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NTAP vs WDC
Which Stock Would AI Choose? NetApp (NTAP) vs. Western Digital (WDC) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- NetApp (NTAP) and Western Digital (WDC) both operate in the data storage sector, with exposure to artificial intelligence (AI) driven demand for infrastructure solutions.
- Recent market activity shows NTAP benefiting from analyst upgrades and acquisition speculation, while WDC has seen multiple price target increases tied to strong cloud and data center performance.
- NTAP trades at a lower forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio compared to WDC, reflecting differences in business models between software-focused recurring revenue and hardware-centric storage.
- WDC has demonstrated stronger year-to-date momentum in recent weeks amid broad AI storage tailwinds, though both stocks have outperformed broader market benchmarks over longer periods.
- Sector sentiment remains positive for data management and storage providers, with relative performance influenced by earnings visibility and macroeconomic factors affecting technology spending.
- Market positioning highlights trade-offs: NTAP emphasizes enterprise data management stability, while WDC focuses on high-volume memory and hard disk drive (HDD) solutions for hyperscale environments.
Introduction
NetApp (NTAP) and Western Digital (WDC) represent two established players in the data storage industry, each positioned to capitalize on growing demand for scalable infrastructure amid expanding artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud workloads. This comparison examines their recent performance, business fundamentals, and market positioning to assist traders and investors evaluating relative opportunities in the technology hardware segment. The analysis draws on observable price behavior, analyst commentary, and sector trends from recent market activity, providing a neutral framework for assessing how these stocks have responded to shared industry catalysts. Professional and retail participants monitoring storage-related equities may find this overview relevant for portfolio construction or tactical allocation decisions.
NTAP Overview and Recent Performance
NetApp (NTAP) provides data management and storage solutions primarily for enterprise environments, with a focus on hybrid cloud and on-premises infrastructure. In recent weeks, the stock has shown notable price appreciation, including a significant single-session gain on May 22 amid broader market movements and ahead of its upcoming fiscal fourth-quarter earnings release scheduled for May 28. Analyst actions during the period included an upward revision to the price target at Bank of America, while earlier acquisition rumors contributed to sentiment shifts. The company has highlighted ongoing momentum in AI and cloud-related offerings, supporting a year-to-date return that has outpaced the S&P 500 benchmark. Performance has been influenced by recurring revenue characteristics and enterprise spending patterns, with valuation metrics reflecting a more moderate multiple relative to some peers in the storage space.
WDC Overview and Recent Performance
Western Digital (WDC) specializes in flash memory, hard disk drives, and data center storage products, serving both consumer and enterprise markets with a growing emphasis on hyperscale and AI infrastructure. Recent market activity has featured multiple analyst price target increases, driven by robust cloud segment revenue growth and demand for high-capacity storage solutions. The stock has maintained elevated levels following strong quarterly results earlier in the period, with year-to-date gains substantially exceeding broader market returns. Developments such as product announcements in post-quantum cryptography and equity transactions have also appeared in news flow. Performance reflects the cyclical nature of memory and HDD markets, tempered by favorable AI-driven tailwinds that have supported revenue outperformance and margin expansion in recent reporting periods.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
NetApp (NTAP) and Western Digital (WDC) differ in core business models, with NTAP leaning toward software-enabled data management and hybrid cloud services that generate more predictable recurring revenue streams, whereas WDC centers on hardware production of flash memory and HDDs that benefit from volume-driven AI and data center cycles. Growth drivers for both include AI infrastructure expansion, yet WDC has exhibited more pronounced recent momentum tied to cloud segment acceleration, while NTAP has drawn attention from acquisition speculation and targeted analyst upgrades. Risk factors vary accordingly: NTAP faces potential variability in enterprise information technology spending, while WDC contends with commodity-like pricing pressures in memory markets and supply chain dynamics. Sector exposure overlaps in storage but diverges in end-market emphasis, with NTAP more enterprise-oriented and WDC more aligned with hyperscale operators. Market sentiment in recent activity has favored WDC’s scale and earnings visibility, though NTAP’s valuation offers a contrast in relative positioning for investors weighing stability against growth volatility.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, earnings momentum, and positioning within AI-driven storage demand, Tickeron’s AI models currently indicate a probabilistic preference for Western Digital (WDC) over NetApp (NTAP) in the near term. WDC’s stronger recent performance alignment with cloud and data center catalysts, coupled with repeated analyst target revisions, contributes to this assessment, while NTAP shows solid but comparatively steadier characteristics. This evaluation remains conditional on continued market conditions and does not represent definitive guidance.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is NTAP is a StrongBuy and WDC is a StrongBuy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
NTAP’s FA Score shows that 4 FA rating(s) are green whileWDC’s FA Score has 4 green FA rating(s).
- NTAP’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- WDC’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
NTAP’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WDC’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- NTAP’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 4 bearish.
- WDC’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
NTAP (@Computer Communications) experienced а +26.41% price change this week, while WDC (@Computer Processing Hardware) price change was +7.33% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Computer Communications industry was +7.42%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +11.41%, and the average quarterly price growth was +25.51%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Computer Processing Hardware industry was +6.73%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +39.59%, and the average quarterly price growth was +48.36%.
Reported Earning Dates
NTAP is expected to report earnings on Sep 02, 2026.
WDC is expected to report earnings on Aug 05, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Computer Communications (+7.42% weekly)Computer communications industry develops technology that allows computing devices to exchange data with each other using connections/data links between nodes. Common types of computer network include Cloud (IAN), Internet, Wide (WAN, Local (LAN)/Wireless(WLAN) etc. The industry is an ever-more important part of technology, and is set to become even bigger as the Internet of Things (IoT) rapidly forays into the various aspects of our lives. Cisco Systems, Inc., Palo Alto Networks, Inc. and Arista Networks, Inc., Fortinet, Inc. are some of the major computer communications companies.
@Computer Processing Hardware (+6.73% weekly)Computer Processing Hardware industry produces central processing unit, monitor, keyboard, computer data storage devices, and graphics card. Business activity and economic growth are potential drivers of this industry – if more businesses are growing or flourishing, so would their investments in computer equipment. Dell Technologies, Inc, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., NCR Corporation are key producers of computer processing hardware.
| NTAP | WDC | NTAP / WDC | |
| Capitalization | 34.7B | 194B | 18% |
| EBITDA | 1.79B | 7.59B | 24% |
| Gain YTD | 65.656 | 227.027 | 29% |
| P/E Ratio | 27.66 | 33.70 | 82% |
| Revenue | 6.71B | 11.8B | 57% |
| Total Cash | 3.01B | 3.24B | 93% |
| Total Debt | 2.73B | 1.58B | 173% |
NTAP | WDC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 28 | 37 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 76 Overvalued | 72 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 23 | 1 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 11 | 13 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 5 | 1 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 18 | 13 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 35 | 75 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
WDC's Valuation (72) in the Computer Peripherals industry is in the same range as NTAP (76). This means that WDC’s stock grew similarly to NTAP’s over the last 12 months.
WDC's Profit vs Risk Rating (1) in the Computer Peripherals industry is in the same range as NTAP (23). This means that WDC’s stock grew similarly to NTAP’s over the last 12 months.
NTAP's SMR Rating (11) in the Computer Peripherals industry is in the same range as WDC (13). This means that NTAP’s stock grew similarly to WDC’s over the last 12 months.
WDC's Price Growth Rating (1) in the Computer Peripherals industry is in the same range as NTAP (5). This means that WDC’s stock grew similarly to NTAP’s over the last 12 months.
WDC's P/E Growth Rating (13) in the Computer Peripherals industry is in the same range as NTAP (18). This means that WDC’s stock grew similarly to NTAP’s over the last 12 months.
| NTAP | WDC | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 58% | 2 days ago 57% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 70% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | N/A | 2 days ago 79% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | N/A | 2 days ago 73% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 63% | 2 days ago 80% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 61% | 2 days ago 82% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 81% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 15 days ago 55% | 16 days ago 67% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 60% | 2 days ago 55% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 85% |
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NTAP and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, NTAP has been closely correlated with DELL. These tickers have moved in lockstep 68% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if NTAP jumps, then DELL could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To NTAP | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NTAP | 100% | -2.26% | ||
| DELL - NTAP | 68% Closely correlated | -6.58% | ||
| HPQ - NTAP | 65% Loosely correlated | -6.99% | ||
| WDC - NTAP | 58% Loosely correlated | +3.09% | ||
| LOGI - NTAP | 55% Loosely correlated | +0.02% | ||
| STX - NTAP | 55% Loosely correlated | +0.58% | ||
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WDC and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, WDC has been closely correlated with STX. These tickers have moved in lockstep 87% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if WDC jumps, then STX could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To WDC | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WDC | 100% | +3.09% | ||
| STX - WDC | 87% Closely correlated | +0.58% | ||
| SNDK - WDC | 67% Closely correlated | -2.56% | ||
| NTAP - WDC | 58% Loosely correlated | -2.26% | ||
| LOGI - WDC | 52% Loosely correlated | +0.02% | ||
| P - WDC | 39% Loosely correlated | -1.74% | ||
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