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Computacenter Shares Surge Over 10% on Major Profit Upgrade
Shares in Computacenter (LSE:CCC) surged more than 10% after the company issued a highly positive trading update, significantly upgrading its profit outlook for the first half and full-year 2026.
Profit Forecast Raised
In a statement, Computacenter disclosed that it expects adjusted profit before tax for the first half of 2026 to be approximately double the £81.5 million it recorded in the same period of 2025. The company's second-quarter performance reportedly came in ahead of its own expectations.
Looking ahead, the firm now anticipates that its full-year results for 2026 will be "comfortably ahead" of current market expectations. This represents a substantial upgrade, as analyst consensus had previously forecast a full-year profit of around £291.3 million.
AI and Hyperscaler Demand
The upgraded forecast is being driven by strong and accelerating demand from hyperscale customers in North America and the United Kingdom. Computacenter attributed the robust order volumes to continued investment in AI infrastructure and data centers.
AdAn elevated product order backlog has also contributed to the positive momentum. Analysts had previously noted that Computacenter was gaining market share and had attractive exposure to the fast-growing hyperscaler market.
Market Reaction
The company-specific news sent Computacenter stock soaring 10.6% to 4574p in Friday's trading, hitting a new 52-week intraday high of 4702p. The rally stood in sharp contrast to the broader London market, with the FTSE 100 index trading in negative territory.
The scale of the positive surprise for investors is highlighted by the stock's performance over the past year, having traded as low as 2092p. The combination of a near-doubling of first-half profit and a strong full-year outlook provided a powerful catalyst for the shares.