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WDC vs. ZBRA: Western Digital vs. Zebra Stock Comparison

How do Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA) 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

Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA) both fall under the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group, but WDC is classified in Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals while ZBRA is classified in Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components.

Company profile comparison for Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA)
Profile ItemWDCZBRA
NameWestern Digital Corp.Zebra Technologies Corp. Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupTechnology Hardware & EquipmentTechnology Hardware & Equipment
GICS IndustryTechnology Hardware, Storage & PeripheralsElectronic Equipment, Instruments & Components
GICS Sub-IndustryTechnology Hardware, Storage & PeripheralsElectronic Equipment & Instruments
Market Capitalization98.74 billion USD15.16 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateOctober 31, 1978August 15, 1991
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

WDC
ZBRA
GSPC
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA), 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 Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA)
MetricWDCZBRA
Total Return (1Y)78.89%26.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)106.11%17.52%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)47.06%-11.21%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

WDC
ZBRA
GSPC
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA), 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 Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA)
MetricWDCZBRA
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)83.20%47.91%
Beta (5Y)2.351.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-64.64%-67.78%
Avg. Volume (3M)8.01M596.00K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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WDC and ZBRA 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 Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA)
MetricWDCZBRA
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.900.47
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.320.82

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Western Digital (WDC) at 129.60% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Zebra (ZBRA) at 16.46%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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%

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

16.46%

Max
42.47%
Q3
19.13%
ZBRA
16.46%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA): A comparison of their ROE against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Western Digital (WDC) at 69.20% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Zebra (ZBRA) at 9.80% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

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%

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

9.80%

Max
27.60%
Q3
11.66%
ZBRA
9.80%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA): A comparison of their net margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Western Digital (WDC) at 47.68% turns sales into operating profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Zebra (ZBRA) at 14.75% operates around its industry’s norm.

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%

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

14.75%

Max
36.27%
Q3
18.36%
ZBRA
14.75%
Median
8.84%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA): A comparison of their operating margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA)
MetricWDCZBRA
ROE (TTM)129.60%16.46%
ROA (TTM)25.88%7.51%
Net Margin (TTM)69.20%9.80%
Operating Margin (TTM)47.68%14.75%
Gross Margin (TTM)52.60%48.90%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Western Digital (WDC) at 35.70% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Zebra (ZBRA) at 8.33% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WDC.

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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA): 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 Zebra (ZBRA) at -19.65%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA)
MetricWDCZBRA
Revenue Growth (YoY)35.70%8.33%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)27.35%-2.27%
EPS Growth (YoY)372.38%-19.65%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---2.41%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Western Digital (WDC) at 1.43 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Zebra (ZBRA) at 0.57 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for ZBRA.

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

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.57

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
Q1
1.32
ZBRA
0.57
Min
0.17
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA): A comparison of their current ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Western Digital (WDC) at 0.10 and Zebra (ZBRA) at 0.78 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.78

Max
1.76
ZBRA
0.78
Q3
0.78
Median
0.24
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA)
MetricWDCZBRA
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.430.57
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.100.78
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.062.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Zebra (ZBRA) 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.

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%

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Zebra (ZBRA) 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.

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%

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA)
MetricWDCZBRA
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.21%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)1.93%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Western Digital (WDC) at 9.28 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Zebra (ZBRA) at 26.03 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for WDC, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

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

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

26.03

Max
69.48
Q3
41.02
Median
26.39
ZBRA
26.03
Q1
19.36
Min
6.07
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Zebra (ZBRA) at 2.47 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.

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

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

2.47

Max
11.30
Q3
5.82
Median
2.56
ZBRA
2.47
Q1
1.05
Min
0.00
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Zebra (ZBRA) at 4.26 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.

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

ZBRA

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

4.26

Max
10.75
Q3
5.52
ZBRA
4.26
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33
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Western Digital (WDC) vs. Zebra (ZBRA): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Western Digital (WDC) and Zebra (ZBRA)
MetricWDCZBRA
P/E Ratio (TTM)9.2826.03
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.822.47
P/B Ratio (MRQ)10.554.26
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.76%4.61%