Insider Trading February 4, 2026

Western Digital CEO Executes $5.1 Million Stock Sale; Company Momentum Fueled by AI Storage Outlook

Irving Tan disposes of 17,201 shares via a prearranged 10b5-1 plan as analysts lift targets amid product roadmap updates

By Maya Rios WDC
Western Digital CEO Executes $5.1 Million Stock Sale; Company Momentum Fueled by AI Storage Outlook
WDC

Western Digital Chief Executive Irving Tan sold 17,201 shares on Feb. 2, 2026 under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, generating $5.11 million. The stock trades near its 52-week high after a substantial one-year gain, while multiple brokerages have raised price targets following the company's Innovation Day and roadmap for higher-capacity drives tied to AI-driven demand.

Key Points

  • CEO Irving Tan sold 17,201 shares on Feb. 2, 2026 for $5,108,831 under a Rule 10b5-1 plan - impacts corporate governance and executive liquidity considerations.
  • Western Digital shares trade near a 52-week high after a 460.9% one-year gain; RSI cited as indicating overbought conditions - relevant to equity and technical market participants.
  • Multiple analysts raised price targets after Innovation Day and WD’s product roadmap; company pursuing ePMR scaling and HAMR ramp with a $4 billion incremental buyback announced - relevant to storage, data center, and AI infrastructure sectors.

Western Digital Corp’s Chief Executive Officer, Irving Tan, completed the sale of 17,201 shares of common stock on February 2, 2026, according to a Form 4 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The transactions were carried out at prices between $242.2291 and $262.55, producing a total proceeds tally of $5,108,831.

Following the dispositions, Tan retains direct ownership of 623,586 shares of Western Digital. The sales were executed through a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan that Tan adopted on May 12, 2025, indicating the transactions were part of a prearranged program rather than ad hoc sales.

Market context: Western Digital stock is trading at $269.41, close to its 52-week peak of $296.50, and has delivered a 460.9% return over the past year. Third-party analysis cited in filings notes the shares are trading at fair value while a technical indicator, the relative strength index, points to overbought conditions.

Analyst and product developments: In the wake of its Innovation Day presentation, several brokerages have revised their outlooks for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald increased its price target to $420 from $325 and maintained an Overweight rating. Morgan Stanley raised its target to $369, citing demand for AI storage as a growth catalyst. Goldman Sachs adjusted its target to $250 and highlighted advancements in heat-assisted magnetic recording, or HAMR, technology.

Western Digital, which is also referred to as WD, laid out a roadmap for upcoming storage products. The company detailed plans for a 40TB UltraSMR ePMR hard drive and signaled ambitions to field 100TB-plus HDDs by 2029. Its strategy encompasses two technology tracks: ePMR scaling toward 60TB and a HAMR ramp beginning in 2027.

Market support and capital allocation: Evercore ISI reiterated an Outperform rating with a $310 price target and underscored Western Digital’s $4 billion incremental share buyback program. The company also reiterated expectations that global data growth driven by AI and emerging technologies will exceed a 25% compound annual growth rate over the next five years.

These filings and analyst notes provide a snapshot of insider activity alongside ongoing strategic and product initiatives, while technical indicators and valuation commentary offer context to investors assessing the stock’s near-term position.

Risks

  • Insider sale executed under a prearranged 10b5-1 plan limits interpretive value about management’s short-term view - affects investor perceptions in the equity markets.
  • Technical indicators signal overbought conditions (RSI), which could increase near-term volatility around the stock price - relevant to traders and institutional holders.
  • Execution milestones for the product roadmap (ePMR scaling to 60TB and HAMR ramp in 2027) and timing for 100TB+ HDDs by 2029 are outlined but carry implementation uncertainty - impacts storage hardware suppliers and data center customers.

More from Insider Trading

FiscalNote Director Executes Small Share Sale to Cover RSU Taxes as Stock Sits Near 52-Week Low Feb 4, 2026 Arcutis CFO Sells 1,320 Shares to Cover Tax Withholding; Company Reports Clinical, Commercial and Regulatory Milestones Feb 4, 2026 Arcutis Director Disposes $250K in Stock as Company Advances ZORYVE Program Feb 4, 2026 Alphatec EVP Sells 37,358 Shares in Pre-Set Plan as Company Reports Mixed Quarter Feb 4, 2026 Arista Director Sells 7,900 Shares for $1.12M as Stock Trades Below Sale Prices Feb 4, 2026