Western Digital initiated with an Outperform at Evercore ISI

Evercore ISI initiated coverage of Western Digital with an Outperform rating and $80 price target. The firm views the company as “uniquely positioned to outperform given a host of tailwinds,” noting that its estimates are about 10% higher than the Street’s. While investors have been “somewhat wary” of the name given it’s “too complicated”, Evercore expects the story to get “less complicated” over the next two to three quarters as Western Digital splits in two distinct assets, says the analyst, who adds that the firm’s analysis suggests on a sum of the parts basis, “the asset should be worth $80-85,” though some stranded costs could “diminish this number as details get flushed out.”