the latest revenue base is becoming more or less profitable.

+36.8pp over 10Y

Operating margin (TTM): 34.89%. The bars below are individual quarters, so the latest bar can differ from this trailing-twelve-month figure.

Operating margin (TTM) of 34.89% is the quality read across the last four quarters. The review should become more cautious if growth is present but margin quality is fading.

Forward Outlook

The market trades on the next quarter, not the last one. Consensus models $3.76 in EPS and $4.13B in revenue for the coming quarter, with the next report due October 29, 2026. The forward setup is what turns a backward-looking print into a thesis: a result paired with a soft forward bar reads very differently from one paired with a rising one.

Comparing the just-reported quarter against that forward estimate is one way to test whether expectations are catching up to the business or running ahead of it. The TTM revenue change of 13.36% is the reference point; estimate uncertainty and reporting-basis differences remain limitations.

Valuation Reset

Valuation resets with every print. The market is paying 20.50x trailing earnings and the free-cash-flow yield is 1.68%. A quarter matters most when the valuation has not already priced every improvement in advance, so the multiple is the lens that decides how much the surprise should move the view.

P/E ratio

WDC P/E ratio Chart

20.50x

P/E history keeps the quarterly review connected to what investors are paying for the updated fundamentals.

-50.87% over 5Y

Latest P/E ratio: 20.50x.

The P/E ratio at 20.50x is the market's price on the quarterly evidence. Improving fundamentals matter more when the multiple does not already assume too much progress.

Bull/Bear Case

The bull case is that revenue, earnings, cash flow, and margins moved together this quarter while the valuation at 20.50x remains explainable against the forward setup. The bear case is a split between reported earnings and cash generation, or a forward bar that asks too much of the next print. The case work sits before the final read so the review does not end as a recap.

Bull and bear case

Quarterly support

  • Revenue TTM growth of 13.36% supports the latest operating momentum.
  • Net margin of 72.95% keeps the quarterly review connected to earnings quality.

Quarterly pressure

  • Free-cash-flow TTM growth of 151.84% can weaken the read if cash conversion lags earnings.
  • The valuation still has to be checked against a P/E ratio of 20.50x.

Final Read

The earnings review is useful only when the print, the trend lines, cash conversion, margin quality, the forward outlook, and the valuation reset tell a coherent story. The source snapshot is dated August 14, 2026. This TGMCharts Research note uses reported fundamentals, linked source pages, and chart exhibits only — a structured read on the reported quarter, not a forecast or personalized investment advice.

FAQ

Did WDC beat or miss earnings estimates last quarter?

Western Digital Corporation posted EPS of $3.56 against the $3.30 consensus — an EPS surprise of 7.87% — on revenue of $3.75B versus the $3.70B estimate, a revenue surprise of 1.27%.

What is the forward outlook for WDC after the print?

Consensus models $3.76 in EPS on $4.13B in revenue for the coming quarter, with the next report due October 29, 2026. The TTM revenue change of 13.36% is the reference for judging whether that bar is conservative or demanding.

What would make this WDC earnings review stale?

If the next data update materially changes the reported-quarter figures, forward estimates, margins, or valuation inputs, this note is corrected or withdrawn rather than left stale. Figures are as of August 14, 2026.

What would change our mind

  • The next report due October 29, 2026 versus the $3.76 EPS consensus.
  • Free-cash-flow TTM change versus the EPS TTM change of 409.57%.
  • Operating margin or valuation moving away from 34.89% and 20.50x.

The bottom line

Western Digital Corporation earnings-report review from TGMCharts Research: the reported quarter versus consensus, the forward setup, and what it means for the business — every figure checked against the company's reported data.

Read next: WDC fundamentalsContinue with Western Digital Corporation's full stock page.
How we checked this researchShow

Data snapshot · By TGMCharts Research.

Every number in this note comes from data we compute and store ourselves from the company's reported figures, plus verbatim excerpts from its SEC filings. When a value isn't available we say so — we never fill gaps with estimates.

Latest filing excerpt

10-K · filed 2026-08-14 · period 2026-07-03 · SEC EDGAR source

  • Gross Profit and Gross Margin Gross profit increased by $2.62 billion in 2026 compared to 2025.
  • Gross margin increased 10.1 percentage points in 2026 compared to 2025.
  • For 2026, three customers accounted for 16%, 15%, and 13%, respectively, of our net revenue.
  • For 2025, three customers accounted for 17%, 12%, and 10%, respectively, of our net revenue.
Full methodology