Computacenter has raised its 2026 profit outlook to at least £380 million after record orders and strong demand for digital infrastructure. Revenue rose 71.6% in the first half. Its product order backlog reached £9.3 billion. Strong sourcing activity in the UK and North America droves the growth.
Computacenter has raised its full year profit outlook. Record orders and strong tech demand lifted its first half results.
The FTSE 100 technology and services group now expects adjusted profit before tax of at least £380 million for 2026. That beats the analyst consensus of £340.9 million by a wide margin.
For the six months to 30 June 2026, revenue rose 71.6% to £6.85 billion. Adjusted pre-tax profit jumped 87% to £152.4 million. The company’s committed product order backlog also hit a record £9.3 billion, up 323% year on year. The interim dividend grew 14.8% to 27.1p per share.
What Is Driving Computacenter’s Stronger Outlook?
Technology Sourcing is the main driver. Demand stayed strong across North America and the UK.
Computacenter says demand for digital infrastructure keeps growing. This includes AI related infrastructure for hyperscale, neocloud, and enterprise customers. North America remains the company’s largest earnings source, making up more than 60% of adjusted operating profit.
The UK business also picked up speed. UK revenue grew 136.4% compared to the same period last year, thanks to strong Technology Sourcing activity.
This doesn’t mean every UK business is spending more on technology at the same pace. Computacenter mainly serves large corporate and public sector customers. Still, its results point to strong demand for enterprise technology and digital infrastructure in the markets it serves.
Strong Growth Has Also Squeezed Margins
There’s another key part of these results.
Computacenter’s gross profit grew, but its overall gross margin fell from 12.6% to 9.6%. This drop reflects the fast growth of high-volume Technology Sourcing compared with higher margin service work.
For business leaders, this shows why revenue growth alone doesn’t tell the full story.
A company can grow sales and profit while its overall margin percentage drops, simply because its sales mix has changed. Businesses growing through hardware, procurement, or other high-volume contracts need to watch margins, cash flow, and working capital needs alongside revenue. Ignoring these areas can make fast growth harder to manage financially.
What Should UK Businesses Do Now?
These results matter most to directors, finance teams, and business owners planning major technology investments or managing fast growth.
Businesses investing in qualifying computers, servers, network equipment, or other plant and machinery should check whether their spending meets the UK’s Full Expensing rules.
Companies that pay Corporation Tax can deduct the full cost of qualifying main rate plant and machinery under Full Expensing, subject to the relevant conditions.
Businesses shouldn’t assume every software, technology, or AI related cost gets the same tax treatment. The type of asset and spending still matters.
What Happens Next for Computacenter?
Computacenter says it started the second half strongly, and its committed product order backlog has grown further since June. That’s why management now expects 2026 adjusted pre-tax profit to land well above earlier market expectations.
Computacenter’s shares initially climbed as much as 7% to a record 6,015p after the results came out, though they gave back some of those early gains later in Tuesday’s trading.
Why This Matters for Lanop Clients
Computacenter’s results show both sides of fast growth. Strong orders can lift revenue and profit, but a shift in the type of business a company wins can also affect margins, working capital, and tax planning.
Lanop helps UK businesses review capital expenditure, capital allowances, cash flow, and other financial decisions before making major investments. Early planning helps directors understand the true cost of growth, claim the right relief, and make better informed commercial decisions. Contact Lanop today to review how these tax reliefs could apply to your business.
