Computacenter Plc shares jumped to their strongest level in at least ten years on Thursday, rallying around 11% after the company released a trading statement in which it said it now expects full-year results to be "comfortably ahead of market expectations."
In the announcement, the company said second-quarter performance was "ahead of our expectations." It also said it now expects first-half adjusted profit before tax to exceed the prior-year comparative of 81.5 million.
The company did not provide a precise first-half profit figure in the statement.
Computacenter also noted that company-compiled analyst consensus for full-year 2026 adjusted profit before tax stands at 313.7 million, a figure the trading statement included as a frame of reference for the market.
On the regional front, the company attributed the improved performance to "even stronger than expected volume growth" in North America across its Technology Sourcing and Professional Services lines. In the UK, Computacenter said growth was driven in part by further AI-related projects alongside robust expansion in Professional Services. By contrast, the company described Professional Services in Germany as having "remained subdued."
Balance-sheet indicators also featured in the update. As of June 30, the company reported that its committed product order backlog was "well ahead" of the prior yearigure of 7.1 billion, a strength the company attributed to strong order intake during the half.
Looking ahead, Computacenter said it remains "mindful of a tougher comparative" in the second half of the year but repeated its expectation to deliver full-year results comfortably ahead of market expectations.
Summary
Computacenter's trading statement prompted an 11% surge in its shares as the company raised its near-term profit outlook. Key drivers cited included stronger-than-expected North American volumes in Technology Sourcing and Professional Services, AI-linked projects and growth in the UK, and a materially larger committed product order backlog compared with the prior year. Management flagged caution around a tougher second-half comparative while maintaining confidence on the full-year outcome.
Key points
- Shares reached their highest level in at least a decade, rising roughly 11% following the trading update.
- Company expects first-half adjusted profit before tax to exceed last year ompared to 81.5 million, while the company-compiled consensus for 2026 stands at 313.7 million.
- Regional performance was mixed: North America outperformed with strong volumes, the UK saw AI-related and Professional Services growth, and Germany's Professional Services remained subdued.
- Committed product order backlog as of June 30 was "well ahead" of the prior yearigure of 7.1 billion, reflecting strong order intake.
Risks and uncertainties
- Management warned of a "tougher comparative" in the second half of the year, which could affect year-on-year growth comparisons and results - a risk to investors and to sectors tied to corporate IT spending.
- Professional Services in Germany "remained subdued," presenting regional demand uncertainty for that segment.
- The company did not disclose an exact first-half profit figure in the statement, leaving some near-term earnings uncertainty until fuller results are published.
Note: The article reflects the details included in Computacenter's trading statement without additional interpretation.