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NTAP vs WDC
Which Stock Would AI Choose? NetApp (NTAP) vs. Western Digital (WDC) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- NetApp (NTAP) is in a strong uptrend, recently surpassing a long-standing all-time high on AI-driven storage demand and upbeat guidance.
- Western Digital (WDC) has delivered explosive earnings growth but is now consolidating well below its mid-2026 peak amid supply and pricing concerns.
- Both companies are leveraged to AI data infrastructure, yet they operate in distinct markets: enterprise storage software and systems versus high-capacity hard disk drives (HDDs).
- Western Digital shows stronger top-line growth and margin expansion, while NetApp offers more consistent, trend-stable price action and a recurring subscription model.
- Relative performance and market positioning have diverged sharply in recent weeks, with NetApp making new highs while Western Digital pulls back on elevated volatility.
Introduction
Investors weighing exposure to the artificial intelligence (AI) data-storage theme often compare two very different names: NTAP and WDC. NetApp builds intelligent data infrastructure — enterprise storage systems, software, and cloud services — while Western Digital is now a pure-play maker of high-capacity hard disk drives used across cloud and AI data centers. Both stocks have rallied sharply as AI workloads generate enormous volumes of data, but their business models, growth drivers, and recent price behavior differ meaningfully. This stock comparison examines relative performance, sector exposure, and momentum to help traders and longer-term investors understand where each name currently stands in the market.
NTAP Overview and Recent Performance
NTAP (NetApp) provides enterprise storage systems, the ONTAP data-management software, and cloud data services. In recent market activity, the stock has been one of the standout performers in the technology sector, advancing on a steady trend of higher highs and breaking through a multi-decade record price as investor enthusiasm around AI data activation grew.
The move was supported by strong fundamentals. In its most recent quarterly report, NetApp posted revenue growth in the low-double digits and earnings that exceeded consensus estimates, while management issued forward guidance above analyst expectations. The company has also expanded partnerships with SAP, Oracle, and Supermicro, launched its Novus storage architecture for AI workloads, and reported rapid growth in its Keystone storage-as-a-service offering. Analysts have responded with upgrades and higher price targets. NetApp pays a quarterly dividend, and its recurring, subscription-oriented revenue mix provides relatively stable visibility compared with cyclical hardware peers.
WDC Overview and Recent Performance
WDC (Western Digital) became a pure-play hard disk drive (HDD) manufacturer after spinning off its flash-memory business in early 2025. The company has been a primary beneficiary of AI-driven storage demand, with the vast majority of its revenue now coming from cloud and hyperscale customers.
Western Digital's recent results have been remarkable: revenue accelerated sharply, and non-GAAP gross margin crossed the 50% threshold for the first time in company history as HDD pricing strengthened. The board has raised its dividend multiple times in recent months. Despite these strong fundamentals, the stock has been highly volatile. After a dramatic multi-year run to a mid-2026 peak, shares have pulled back substantially as investors weighed reports of competitor capacity expansion, concerns about future HDD pricing and supply, and questions around the company's next-generation technology roadmap. Analyst price targets remain well above the current share price, but recent downward revisions reflect growing caution near term.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Although both stocks fall under the broad data-storage umbrella, their business models differ considerably. NTAP sells integrated storage systems and software, emphasizing recurring services and cloud integration across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. WDC manufactures HDD components whose fortunes hinge on capacity expansion, component pricing, and hyperscaler capital spending — factors that make its results more cyclical.
Growth profiles also diverge. Western Digital has posted far faster revenue growth and margin expansion in recent quarters, but this cyclical strength has been paired with much higher stock volatility and a sharp correction from its highs. NetApp, by contrast, has grown more moderately yet sustained a steadier uptrend with fewer extreme swings. On risk, Western Digital faces customer concentration among a handful of hyperscalers, technology-execution risk, and pricing sensitivity to new supply; NetApp's risks center on valuation, reliance on cloud-partner relationships, and margin pressure from rising component costs. In terms of market sentiment, NetApp currently enjoys positive momentum and fresh all-time highs, while Western Digital is consolidating through a period of investor reassessment.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors, Tickeron's AI would likely favor NTAP in the current environment. NetApp combines consistent trend strength, a steadier price structure, and positive catalysts from new product launches and partnership expansions. Western Digital offers stronger headline growth but is currently characterized by elevated volatility, a notable drawdown from its peak, and emerging supply-and-pricing uncertainties. A probabilistic, trend-following model would generally prefer the stock demonstrating more stable momentum and relative positioning, while acknowledging that Western Digital's valuation and growth trajectory could reassert themselves if sentiment stabilizes.
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 Hold and WDC is a Buy.
Momentum Indicator for NTAP turns positive, indicating new upward trend
NTAP saw its Momentum Indicator move above the 0 level on October 28, 2026. This is an indication that the stock could be shifting in to a new upward move. Traders may want to consider buying the stock or buying call options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 84 similar instances where the indicator turned positive. In 62 of the 84 cases, the stock moved higher in the following days. The odds of a move higher are at 74%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 38 of 52 cases where NTAP's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 73%.
Following a +5.62% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where NTAP advanced for three days, in 211 of 313 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 67%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 186 of 301 cases where NTAP Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 62%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for NTAP moved out of overbought territory on October 14, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 50 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 32 of the 50 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 64%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for NTAP turned negative on October 15, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 45 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 28 of the 45 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 62%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where NTAP declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 57%.
NTAP broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 01, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 2 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. NTAP’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 9 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 13 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 14 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 91, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 88 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (28.697) is normal, around the industry mean (15.799). P/E Ratio (30.506) is within average values for comparable stocks, (60.453). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (2.266) is also within normal values, averaging (3.648). Dividend Yield (0.010) settles around the average of (0.211) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (5.189) is also within normal values, averaging (103.889).
WDC's RSI Indicator climbs out of oversold territory
The RSI Oscillator for WDC moved out of oversold territory on October 19, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from a downward trend to an upward trend. Traders may want to buy the stock or call options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 27 similar instances when the indicator left oversold territory. In 23 of the 27 cases the stock moved higher. This puts the odds of a move higher at 85%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 27, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on WDC as a result. In 63 of 77 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 82%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for WDC just turned positive on October 27, 2026. Looking at past instances where WDC's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 40 of 51 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 78%.
Following a +11.31% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where WDC advanced for three days, in 290 of 356 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 81%.
WDC may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator has been in the overbought zone for 1 day. Expect a price pull-back in the near future.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where WDC declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 66%.
The Aroon Indicator for WDC entered a downward trend on October 27, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 12 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 39 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 40 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. WDC’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 52 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 88, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 75 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (16.083) is normal, around the industry mean (-7.717). P/E Ratio (14.688) is within average values for comparable stocks, (-2.817). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.863) is also within normal values, averaging (23.994). Dividend Yield (0.002) settles around the average of (0.011) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (12.361) is also within normal values, averaging (51.774).
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 90 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
NTAP | WDC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 86 | 10 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 88 Overvalued | 75 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 14 | 52 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 13 | 12 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 2 | 40 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 9 | 90 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | n/a | 39 |
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 (75) in the Computer Peripherals industry is in the same range as NTAP (88). This means that WDC’s stock grew similarly to NTAP’s over the last 12 months.
NTAP's Profit vs Risk Rating (14) in the Computer Peripherals industry is somewhat better than the same rating for WDC (52). This means that NTAP’s stock grew somewhat faster than WDC’s over the last 12 months.
WDC's SMR Rating (12) in the Computer Peripherals industry is in the same range as NTAP (13). This means that WDC’s stock grew similarly to NTAP’s over the last 12 months.
NTAP's Price Growth Rating (2) in the Computer Peripherals industry is somewhat better than the same rating for WDC (40). This means that NTAP’s stock grew somewhat faster than WDC’s over the last 12 months.
NTAP's P/E Growth Rating (9) in the Computer Peripherals industry is significantly better than the same rating for WDC (90). This means that NTAP’s stock grew significantly faster than WDC’s over the last 12 months.
| NTAP | WDC | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 85% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 67% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 74% | 2 days ago 82% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 78% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 81% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 65% | 2 days ago 67% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 67% | 3 days ago 81% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 57% | 8 days ago 66% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 56% | 2 days ago 83% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 76% |
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 overvalued. 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 while WDC’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- NTAP’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- WDC’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 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 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WDC’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- NTAP’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- WDC’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 3 bearish.
Price Growth
NTAP (@Computer Communications) experienced а +2.78% price change this week, while WDC (@Computer Processing Hardware) price change was +11.64% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Computer Communications industry was -3.85%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -9.48%, and the average quarterly price growth was -0.84%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Computer Processing Hardware industry was -5.62%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -21.76%, and the average quarterly price growth was -9.60%.
Reported Earning Dates
NTAP is expected to report earnings on Dec 01, 2026.
WDC is expected to report earnings on Feb 03, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Computer Communications (-3.85% 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 (-5.62% 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.
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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% | -2.34% | ||
| DELL - NTAP | 68% Closely correlated | -3.70% | ||
| HPQ - NTAP | 65% Loosely correlated | -1.91% | ||
| WDC - NTAP | 58% Loosely correlated | -0.25% | ||
| LOGI - NTAP | 55% Loosely correlated | +0.70% | ||
| STX - NTAP | 55% Loosely correlated | +0.36% | ||
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