Western Digital Announces Financial Results for Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2019

Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ: WDC) today reported revenue of $4.2 billion for its second fiscal quarter ended December 28, 2018. Operating income was $176 million with a net loss of $487 million, or ($1.68) per share. Excluding certain non-GAAP adjustments, the company achieved non-GAAP operating income of $589 million and non-GAAP net income of $424 million, or $1.45 per share.

In the year-ago quarter, the company reported revenue of $5.3 billion, operating income of $955 million and net loss of $823 million, or ($2.78) per share. Non-GAAP operating income in the year-ago quarter was $1.4 billion and non-GAAP net income was $1.2 billion, or $3.95 per share. The company generated $469 million in cash from operations during the second fiscal quarter of 2019, ending with $4.1 billion of total cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities. The company returned $144 million to shareholders through dividends and repaid the outstanding balance on its revolver of $500 million. On November 7, 2018, the company declared a cash dividend of $0.50 per share of its common stock, which was paid to shareholders on January 14, 2019.

"Despite a softening business environment, our fiscal second quarter results were generally within our guidance ranges," said Steve Milligan, chief executive officer, Western Digital. "We are taking actions to better align our cost and expense structure to near-term business conditions while continuing to deliver innovative solutions to drive our future success. We enter calendar 2019 with the strongest product portfolio in our history and confidence in our ability to capitalize on the long-term opportunities associated with data growth."

The investment community conference call to discuss these results and the company's guidance for the third fiscal quarter of 2019 will be broadcast live online today at 2:30 p.m. Pacific/5:30 p.m. Eastern. The live and archived conference call/webcast, the company's guidance for the third fiscal quarter and the earnings presentation can be accessed online at at investor.wdc.com. The telephone replay number in the U.S. is (855) 859-2056 or (404) 537-3406 for international callers. The required conference ID is 7559847.

About Western Digital®

Western Digital creates environments for data to thrive. The company is driving the innovation needed to help customers capture, preserve, access and transform an ever-increasing diversity of data. Everywhere data lives, from advanced data centers to mobile sensors to personal devices, our industryleading solutions deliver the possibilities of data. Western Digital® data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, G-Technology™, SanDisk®, Upthere™ and WD® brands. Financial and investor information is available on the company's Investor Relations website at investor.wdc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements concerning the company's preliminary financial results for its second fiscal quarter ended December 28, 2018; expectations regarding market conditions; plans to take actions to align our cost and expense structure to business conditions; platform and product portfolio; market positioning; and growth opportunities. 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 Western Digital Announces Financial Results for Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2019 preliminary financial results for the company's second fiscal quarter ended December 28, 2018, included in this press release represent the most current information available to management. The company's actual results when disclosed in its Form 10-Q 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 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: volatility in global economic conditions; business conditions and growth in the storage ecosystem; impact of restructuring activities and cost saving initiatives; impact of competitive products and pricing; market acceptance and cost of commodity materials and specialized product components; actions by competitors; unexpected advances in competing technologies; our development and introduction of products based on new technologies and expansion into new data storage markets; risks associated with acquisitions, mergers and joint ventures; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; 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-Q filed with the SEC on November 6, 2018, 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 these forward-looking statements to reflect new information or events.

Second Quarter Fiscal 2019 Press Release with Financial Tables

Second Quarter Fiscal 2019 Earnings Presentation

Guidance Summary - January 24, 2019

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Western Digital, the Western Digital logo, G-Technology, SanDisk, Upthere and WD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Western Digital Corporation or its affiliates in the US and/or other countries.