Why was WDC stock up, and why is it falling today?

WDC gained 11.6% over five trading days, closing at $395.41 on Oct. 29, 2026. A move like this can stem from company news or a broad rally across its sector.

Below, we compare WDC with its closest peers. We also check upcoming earnings and Fed dates, and examine what Western Digital Corp's insiders and SEC filings show.

The chart below tracks WDC's daily closing price from May 5, 2026 to Oct. 29, 2026. Over that stretch, the stock is down 15.0%, moving from $464.98 to $395.41. It reached a high of $746.00 on June 18, 2026 and a low of $332.00 on Oct. 16, 2026. Each red circle marks a week when company insiders sold shares on the open market. There are 12 such weeks in this period, where larger circles show higher dollar values. No green diamonds appear because no insider bought shares on the open market during this window.

WDC vs peers this week

The table below shows how WDC stacks up against its peers this week. Over 5 days, WDC gained the most at +11.6%, while SNDK trailed with a +5.5% gain.

What could be behind the WDC move

The company reported its latest earnings 8 days ago on Oct. 22, 2026.

Across the broader market, the backdrop shows a calm uptrend, with the VIX volatility index at 17.2. The Federal Reserve's next rate decision arrives on Dec. 9, 2026, 40 days away. Market pricing sets the odds at 27% for a hold, 72% for a hike, and 1% for a cut.

Also worth knowing about WDC

Live WDC data, updated every 30 minutes: WDC insider trades, ownership and filings →

In Western Digital Corp's own words

“Our first quarter results demonstrate the continued momentum in our business, with robust exabyte growth and improved pricing driving another quarter of strong financial performance”

— Kris Sennesael, CFO of WD · SEC filing

From the company's earnings release filed with the SEC on 2026-10-22 (Form 8-K).

What would change the picture for WDC

These are the specific events and levels for investors to watch. None of them represents a market prediction.

• The next major event is the Jan. 27, 2027 earnings report, 89 days away. Western Digital Corp beat estimates in all 4 of the last 4 quarters, averaging a +10.5% surprise. A report below expectations would break that pattern.
• Watch for any open-market purchase by an insider at Western Digital Corp. No insider bought shares in 90 days. Form 4 filings report any new transaction within two business days.
• Analyst ratings: the average score moved from 4.1 to 4.0 over three months on a scale where 5 is strong buy and 1 is strong sell. A series of downgrades after earnings usually shows up here first.
• Key price levels: a close above $746.0 marks a new 52-week high, 88.7% above the latest close of $395.41. A close below $137.87 marks a new 52-week low, 65.1% below current levels.
• Growth: revenue rose 43.0% year over year in the quarter ending Oct 2026 (trend: accelerating). At a P/E of 15.3, a slowdown would matter more than at a lower multiple.
• New shares: dilution risk currently stands at moderate. A new shelf registration (S-3) or a prospectus supplement (424B) for an offering would increase that risk.

How WDC compares with its peers

Over the past month, WDC ranks 2 of 3 in this peer group with a -13.0% return. MU led the group at -12.3%, while SNDK lagged at -23.6%.

WDC carries a P/E of 15.3, matching the peers' median of 15.4.

WDC history: what happened after similar moves

Since 2023, WDC fell 13.0% or more in a month 7 times (separate episodes, not counting the current one). Three months later it was higher in 4 of 6 cases; the median change was +16.7%.

Past moves don't predict the next one; they show how volatile the stock has been.

Questions people also ask

What is WDC's 52-week high and low?

Over the past year, WDC closed as high as $746.0 and as low as $137.87. At $395.41 on Oct. 29, 2026, the stock sits 47.0% below its high and 186.8% above its low. More →

Do analysts think WDC is a buy?

24 of the 31 analysts who cover Western Digital Corp rate it a buy or strong buy, for a consensus of Buy. Ratings describe analysts' views, not a guarantee, and they change after earnings. More →

Does WDC pay a dividend?

Yes, the company paid $0.55 per share over the last 12 months. That yields about 0.14% at today's stock price.

Is Western Digital Corp profitable?

Yes. Western Digital Corp generated $14.5 billion in revenue over the last 12 months. It posted a net margin of 69.2% and carries a P/E of 15.3. More →

Is Western Digital Corp issuing new shares?

Dilution risk registers as moderate at 40/100, while the share count rose 9.5% in a year. That score reflects 3 offering-related filings over the past 12 months.

When does Western Digital Corp report earnings next?

The company expects to deliver its next report on Jan. 27, 2027, 89 days from now. Western Digital Corp beat the average earnings estimate in all 4 of its last 4 reports.

Dates to watch for WDC

Insider trades can come any day: they must be filed on Form 4 within two business days.

Key terms on this page

P/E ratio

Price divided by the last 12 months of earnings per share. A P/E of 20 means investors pay $20 for each $1 of yearly profit. It is only defined when the company is profitable.

Form 4

The SEC form a company's officers, directors and 10% owners must file within two business days of buying or selling its stock.

Open-market trade

A purchase or sale on the exchange at the market price, paid with the insider's own money (code P or S on Form 4), as opposed to option exercises, grants or gifts.

Dilution

When a company issues new shares, each existing share owns a smaller piece of the company. Common sources: stock offerings, convertible debt and large stock-based pay.

Form 8-K

The SEC form for material events between quarterly reports: earnings releases, deals, executive changes, stock offerings and similar news.

52-week high / low

The highest and lowest daily closing price over the past year (about 252 trading days).

Analyst consensus

The average of Wall Street analysts' ratings (strong buy to strong sell). Analysts skew positive, so a hold is often read as a cautious view.

Where these numbers come from

Every number on this page is computed from the data when the page is refreshed (usually daily); nothing is typed in by hand. This is information, not investment advice.

• Price: daily closing prices run through Oct. 29, 2026. Price changes use 5, 21, and 63 trading days, while the 52-week range reflects the last 252 closes.
• Insider trades: SEC Form 4 filings cover the last 90 days. The data counts only open-market purchases (code P) and sales (code S), excluding option exercises, grants, gifts, and error-filled filings.
• Analyst ratings: current rating counts from 31 analysts, compared with figures from three months ago.
• Earnings dates and estimates: market calendar data showing reported versus expected EPS over the last 4 quarters.
• Valuation and growth: revenue, earnings, margins, and share counts come from the company's SEC filings (XBRL data, latest quarter Oct 2026). The P/E and price/sales ratios use the latest close.
• Fund ownership: SEC Form 13F filings covering Q2 2026.
• Dilution: tracks share-count changes and offering-related SEC filings (shelf registrations, prospectus supplements, convertible notes) over two years, scored on a 0-100 scale.
• History: tracks 21-trading-day moves across about three years of daily closes, counting each move once per episode.