Western Digital Corp vs Waste Management, Inc. — how do they compare? Western Digital Corp trades at $460.76 (market cap $150.95B), while Waste Management, Inc. trades at $227.79 (market cap $90.68B). The key difference: Western Digital Corp is the larger of the two by market cap, and Waste Management, Inc. pays the higher dividend (1.56%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| WDC | WM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $150.95B | $90.68B |
Sector | Technology | Industrials |
52-Week High | $746.23 | $246.51 |
52-Week Low | $74.66 | $196.77 |
Enterprise Value | $150.42B | $113.47B |
Dividend Yield | 0.14% | 1.56% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Western Digital (WDC) trades at $438.12, up 0.88% on the day, with strong recent earnings performance beating expectations for three consecutive quarters. The stock shows bearish technical signals but maintains robust fundamentals with 72.95% net income margin and 131.02% ROE. Recent news highlights AI-driven storage demand as a key growth catalyst, though the stock faces valuation concerns after recent sell-offs.
The outlook remains positive with 72% analyst buy ratings and $665 consensus price target, representing 52% upside potential. Key risks include stretched valuation metrics (P/E 18.04, EV/EBITDA 30.24) and competitive threats from SSD adoption. The company's strong AI storage positioning and margin expansion provide growth opportunities, but investors should monitor execution against high expectations.
WM trades at $226.6, down 0.47% over 24 hours, with a bullish technical signal and support near $226. The stock shows strong profitability with a 40.6% gross margin and 11.12% net margin, though its P/E of 59.74 is elevated. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations at $2.02 per share, and analyst consensus is a buy with a $263.43 price target. Cash flow from operations grew to $6.04B in 2025, but net cash flow was negative $190M due to investments.
Outlook is positive with revenue growth and margin stability, but risks include high valuation and debt levels. The stock offers upside to the consensus target, supported by institutional confidence and consistent earnings beats, though investors should monitor volume trends and interest rate impacts on borrowing costs.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Western Digital is a vertically integrated supplier of data storage solutions, spanning both hard disk drives and solid-state drives. In the HDD market it forms a practical duopoly with Seagate, and it is the largest global producer of NAND flash chips for SSDs in a joint venture with competitor Kioxia.
Read more on WDC →Waste Management ranks as the largest integrated provider of traditional solid waste services in the United States, operating approximately 260 active landfills and about 340 transfer stations. The company serves residential, commercial, and industrial end markets and is also a leading recycler in North America.
Read more on WM →