NAS10031,224+0.48%S&P7,819+0.58%GOLD$4,108−1.88%BTC$83,445−2.47%VIX15.75+4.93%live tape · as of 13:06 UTC
The Screen · Technology · Computer Hardware
Western Digital
WDC · a US exchange · USD · Market cap $164.7B · 40,000 employees
Western Digital Corporation develops, manufactures, and sells data storage devices and solutions based on hard disk drive (HDD) technology in the United States, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
FAIL · Does not pass the screen
456.81 USD
Screen close, 2026-09-25 · not a live quote Last reviewed 12 days ago
Screened 2026-09-25 · the tape above runs as of 13:06 UTC · two dates, stated on purpose · verdict and workings shown in full · never trimmed
PRICE · FAIR-VALUE RANGE1M3M6MYTD1Y3Y5Y
What this means: price 456.81 against the desk's fair-value range, base estimate 732.74, over the last year.
Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
Options no verdict drawn today, left as found
Ethical does not pass the values gate
Price456.81 USD
Fair value732.74
Ethical score10.0/100
RatingAVOID
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-10-02Read Accumulation456.81+0.0% to today ✓
2026-07-18Read Markup511.72-10.7% to today
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
Western Digital holds its Distribution at $456.81. The statistical read favours the buyers, held for 21 days.
As held on the ledger · 2026-09-25
Phase
Distribution · caution
Quantitative state
The statistical read favours the buyers, held for 21 days
Price at the screen
$456.81
Valuation
16.96 trailing · 14.39 forward price to earnings
Values screen
FAIL· score 10.0
Beta
2.18
The Workings
Five Screens, Shown in Full
Does not pass. Debt ratio
Test
Figure
Limit
What it means
Status
Business activity
Permissible
Core business clean
Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending.
Pass
Debt load
33.65%
Below 33%
Interest-bearing debt is 33.6% of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows.
Fail
Interest-bearing cash
0.00%
Below 33%
Cash held in interest-bearing accounts and securities is 0.0% of assets, under the one-third limit.
Pass
Receivables
25.71%
Below 49%
Money owed to the company is 25.7% of assets, under the 49% limit.
Pass
Revenue purity
0.47%
Below 5%
Only 0.5% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources, under the 5% line.
Pass
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical Read
Why It Falls Short, in Plain English
Western Digital's business is in a permissible area, but its interest-bearing debt is about 34% of the company, just over the ~33% line, so it does not pass on the financial screens.
Read as at 2026-10-07. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
What the Numbers Say It Is Worth
The Fair Value Range
Our framework reads AVOID: it trades at roughly a 60% discount to our $732.74 fair value, strong competitive moat, 43.80% revenue growth.
Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-09-25 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. A 60.4% margin of safety to the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets: 24 covering, consensus None. The average target sits +40% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Both our model and the analysts see meaningful upside from here.
Price History & Projections
Where it has been, where the models see it going. History from market close data; projection points are our fair-value estimates and third-party analyst targets, dated to the 2026-09-25 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain Words
Data Storage Giant Hits a Debt Snag
Imagine the inside of your computer as a library, Western Digital is the librarian, managing a booming collection of data storage devices. With a 44% revenue growth and a 73% profit margin, it's evident why 24 analysts are pointing to a 'buy', with a median target of $640. But in this digital library, there's a looming issue - debt.
Why it stands out is the stark contrast between the company's financial performance and its ethical shortcomings. Western Digital boasts a robust 131% return on equity and a strong competitive moat. However, the ethical screen lights up red flags due to its debt ratio, which is a critical factor in our analysis.
Despite the attractive numbers, we must AVOID Western Digital due to its ethical failings. The high debt ratio not only poses a risk to the company's financial stability but also aligns with our commitment to ethical investing. It's a reminder that financial metrics, while important, are only part of the story. Analysis, not advice.
The risks · The things to watch: it already moves more than the market on an average day.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to Trade
WDC trades on a US exchange. As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
The framework has shifted from markup to accumulation since the last review. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 2.6% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508.
2026-08-29Markup$469.05-9.8%Entry 11
The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 9.8% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508.
2026-07-28Markup$519.80+0.0%Entry 10
The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-27Markup$519.80+0.0%Entry 9
The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-26Markup$519.80+0.0%Entry 8
The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-25Markup$519.80+8.9%Entry 7
The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 8.9% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-24Markup$477.22+0.0%Entry 6
The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-23Markup$477.22+0.0%Entry 5
The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-22Markup$477.22-6.7%Entry 4
The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 6.7% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-07-18Markup$511.72+0.0%Entry 3
The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A. Technically it is holding around 135% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading bullish. Over the past year the shares are up 778%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 54%. The street (23 analysts) rates it strong buy, with a mean price target of $508.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
