Computacenter PLC (LSE:CCC) has upgraded its full-year outlook after reporting that first-half adjusted profit before tax is on course to roughly double year-on-year.
The FTSE 100 technology services group said preliminary results for the six months to 30 June pointed to adjusted profit before tax of approximately double last year’s comparative figure of £81.5 million.
The stronger-than-expected outcome was driven by a second quarter that exceeded the company’s own internal forecasts, following what management described as an excellent first quarter.
North America was a key engine of growth, with demand from hyperscale customers coming in stronger than anticipated across both technology sourcing and professional services divisions.
The UK also delivered a solid performance, with technology sourcing leading the way, including further AI-related project wins alongside healthy expansion in professional services.
Germany contributed good growth in technology sourcing, although professional services in that market remained subdued during the period.
The committed product order backlog at the end of June was described as well ahead of the £7.1 billion recorded at the close of 2025, reflecting strong order intake throughout the first half.
Full-year results for 2026 are now expected to come in comfortably ahead of market expectations, even as the company acknowledged it faces tougher comparative trading conditions in the second half.
Analyst consensus compiled by Computacenter currently forecasts adjusted profit before tax of £313.7 million for the full year, with individual estimates ranging from £305 million to £324.3 million.
The AI investment cycle continues to underpin demand across the sector, with hyperscale infrastructure build-outs generating substantial procurement and services activity for technology providers like Computacenter.
The company’s growing backlog suggests strong revenue visibility heading into the second half, providing a degree of confidence despite the tougher year-on-year comparatives anticipated.
Computacenter is scheduled to publish its half-year results in full on 8 September, at which point investors will receive a more detailed breakdown of the divisional performance underpinning the strong trading update.