Western Digital Surges, Profit Tops Estimates: Los Angeles Mover

Western Digital Corp. (WDC), a maker of disk drives and networking products, soared the most in 10 years after reporting fiscal fourth-quarter sales and profit that topped analysts’ estimates.

Shares of the Irvine, California-based company rose 21 percent to $39.27 at the close in New York, for the biggest increase since July 2002. The stock has climbed 27 percent this year.

Western Digital yesterday reported fourth-quarter earnings excluding some items of $3.35 a share, beating the average $2.45 estimate, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Sales were $4.75 billion, topping analysts’ projection of $4.25 billion.

Seagate Technology Plc (STX), the world’s largest maker of computer disk drives, rose 14 percent to $30.06 after Western Digital’s report today. The stock has gained 83 percent this year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lisa Rapaport in New York at lrapaport1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net