CDW (CDW) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript
CDW CDW (US:CDW)2026-02-04 14:32

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2025, the company reported net sales of $5.5 billion, an increase of 5% year-over-year, and gross profit of $1.25 billion, up 9% [5][6] - Full-year 2025 results showed net sales of over $22 billion, up 7%, with gross profit nearly $5 billion, up 6% [8][9] - Non-GAAP operating income for Q4 was $503 million, up 1%, and non-GAAP net income per share was $2.57, up 4% [6][21] - Full-year non-GAAP net income per diluted share reached $10.02, up 5% [8][27] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strong double-digit growth was observed in software, cloud, and professional managed services, contributing to the highest gross margin of the year [6][12] - Corporate sales were relatively flat, down 1%, while small business sales grew by 18% [10][11] - The healthcare segment increased by 5%, and education saw a 13% increase in top line [11][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.K. and Canadian operations delivered sales of $2.7 billion in 2025, with strong performance in small business and state and local markets [10] - The public sector showed growth in healthcare and government, with state and local growth offsetting declines in federal due to the government shutdown [11][12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to deliver sustainable, profitable growth by deepening customer value and deploying capital with discipline [19][32] - A focus on AI solutions is evident, with the company positioning itself to lead in the AI era through its full stack, full lifecycle offerings [15][16] - The company plans to maintain a target of returning 50%-75% of adjusted free cash flow to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [31][32] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the IT addressable market is expected to grow in the low single digits in 2026, with CDW targeting 200-300 basis points of outperformance [18][35] - The company anticipates gross profit growth in the low single digits for 2026, with a slight increase in gross margin compared to 2025 [36][37] - Management expressed optimism about AI adoption among customers and its potential to drive growth [56][57] Other Important Information - The company reported adjusted free cash flow of $1.09 billion for the full year, representing 82% of non-GAAP net income [30] - The company has made a tuck-in acquisition to enhance capabilities in the education sector [31][32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of memory price changes on demand - Management indicated that there is uncertainty regarding the impact of memory prices on demand, but they expect a similar pull forward in Q1 as seen in Q4 [40][41] Question: SG&A expenses and operating leverage - Management acknowledged that SG&A expenses are expected to show operating leverage in 2026, with a focus on optimizing costs [43][45] Question: IT budget allocation for 2026 - Management expects client device growth to remain strong, with cloud, SaaS, and security categories continuing to be important [59][60] Question: Corporate versus small business performance - Management noted differences in spending cycles, with small businesses being more agile in adopting AI compared to larger corporations [70][72]