Shares of Western Digital rose about 2% in extended trading. The data storage maker reported Q2 earnings of $2.13 per share, topping analysts’ estimates of $1.91. Western Digital forecast earnings of $2.15 to $2.45 per share for the third quarter, compared with analysts’ expectations of $1.99. The results come as Western Digital has benefited from rising demand for high-capacity hard disk drives used in data centers that support advanced AI models. Related articlesWestern Digital beats Q2 amid demand for data storage products5 reasons why Jefferies thinks Meta’s pullback is a buying opportunityMorgan Stanley CIO survey: Why AI hype isn’t boosting 2026 IT budgets