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FFIV vs. WDC: F5 vs. Western Digital Stock Comparison

How do F5 (FFIV) 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

F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC) both fall under the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group, but FFIV is classified in Communications Equipment while WDC is classified in Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals.

Company profile comparison for F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC)
Profile ItemFFIVWDC
NameF5, Inc.Western Digital Corp.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupTechnology Hardware & EquipmentTechnology Hardware & Equipment
GICS IndustryCommunications EquipmentTechnology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals
GICS Sub-IndustryCommunications EquipmentTechnology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals
Market Capitalization17.66 billion USD98.74 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateJune 4, 1999October 31, 1978
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FFIV
WDC
GSPC
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F5 (FFIV) 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

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Trailing total returns for F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricFFIVWDC
Total Return (1Y)30.07%78.89%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)27.03%106.11%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)7.22%47.06%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FFIV
WDC
GSPC
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F5 (FFIV) 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for F5 (FFIV) 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 2.35, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas F5 (FFIV) is closer to market-like at 1.09 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk profile metrics for F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricFFIVWDC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)40.81%83.20%
Beta (5Y)1.092.35
Max Drawdown (5Y)-47.42%-64.64%
Avg. Volume (3M)692.80K8.01M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FFIV 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 F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricFFIVWDC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.630.90
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.841.32

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Western Digital (WDC) at 129.60% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than F5 (FFIV) at 19.01%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

19.01%

Max
42.47%
Q3
19.13%
FFIV
19.01%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

129.60%

WDC
129.60%
Max
42.47%
Q3
19.13%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%
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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their ROE against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Western Digital (WDC) at 69.20% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and F5 (FFIV) at 21.14% also retains a top-quartile share.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

21.14%

Max
27.60%
FFIV
21.14%
Q3
11.66%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

69.20%

WDC
69.20%
Max
27.60%
Q3
11.66%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%
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F5 (FFIV) 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 47.68% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and F5 (FFIV) at 23.99% also operates in the top quartile.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

23.99%

Max
36.27%
FFIV
23.99%
Q3
18.36%
Median
8.84%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

47.68%

WDC
47.68%
Max
36.27%
Q3
18.36%
Median
8.84%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%
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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricFFIVWDC
ROE (TTM)19.01%129.60%
ROA (TTM)7.74%25.88%
Net Margin (TTM)21.14%69.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)23.99%47.68%
Gross Margin (TTM)81.98%52.60%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: Western Digital (WDC) reports revenue growth of 35.70%, ranked against its industry; F5 (FFIV) has no revenue growth figure this period.

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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Western Digital (WDC) at 372.38% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than F5 (FFIV) at 6.10%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricFFIVWDC
Revenue Growth (YoY)--35.70%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)--27.35%
EPS Growth (YoY)6.10%372.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)24.10%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both F5 (FFIV) at 1.73 and Western Digital (WDC) at 1.43 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.73

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
FFIV
1.73
Q1
1.32
Min
0.17

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.43

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
WDC
1.43
Q1
1.32
Min
0.17
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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both F5 (FFIV) at 0.05 and Western Digital (WDC) at 0.10 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.05

Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
FFIV
0.05
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.10

Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
WDC
0.10
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01
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F5 (FFIV) 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 F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricFFIVWDC
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.731.43
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.050.10
Net Debt / EBITDA-1.49-0.06

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

F5 (FFIV) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Western Digital (WDC) reports a yield of 0.21%, ranking against industry peers normally.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
FFIV
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.21%

Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
WDC
0.21%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

F5 (FFIV) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Western Digital (WDC) reports a payout of 1.93%, ranking against industry peers normally.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max
32.27%
Q3
14.48%
FFIV
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.93%

Max
32.27%
Q3
14.48%
WDC
1.93%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricFFIVWDC
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%1.93%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Western Digital (WDC) at 9.28 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while F5 (FFIV) at 24.83 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for WDC, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

24.83

Max
69.48
Q3
41.02
Median
26.39
FFIV
24.83
Q1
19.36
Min
6.07

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

9.28

Max
69.48
Q3
41.02
Median
26.39
Q1
19.36
WDC
9.28
Min
6.07
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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

F5 (FFIV) at 5.17 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Western Digital (WDC) at 6.82 sits in the pricier quartile — WDC costs more per dollar of sales.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

5.17

Max
11.30
Q3
5.82
FFIV
5.17
Median
2.56
Q1
1.05
Min
0.00

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

6.82

Max
11.30
WDC
6.82
Q3
5.82
Median
2.56
Q1
1.05
Min
0.00
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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

F5 (FFIV) at 4.41 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Western Digital (WDC) at 10.55 carries an above-peer premium to book — WDC is pricier on assets.

FFIV

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

4.41

Max
10.75
Q3
5.52
FFIV
4.41
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33

WDC

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

10.55

Max
10.75
WDC
10.55
Q3
5.52
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33
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F5 (FFIV) vs. Western Digital (WDC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for F5 (FFIV) and Western Digital (WDC)
MetricFFIVWDC
P/E Ratio (TTM)24.839.28
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.176.82
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.4110.55
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.63%2.76%