NetApp (NTAP) vs Western Digital (WDC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Western Digital (WDC) has outperformed NetApp (NTAP) over the past year, gaining 238.0% versus a gain of 99.8%. Over five years, WDC leads with a +868.0% price change compared with +149.7% for NTAP. Western Digital is the larger company by market cap ($151.76 billion vs $46.31 billion), about 3.3 times the size.
On valuation, Western Digital trades at a lower forward P/E (12.7x vs 21.1x for NetApp). NetApp offers the higher dividend yield (0.88% vs 0.12%). Western Digital converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 72.9% versus 20.5%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | NTAP | WDC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $235.77 | $405.42 |
| Market cap | $46.31B | $151.76B |
| 1-day change | +3.20% | -1.37% |
| YTD return | +120.16% | +135.34% |
| 1-year return | +99.82% | +238.05% |
| 5-year return | +149.70% | +868.00% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 32.21 | 15.27 |
| Forward P/E | 21.13 | 12.74 |
| EPS (TTM) | $7.32 | $26.55 |
| Dividend yield | 0.88% | 0.12% |
| Annual dividend | $2.08 | $0.50 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $6.24B | $12.92B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +5.59% | +35.70% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.28B | $9.42B |
| Gross margin | 78.55% | 48.85% |
| Operating margin | 26.84% | 34.47% |
| Net margin | 20.46% | 72.95% |
| 52-week high | $238.08 | $799.87 |
| 52-week low | $93.69 | $112.52 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -0.97% | -49.31% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | -12.60% | +66.12% |
| Average volume | 2.58M | 7.66M |
| Shares outstanding | 196.42M | 374.32M |
| Employees | 11,700 | 40,000 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Electronic Components | Computer Hardware |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Western Digital is about 3.3 times larger than NetApp by market value ($151.76B vs $46.31B).
- WDC has outperformed NTAP by 138.2 percentage points over the past year.
- NetApp trades at a higher earnings multiple (32.2x vs 15.3x trailing P/E).
- Western Digital is more profitable, keeping 72.9 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 20.5 cents for NetApp.
- Western Digital grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+35.70% vs +5.59%).
About NetApp
NTAP stock →NetApp, Inc. provides a range of enterprise software, systems, and services that customers use to transform their data infrastructures in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.
Technology · Electronic Components · 11,700 employees
About Western Digital
WDC stock →Western Digital Corporation engages in the development, manufacture, and sale of data storage devices and solutions based on hard disk drive (HDD) technology in the United States, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company offers internal HDDs, data center drives, data center platforms, external drives, portable drives, NAS for home and office, and accessories.
Technology · Computer Hardware · 40,000 employees
NTAP vs WDC FAQ
Which is bigger, NetApp or Western Digital?
Western Digital (WDC) is larger, with a market capitalization of $151.76B compared with $46.31B for NetApp (NTAP).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, NTAP or WDC?
WDC returned +238.05% over the past 12 months, compared with +99.82% for NTAP (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, NTAP or WDC?
WDC has the lower trailing P/E at 15.3, versus 32.2 for NTAP. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, NetApp or Western Digital?
NetApp has the higher yield at 0.88%, compared with 0.12% for Western Digital.
Are NetApp and Western Digital in the same industry?
Both are in the Technology sector, but in different industries: Electronic Components for NetApp and Computer Hardware for Western Digital.