西部数据公司预测盈利将好于预期，并上调了股息，凸显了人工智能热潮带来的数据存储强劲需求。
Digital Corp. forecast better-than-expected earnings and hiked its dividend, underscoring strong demand for data storage fueled by the artificial intelligence boom.
这家硬盘制造商在周四的一份声明中表示，预计其财年第二季度调整后每股收益最高可达6美元，远超分析师预期的4.80美元。该公司还将股息提高了17%。
The hard-drive maker expects adjusted earnings per share of as much as $6 in its fiscal second quarter, well ahead of analyst expectations of $4.80, according to a statement Thursday. It also raised its dividend by 17%.
第一季度净营收、调整后每股收益和调整后毛利率均超过了分析师预期。首席财务官Kris Sennesael在声明中表示，这些结果反映了“强劲的EB级增长和价格改善”。周四盘后交易中，该公司股价一度上涨4.3%。
First-quarter net revenue, adjusted EPS and adjusted gross margin all surpassed analyst expectations. The results reflect “robust exabyte growth and improved pricing,” Chief Financial Officer Kris Sennesael said in the statement. Shares rose as much as 4.3% postmarket Thursday.
随着市场担忧数据中心和算力的巨额支出可能需要更长时间才能收回成本，存储芯片股和其他与AI交易相关的公司一直承压。
Memory stocks and other companies linked to the AI trade have been under pressure as concerns mount that heavy spending on data centers and computing capacity may take longer to pay off.
在财报电话会上，投资者可能会关注竞争格局，此前有报道称竞争对手东芝公司计划投资约3.8亿美元，到2027财年将硬盘产能翻倍。彭博情报在财报发布前表示，西部数据下一代硬盘的最新进展，以及客户寻求锁定2030年和2031年供应的谈判情况，也将受到密切关注。
On the earnings call, investors will likely focus on competition after a report that rival Toshiba Corp. plans to invest about $380 million to double hard-disk-drive capacity by fiscal 2027. Updates on Western Digital’s next-generation drives and talks with customers seeking to lock in supply through 2030 and 2031 will also be closely watched, Bloomberg Intelligence said ahead of earnings.