Computacenter PLC (LSE:CCC) shares rose as much as 9% in early trading after the technology services group reassured investors with a confident outlook and a strong start to the third quarter, particularly in North America.
The FTSE 250-listed company reported revenue of £3.99 billion for the six months to June, up 29% year on year.
Gross profit rose 6.8% to £504.2 million, while adjusted operating profit edged up 1.2% to £82.1 million. Net funds stood at £278 million after a £200 million buyback completed in late 2024.
Chief executive Mike Norris said: “We executed well during the first half, delivering growth in both Technology Sourcing and Services against a backdrop of significant macroeconomic and political uncertainty. We remain excited about both the short and long-term growth opportunity in [North America].”
The region delivered another record performance, with operating profits nearly doubling as Computacenter won business from hyperscale and enterprise customers. North America now accounts for 44% of group operating profit, up from 24% a year ago.
The UK business also returned to growth, while Germany and France were hit by subdued public sector activity. Norris said he expected some recovery in Germany in the second half, although France remained more challenging.
The group highlighted strong momentum in professional services, which grew 6.5% in constant currency, while managed services slipped slightly. Its product order backlog was up 24% year on year, giving management confidence in the second half.
The interim dividend was lifted by 1.3% to 23.6p. Computacenter said it still expected adjusted operating profit for the full year to come in ahead of 2024, despite a £4 million currency headwind.
The shares settled 136p higher at 2,462p.