Technology

Disk Drive Maker Western Digital Gets $3.8 Billion Equity Investment

Hard Drive
Source: Thinkstock
Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ: WDC) announced Wednesday morning that it has reached an agreement with a subsidiary of China-based Unisplendour (Unis) under which the Chinese firm will make an equity investment of $3.775 billion in the disk drive maker. Unis will purchase newly issued shares of stock in Western Digital for a price of $92.50 per share, a premium of 34% to the stock’s closing price on Tuesday of $69.37.

Unis will hold a stake of approximately 15% in Western Digital and will be able to nominate one member to the company’s board of directors. The Chinese firm has accepted a five-year standstill agreement and voting restrictions and has also agreed to a five-year lockup on its shares, with a limited number of shares becoming available for transfer each year.

A back-of-the-envelope calculation puts the number of shares Unis has acquired at around 40.8 million. At Tuesday’s closing price Western Digital’s market cap was $16.04 billion, and the Unis investment raises that to $19.815 billion. Divided by 272 million shares outstanding after the Unis transaction, and Western Digital’s share price gets a boost to around $72.85.

Shares traded up more than 12% in Wednesday’s premarket session, at $78.05 in a 52-week range of $67.87 to $114.69. The consensus price target on the stock is $98.95.

The deal also appears to be having a positive impact on shares of Seagate Technology PLC (NASDAQ: STX). Shares traded up nearly 6% in the premarket, at $44.24 in a 52-week range of $41.58 to $69.40. Seagate’s stock posted that 52-week low Tuesday.

ALSO READ: 5 High-Dividend Blue Chip Stocks on Sale After Market Sell-Off

Essential Tips for Investing: Sponsored

A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.