Seek Returns

AAPL vs. WDC: Apple vs. Western Digital Stock Comparison

How do Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC) are both classified in the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals sub-industry within the broader Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC)
Profile ItemAAPLWDC
NameApple Inc.Western Digital Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupTechnology Hardware & EquipmentTechnology Hardware & Equipment
GICS IndustryTechnology Hardware, Storage & PeripheralsTechnology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals
GICS Sub-IndustryTechnology Hardware, Storage & PeripheralsTechnology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals
Market Capitalization4,464.80 billion USD175.37 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateDecember 12, 1980October 31, 1978
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AAPL
WDC
GSPC
Loading price history…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricAAPLWDC
Total Return (1Y)31.91%569.17%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.00%151.32%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.04%60.67%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AAPL
WDC
GSPC
Loading price history…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Western Digital (WDC) carries a highly aggressive beta of 2.13, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas Apple (AAPL) is closer to market-like at 1.07 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk profile metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricAAPLWDC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.99%78.93%
Beta (5Y)1.072.13
Max Drawdown (5Y)-33.36%-55.32%
Avg. Volume (3M)55.84M8.47M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
AAPL and WDC are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricAAPLWDC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.127.16
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.6411.72

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 148.75% and Western Digital (WDC) at 130.85% turn shareholders’ equity into profit at rates above their industry benchmark ranges for ROE. That is a strong capital-efficiency signal, though leverage and the equity base still matter.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

148.75%

AAPL
148.75%
Max
44.01%
Q3
18.43%
Median
10.41%
Q1
0.66%
Min
-24.95%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

130.85%

WDC
130.85%
Max
44.01%
Q3
18.43%
Median
10.41%
Q1
0.66%
Min
-24.95%
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their ROE against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 27.62% and Western Digital (WDC) at 72.95% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

27.62%

AAPL
27.62%
Max
26.11%
Q3
10.66%
Median
3.40%
Q1
-0.39%
Min
-11.93%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

72.95%

WDC
72.95%
Max
26.11%
Q3
10.66%
Median
3.40%
Q1
-0.39%
Min
-11.93%
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their net margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Western Digital (WDC) at 42.86% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Apple (AAPL) at 32.62% also operates in the top quartile.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

32.62%

Max
36.90%
AAPL
32.62%
Q3
17.13%
Median
7.40%
Q1
2.09%
Min
-18.45%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

42.86%

WDC
42.86%
Max
36.90%
Q3
17.13%
Median
7.40%
Q1
2.09%
Min
-18.45%
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricAAPLWDC
ROE (TTM)148.75%130.85%
ROA (TTM)27.08%20.63%
Net Margin (TTM)27.62%72.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)32.62%42.86%
Gross Margin (TTM)48.65%48.85%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Western Digital (WDC) at 50.70% clears its industry range for revenue growth, far stronger top-line momentum than Apple (AAPL) at 6.43%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Apple (AAPL) reports EPS growth of 22.70%, ranked against its industry; Western Digital (WDC) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricAAPLWDC
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.43%50.70%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.81%-20.28%
EPS Growth (YoY)22.70%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.88%2.66%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Western Digital (WDC) at 1.33 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Apple (AAPL) at 1.00 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for AAPL.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.00

Max
4.95
Q3
3.05
Median
1.99
Q1
1.32
AAPL
1.00
Min
0.17

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.33

Max
4.95
Q3
3.05
Median
1.99
WDC
1.33
Q1
1.32
Min
0.17
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 0.78 and Western Digital (WDC) at 0.12 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.78

Max
1.80
Q3
0.82
AAPL
0.78
Median
0.27
Q1
0.04
Min
0.00

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.12

Max
1.80
Q3
0.82
Median
0.27
WDC
0.12
Q1
0.04
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricAAPLWDC
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.001.33
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.780.12
Net Debt / EBITDA0.13-0.11

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Apple (AAPL) at 0.34% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Western Digital (WDC) at 0.10% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, AAPL the richer one.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.34%

Max
0.74%
AAPL
0.34%
Q3
0.32%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.10%

Max
0.74%
Q3
0.32%
WDC
0.10%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 12.04% and Western Digital (WDC) at 2.06% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

12.04%

Max
34.91%
Q3
14.28%
AAPL
12.04%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

2.06%

Max
34.91%
Q3
14.28%
WDC
2.06%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricAAPLWDC
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.34%0.10%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)12.04%2.06%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Western Digital (WDC) at 20.08 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Apple (AAPL) at 35.08 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for WDC, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

35.08

Max
106.10
Q3
62.78
Median
36.76
AAPL
35.08
Q1
22.85
Min
11.58

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

20.08

Max
106.10
Q3
62.78
Median
36.76
Q1
22.85
WDC
20.08
Min
11.58
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 9.56 and Western Digital (WDC) at 13.57 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

9.56

Max
17.14
AAPL
9.56
Q3
7.76
Median
3.42
Q1
1.39
Min
0.00

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

13.57

Max
17.14
WDC
13.57
Q3
7.76
Median
3.42
Q1
1.39
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both Apple (AAPL) at 41.57 and Western Digital (WDC) at 24.33 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

41.57

AAPL
41.57
Max
17.63
Q3
8.56
Median
4.23
Q1
2.14
Min
-1.92

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

24.33

WDC
24.33
Max
17.63
Q3
8.56
Median
4.23
Q1
2.14
Min
-1.92
Loading chart…
Apple (AAPL) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricAAPLWDC
P/E Ratio (TTM)35.0820.08
P/S Ratio (TTM)9.5613.57
P/B Ratio (MRQ)41.5724.33
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.41%1.32%