It’s Official: WDC to Split into HDD & Flash Parts

During the company’s October 30 earnings call Western Digital CEO David Goeckeler started the conversation with the revelation that the company would be split into two, with a new flash-only company to be created in the process.  This plan, intended to increase the company’s shareholder value, was the outcome of a process triggered by activist shareholder Elliott in May 2022, which was the subject of a couple of SSD Guy blog posts:

• WDC: To Split, or Not to Split?
• Another Perspective on a WDC Split

Details Lacking

Although the plan for this break-up is not complete, we can guess at what is involved.  Even before Elliott’s involvement Goeckeler bisected the company into separate flash and HDD divisions, and the product lines are largely distinct, so the task of creating two companies will be straightforward.  We should expect the greatest change to occur in areas that are shared between the two, largely sales and administrative tasks. Google