Organization and Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Apr. 02, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization and Basis of Presentation

Organization and Basis of Presentation

Western Digital Corporation (“Western Digital” or the “Company”) is a leading developer, manufacturer, and provider of data storage devices and solutions that address the evolving needs of the information technology (“IT”) industry and the infrastructure that enables the proliferation of data in virtually every other industry. The Company creates environments for data to thrive. The Company is driving the innovation needed to help customers capture, preserve, access and transform an ever-increasing diversity of data. Everywhere data lives, from advanced data centers to mobile sensors to personal devices, the Company’s industry-leading solutions deliver the possibilities of data.

The Company’s broad portfolio of technology and products address the following key end markets: Client Devices; Data Center Devices and Solutions; and Client Solutions. The Company also generates license and royalty revenue from its extensive intellectual property (“IP”), which is included in each of these three end market categories.

The accounting policies followed by the Company are set forth in Part II, Item 8, Note 1, Organization and Basis of Presentation, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended July 3, 2020. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary to fairly state the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been made. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the Consolidated Financial Statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended July 3, 2020. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year.

Fiscal Year

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the Friday nearest to June 30 and typically consists of 52 weeks. Approximately every five to six years, the Company reports a 53-week fiscal year to align the fiscal year with the foregoing policy. Fiscal year 2021, which ends on July 2, 2021, will be comprised of 52 weeks, with all quarters presented consisting of 13 weeks. Fiscal year 2020, which ended on July 3, 2020, was comprised of 53 weeks, with the first quarter consisting of 14 weeks and the remaining quarters consisting of 13 weeks each.

Use of Estimates

Company management has made estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of certain assets and liabilities in conformity with U.S. GAAP. These estimates and assumptions have been applied using methodologies that are consistent throughout the periods presented with consideration given to the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, actual results could differ materially from these estimates and be significantly affected by the severity and duration of the pandemic, the extent of actions to contain or treat COVID-19, including the effects of ongoing vaccination efforts, how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating activity can resume, and the severity and duration of the global economic downturn that results from the pandemic.

Segment Information

The Company manufactures, markets, and sells data storage devices and solutions in the U.S. and in foreign countries through its sales personnel, dealers, distributors, retailers, and subsidiaries. Historically, the Company has been managed and reported under a single operating segment. Late in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, the Chief Executive Officer, who is the Company’s Chief Operating Decision Maker, announced a decision to reorganize the Company’s business by forming two separate product business units: flash-based products and hard disk drives (“HDD”). To align with the new operating model and business structure, the Company is making management organizational changes and implementing new reporting modules and processes to provide discrete information to manage the business. Management expects to finalize its assessment of its operating segments when the implementations and transitions are completed, which is expected to be in the first quarter of fiscal 2022.