SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) stock rose nearly 14% on August 13 after the company disclosed a $93.9 billion customer backlog and set a target of 80% non-GAAP gross margins through fiscal 2030 at its Investor Day.
Speaking in Manhattan, Chairman and CEO David Goeckeler framed the event as proof that his 18-month turnaround plan is finally paying off, addressing skepticism that had built up after a rough six weeks for the stock.
The Spinoff Behind SanDisk Stocks AI Boom
SanDisk completed its split from Western Digital in February 2025 and began trading independently in late February, becoming a standalone NAND flash and solid-state drive maker just as artificial intelligence (AI) data centers began driving unprecedented demand for high-speed storage.
Sponsored
Sponsored
The latest news and stock pop comes from customers that have already signed contracts to buy $93.9 billion of SanDisks chips over the next several years. This is prompting Goeckeler to target a 80% gross margin, meaning SanDisk aims to keep $80 of every $100 in sales as profit.
The stock is up more than 571% so far this year, even after a sharp July pullback that briefly wiped out much of the SanDisk stock margin target optimism BeInCrypto covered days before this rally.
That surge tracks a broader memory shortage that has also lifted Micron Technology AI demand and partner SK Hynix AI milestone reports, as hyperscalers lock in supply years in advance.
Sandisk is currently the top-performing stock in the S&P 500 year-to-date, fueled by a massive surge in data center revenue, high margins, and heavy demand for AI infrastructure. Image Source: Trading ViewGoeckeler Says the Payoff Is Just Starting
At the Investor Day, SanDisk disclosed $93.9 billion in total contract value from eight customers, with $91.1 billion still to be recognized. Management is targeting non-GAAP gross margins near 80% and operating margins near 75% through fiscal 2030, a structural shift meant to insulate the business from the boom-and-bust pricing cycles that have historically defined NAND flash.
Goeckeler cast the past 18 months as groundwork rather than reward. He told investors on the Investor Day call that he finally feels like he has reached the starting line of where the companys real value creation will happen.
Sixteen analysts rate the stock a buy, three call it an outperform, and three hold. Their average price target sits roughly 34% above the stocks closing price after the Investor Day pop, the widest gap on record for the stock.
Not every model agrees the framework justifies that gap. Some analysts argue the valuation already prices in years of sustained 80% margins, leaving little room for error if NAND demand cools.
Whether SanDisks new contracts actually smooth out that historical cycle may not be clear until the next industry downturn tests them. For now, the backlog gives investors a rare thing in the memory business, a multi-year revenue floor they can point to.