Western Digital Corp. (Nasdaq: WDC) today reported fiscal fourth quarter and fiscal year 2022 financial results.
"I am proud of our team for driving strong fiscal year 2022 performance, during which revenue grew 11% and non-GAAP EPS increased 81%, demonstrating progress in unlocking the earnings potential of our business," said David Goeckeler, Western Digital CEO. "In addition to strong financial performance, fiscal year 2022 was a hallmark year for Western Digital from an innovation, product development and execution perspective. The combination of our innovation engine and the multiple channels to deliver our products to the market puts Western Digital in a great position to capitalize on the large and growing opportunities in storage ahead even in the midst of macro dynamics weighing on near-term demand."
Q4 2022 Financial Highlights
|
GAAP
|
Non-GAAP
|
|
Q4 2022
|
Q3 2022
|
Q/Q
|
Q4 2022
|
Q3 2022
|
Q/Q
|
Revenue ($M)
|
$4,528
|
$4,381
|
up 3%
|
$4,528
|
$4,381
|
up 3%
|
Gross Margin
|
31.9%
|
27.0%
|
up 4.9 ppt
|
32.3%
|
31.7%
|
up 0.6 ppt
|
Operating Expenses ($M)
|
$883
|
$857
|
up 3%
|
$760
|
$740
|
up 3%
|
Operating Income ($M)
|
$562
|
$324
|
up 73%
|
$702
|
$650
|
up 8%
|
Net Income ($M)
|
$301
|
$25
|
*
|
$567
|
$521
|
up 9%
|
Earnings Per Share
|
$0.95
|
$0.08
|
*
|
$1.78
|
$1.65
|
up 8%
|
*not a meaningful figure
|
GAAP
|
Non-GAAP
|
|
Q4 2022
|
Q4 2021
|
Y/Y
|
Q4 2022
|
Q4 2021
|
Y/Y
|
Revenue ($M)
|
$4,528
|
$4,920
|
down 8%
|
$4,528
|
$4,920
|
down 8%
|
Gross Margin
|
31.9%
|
31.8%
|
up 0.1 ppt
|
32.3%
|
32.9%
|
down 0.6 ppt
|
Operating Expenses ($M)
|
$883
|
$891
|
down 1%
|
$760
|
$790
|
down 4%
|
Operating Income ($M)
|
$562
|
$675
|
down 17%
|
$702
|
$828
|
down 15%
|
Net Income ($M)
|
$301
|
$622
|
down 52%
|
$567
|
$680
|
down 17%
|
Earnings Per Share
|
$0.95
|
$1.97
|
down 52%
|
$1.78
|
$2.16
|
down 18%
|
The company generated $295 million in cash flow from operations, made a scheduled and discretionary debt repayment of $150 million and ended the quarter with $2.33 billion of total cash and cash equivalents.
Fiscal Year 2022 Financial Highlights
|
GAAP
|
Non-GAAP
|
|
2022
|
2021
|
Y/Y
|
2022
|
2021
|
Y/Y
|
Revenue ($M)
|
$18,793
|
$16,922
|
up 11%
|
$18,793
|
$16,922
|
up 11%
|
Gross Margin
|
31.3%
|
26.7%
|
up 4.6 ppt
|
32.9%
|
28.6%
|
up 4.3 ppt
|
Operating Expenses ($M)
|
$3,483
|
$3,301
|
up 6%
|
$3,002
|
$2,926
|
up 3%
|
Operating Income ($M)
|
$2,391
|
$1,220
|
up 96%
|
$3,186
|
$1,906
|
up 67%
|
Net Income $M)
|
$1,500
|
$821
|
up 83%
|
$2,599
|
$1,406
|
up 85%
|
Earnings Per Share
|
$4.75
|
$2.66
|
up 79%
|
$8.22
|
$4.55
|
up 81%
|
Additional details can be found within the company's earnings presentation, which is accessible online at investor.wdc.com.
Key End Market Summary
Revenue ($M) |
Q4 2022
|
Q3 2022
|
Q/Q
|
Q4 2021
|
Y/Y
|
2022
|
2021
|
Y/Y
|
Cloud
|
$2,098
|
$1,774
|
up 18%
|
$1,995
|
up 5%
|
$8,017
|
$5,723
|
up 40%
|
Client
|
$1,637
|
$1,732
|
down 5%
|
$1,895
|
down 14%
|
$7,076
|
$7,281
|
down 3%
|
Consumer
|
$793
|
$875
|
down 9%
|
$1,030
|
down 23%
|
$3,700
|
$3,918
|
down 6%
|
Total Revenue
|
$4,528
|
$4,381
|
up 3%
|
$4,920
|
down 8%
|
$18,793
|
$16,922
|
up 11%
|
In the fiscal fourth quarter:
Cloud represented 46% of total revenue. Within Cloud, the continued ramp of our 18-terabyte and 20-terabyte drives drove a 7% year-over-year increase in nearline HDD revenue. In Flash, enterprise SSD revenue more than doubled sequentially and was up 38% year-over-year.
Client represented 36% of total revenue. On both a sequential and year-over-year basis, client HDD led the revenue decline while Flash was roughly flat.
Consumer represented 18% of revenue. On a sequential basis, the revenue decline was primarily due to lower retail HDD shipments. The year-over-year decrease was due to broad-based decline in retail products across HDD and Flash.
In the fiscal year 2022:
Cloud represented 42% of total revenue. The revenue increase was led by a 38% increase in nearline HDD while Flash products for enterprise SSD applications more than doubled.
Client represented 38% of total revenue. Revenue declined modestly as growth in Flash was offset by a mid-30% decrease in client HDD.
Consumer represented 20% of total revenue. The revenue decline was all attributed to retail HDD.
Business Outlook for Fiscal First Quarter of 2023
|
Three Months Ending
September 30, 2022
|
|
GAAP(1)
|
Non-GAAP(1)
|
Revenue ($B)
|
$3.60 - $3.80
|
$3.60 - $3.80
|
Gross margin
|
27.1% - 29.1%
|
27.5% - 29.5%
|
Operating expenses ($M)
|
$870 - $890
|
$760 - $780
|
Interest and other expense, net ($M)
|
~ $70
|
~ $70
|
Tax rate
|
N/A
|
28% - 30%(2)
|
Diluted earnings per share
|
N/A
|
$0.35 - $0.65
|
Diluted shares outstanding (in millions)
|
~ 319
|
~ 319
|
(1) Non-GAAP gross margin guidance excludes stock-based compensation expense of approximately $10 million to $15 million. The company's Non-GAAP operating expenses guidance excludes amortization of acquired intangible assets and stock-based compensation expense, totaling approximately $100 million to $120 million. In the aggregate, Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share guidance excludes these items totaling $110 million to $135 million. The timing and amount of these charges excluded from Non-GAAP gross margin, Non-GAAP operating expenses, and Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share cannot be further allocated or quantified with certainty. Additionally, the timing and amount of additional charges the company excludes from its Non-GAAP tax rate and Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share are dependent on the timing and determination of certain actions and cannot be reasonably predicted. Accordingly, full reconciliations of Non-GAAP gross margin, Non-GAAP operating expenses, Non-GAAP tax rate and Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures (gross margin, operating expenses, tax rate and diluted earnings per share, respectively) are not available without unreasonable effort.
(2) The Non-GAAP tax rate provided is based on a percentage of Non-GAAP pre-tax income. Due to differences in the tax treatment of items excluded from our Non-GAAP net income and because our tax rate is based on an estimated forecasted annual GAAP tax rate, our estimated Non-GAAP tax rate may differ from our GAAP tax rate and from our actual tax rates. Tax law changes that became effective for our fiscal year 2023 require the capitalization of certain R&D costs that were previously eligible for immediate deduction from taxable income. The impact of these tax law changes is expected to include an immediate increase in our tax rate of approximately 12 percentage points, which is reflected in the guidance provided in the table above. This impact on the tax rate is expected to decrease gradually over time.
Investor Communications
The investment community conference call to discuss these results and the company's business outlook for the fiscal first quarter of 2023 will be broadcast live online today at 5:30 a.m. Pacific/8:30 a.m. Eastern. The live and archived conference call/webcast and the earnings presentation can be accessed online at investor.wdc.com.
About Western Digital
Western Digital is on a mission to unlock the potential of data by harnessing the possibility to use it. With Flash and HDD franchises, underpinned by advancements in memory technologies, we create breakthrough innovations and powerful data storage solutions that enable the world to actualize its aspirations. Core to our values, we recognize the urgency to combat climate change and have committed to ambitious carbon reduction goals approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. Learn more about Western Digital and the Western Digital®, SanDisk® and WD® brands at www.westerndigital.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements regarding expectations for the company's business outlook and financial performance for the fiscal first quarter of 2023; demand trends, and market conditions; and the potential for the company's innovation engine and multiple channels to market to drive future performance. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. The preliminary financial results for the company's fiscal fourth quarter ended July 1, 2022 and fiscal year 2022 included in this press release represent the most current information available to management. The company's actual results when disclosed in its Form 10-K may differ from these preliminary results as a result of the completion of the company's financial closing procedures; final adjustments; completion of the review and audit by the company's independent registered accounting firm; and other developments that may arise between now and the disclosure of the final results. Other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include: future responses to and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; volatility in global economic conditions; impact of business and market conditions; the outcome and impact of our ongoing strategic review, including with respect to customer and supplier relationships, regulatory and contractual restrictions, stock price volatility and the diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; impact of competitive products and pricing; our development and introduction of products based on new technologies and expansion into new data storage markets; risks associated with cost saving initiatives, restructurings, acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, joint ventures and our strategic relationships; difficulties or delays in manufacturing or other supply chain disruptions; hiring and retention of key employees; our level of debt and other financial obligations; changes to our relationships with key customers; disruptions in operations from cybersecurity incidents or other system security risks; actions by competitors; risks associated with compliance with changing legal and regulatory requirements and the outcome of legal proceedings; and other risks and uncertainties listed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including the company's Form 10-K filed with the SEC on August 27, 2021, to which your attention is directed. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new information or events, except as required by law.
Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2022 Press Release with Financial Tables and Guidance Summary
Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2022 Earnings Presentation
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Western Digital, the Western Digital logo, SanDisk and WD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Western Digital Corporation or its affiliates in the US and/or other countries.
