Seagate Technology (STX) 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
Seagate Technology (STX) has outperformed Western Digital (WDC) over the past year, gaining 258.9% versus a gain of 238.0%. Over five years, STX leads with a +885.0% price change compared with +868.0% for WDC. Seagate Technology is the larger company by market cap ($178.88 billion vs $149.42 billion), about 1.2 times the size, while Western Digital is growing revenue faster (+35.7% vs +34.1%).
On valuation, Western Digital trades at a lower forward P/E (12.5x vs 14.2x for Seagate Technology). Seagate Technology offers the higher dividend yield (0.37% vs 0.13%). Western Digital converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 72.9% versus 26.1%.
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 | STX | WDC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $786.67 | $399.18 |
| Market cap | $178.88B | $149.42B |
| 1-day change | -2.59% | -1.54% |
| YTD return | +193.25% | +135.34% |
| 1-year return | +258.90% | +238.05% |
| 5-year return | +884.96% | +868.00% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 56.59 | 14.83 |
| Forward P/E | 14.21 | 12.54 |
| EPS (TTM) | $13.90 | $26.92 |
| Dividend yield | 0.37% | 0.13% |
| Annual dividend | $2.94 | $0.50 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $12.20B | $12.92B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +34.06% | +35.70% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $3.18B | $9.42B |
| Gross margin | 45.58% | 48.85% |
| Operating margin | 33.57% | 34.47% |
| Net margin | 26.11% | 72.95% |
| 52-week high | $1,145.00 | $799.87 |
| 52-week low | $209.00 | $112.52 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -31.30% | -50.09% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +45.19% | +68.72% |
| Average volume | 4.63M | 7.65M |
| Shares outstanding | 227.39M | 374.32M |
| Employees | 30,000 | 40,000 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Electronic Components | Electronic Components |
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
- STX has outperformed WDC by 20.9 percentage points over the past year.
- Seagate Technology trades at a higher earnings multiple (56.6x vs 14.8x trailing P/E).
- Western Digital is more profitable, keeping 72.9 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 26.1 cents for Seagate Technology.
About Seagate Technology
STX stock →Seagate Technology Holdings plc engages in providing data storage solutions in Singapore, the United States, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company offers External and internal hard drives; external and internal solid-state drives (SSDs); enterprise hard drives and SSDs; data storage systems; network attached storage (NAS) hard drives; video and analytics hard drives; and hyperscale and cloud solution.
Technology · Electronic Components · 30,000 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 · Electronic Components · 40,000 employees
STX vs WDC FAQ
Which is bigger, Seagate Technology or Western Digital?
Seagate Technology (STX) is larger, with a market capitalization of $178.88B compared with $149.42B for Western Digital (WDC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, STX or WDC?
STX returned +258.90% over the past 12 months, compared with +238.05% for WDC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, STX or WDC?
WDC has the lower trailing P/E at 14.8, versus 56.6 for STX. 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, Seagate Technology or Western Digital?
Seagate Technology has the higher yield at 0.37%, compared with 0.13% for Western Digital.
Are Seagate Technology and Western Digital in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Electronic Components industry within the Technology sector.