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CDW Corp.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 10.0 percent: Net sales were $6,572 million, up 10.0 percent from $5,977 million a year earlier. The six-month figure was $12,252 million, up 9.6 percent. Source
  • Operating income rose 2.0 percent: Operating income was $429 million, up 2.0 percent from $420 million a year earlier. Selling and administrative expenses rose faster than gross profit. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS rose 11.9 percent: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.91 against $2.60, up 11.9 percent. GAAP diluted EPS was $2.15 against $2.05, up 5.1 percent. Source
  • Gross margin fell on hardware mix: Gross margin was 20.1 percent against 20.8 percent. Management attributed the decrease to mix into and lower margin in certain hardware categories, partly offset by netted-down revenue. Source
  • Selling and admin costs rose 8.6 percent: Selling and administrative expenses were $891 million, up 8.6 percent, mainly from higher compensation, including performance-based incentives, and workplace optimization costs. Source
  • Six-month free cash flow fell: Free cash flow was $165.8 million against $393.7 million. Operating cash flow was $219.7 million against $443.1 million, and capital expenditures were $53.9 million against $49.4 million. Source

“As organizations move beyond AI exploration and focus on scaling practical use cases, they increasingly rely on trusted partners with the expertise to integrate solutions across the full technology stack.”

Christine A. Leahy, chair and chief executive officer, CDW

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Growth versus US IT addressable market Sourcenot stated200 to 300 basis pointsKept
Quarterly cash dividend SourcePayable September 10, 2026$0.630 per common shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: The growth target over the US IT addressable market, 200 to 300 basis points on a constant currency basis, was restated in the same wording as the first-quarter release. Source
  • New: Inventory product financing proceeds of $62.5 million and payments of $0.5 million appear in the six-month cash flow. The first-quarter release showed no such line. Source

Sales growth and currency

  • Net sales rose 10.0 percent: Net sales were $6,572 million, up 10.0 percent from $5,977 million a year earlier. The six-month figure was $12,252 million, up 9.6 percent. Source
  • Constant currency growth was 9.9 percent: Net sales on a constant currency basis rose 9.9 percent, against 10.0 percent as reported. Currency translation had a small effect on the prior-year base. Source
  • Average daily sales rose 10.0 percent: With 64 selling days in both quarters, average daily sales were $102.7 million against $93.4 million, up 10.0 percent. Source

Profit and earnings per share

  • Operating income rose 2.0 percent: Operating income was $429 million, up 2.0 percent from $420 million a year earlier. Selling and administrative expenses rose faster than gross profit. Source
  • Non-GAAP operating income rose 7.0 percent: Non-GAAP operating income was $556 million, up 7.0 percent. Non-GAAP margin was 8.5 percent against 8.7 percent; GAAP margin was 6.5 percent against 7.0 percent. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS rose 11.9 percent: Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.91 against $2.60, up 11.9 percent. GAAP diluted EPS was $2.15 against $2.05, up 5.1 percent. Source
  • Six-month non-GAAP EPS rose 9.3 percent: Six-month non-GAAP diluted EPS was $5.18 against $4.74, up 9.3 percent. Six-month GAAP diluted EPS was $3.97 against $3.73, up 6.3 percent. Source
  • Net income rose 1.2 percent: GAAP net income was $274 million, up 1.2 percent. Non-GAAP net income was $370 million, up 7.8 percent from $344 million. Source

“We continue to focus on balancing growth investments with operational efficiency while maintaining a disciplined approach to working capital and capital allocation”

Albert J. Miralles, chief financial officer, CDW

Segments and regions

  • Commercial sales rose 9.2 percent: Commercial net sales were $3,965 million, up 9.2 percent. Corporate sales rose 10.7 percent, Healthcare 9.1 percent and Financial Services 1.8 percent. Source
  • Government sales rose 13.6 percent: Government net sales were $848 million, up 13.6 percent from a year earlier. Source
  • Education sales rose 0.7 percent: Education net sales were $933 million, up 0.7 percent from a year earlier. Source
  • UK and Canada sales rose 22.9 percent: Sales from the UK and Canada, reported together as Other, were $826 million, up 22.9 percent from a year earlier. Source

Products, customers and strategy

  • Data storage and servers led growth: Management named data storage and servers, notebooks and mobile devices, software, and netcomm products as the categories driving net sales growth. Source
  • Customers advanced infrastructure and AI spending: Management said customers advanced investments in infrastructure modernization, cloud and AI-enabled technologies during the quarter. Source
  • Full-stack partner role for customers: Management described combining industry and technology expertise across the stack and lifecycle as how CDW helps customers reach measurable business outcomes. Source
  • Trusted advisor role emphasized: Management said CDW's role as a trusted advisor becomes more relevant as technology environments grow more complex and change faster. Source

“Our diversified portfolio, customer-centric strategy, and services-led capabilities position us well to capture evolving technology demand and drive long-term value creation.”

Christine A. Leahy, chair and chief executive officer, CDW

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin fell on hardware mix: Gross margin was 20.1 percent against 20.8 percent. Management attributed the decrease to mix into and lower margin in certain hardware categories, partly offset by netted-down revenue. Source
  • Gross profit rose 6.3 percent: Gross profit was $1,320 million, up 6.3 percent from $1,241 million, on net sales growth of 10.0 percent. Source
  • Selling and admin costs rose 8.6 percent: Selling and administrative expenses were $891 million, up 8.6 percent, mainly from higher compensation, including performance-based incentives, and workplace optimization costs. Source
  • Workplace optimization costs reached $44.2 million: Workplace optimization costs were $44.2 million against $12.7 million a year earlier. Transformation costs fell to $9.9 million from $17.4 million, and equity-based compensation rose to $28.1 million from $23.5 million. Source
  • Interest expense rose 6.0 percent: Net interest expense was $60 million against $57 million, up 6.0 percent, on higher average debt on the senior unsecured revolving loan facility. Source
  • Tax rate rose to 26.4 percent: The effective tax rate was 26.4 percent against 25.7 percent. Management attributed the rise to current-year tax shortfalls against prior-year excess benefits on equity-based compensation. Source

Cash, debt, returns and share count

  • Six-month free cash flow fell: Free cash flow was $165.8 million against $393.7 million. Operating cash flow was $219.7 million against $443.1 million, and capital expenditures were $53.9 million against $49.4 million. Source
  • Receivables and inventory rose: Accounts receivable were $7,343.7 million against $5,626.9 million a year earlier. Merchandise inventory was $981.8 million against $761.6 million. Source
  • Working capital days shifted: Days of sales outstanding were 93, against 95 at year-end and 80 a year earlier. Days of supply in inventory were 16, against 11 at year-end. Source
  • Net debt rose to $5.46 billion: Net debt was $5,455.2 million against $5,011.1 million at year-end. Cash was $361.8 million, and revolver availability was $1,682.4 million against $1,925.8 million. Source
  • Diluted share count fell: Weighted-average diluted shares were 127 million, against 132 million a year earlier. The six-month count was 128.4 million against 132.9 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • Dividend payable September 10, 2026: The quarterly dividend of $0.630 per common share is to be paid September 10, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business August 25, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin Source20.1 percent in the second quarter of 2026, against 20.8 percent a year earlier
Average daily sales Source$102.7 million, up 10.0 percent from $93.4 million
Merchandise inventory Source$981.8 million at June 30, 2026, against $761.6 million at June 30, 2025
Days of supply in inventory Source16 at June 30, 2026; 11 at December 31, 2025; 13 at June 30, 2025

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management restated its confidence in exceeding US IT addressable market growth by 200 to 300 basis points, the same target as in the first-quarter release. No status against the target was given. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.