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CDW Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 17.7 percent: Net sales reached $6,754.5 million, up 17.7 percent. Nine-month net sales rose 12.4 percent to $19,006.5 million. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS rose 20.4 percent: Diluted EPS was $2.46, up 11.6 percent. Non-GAAP net income rose 14.8 percent to $410.2 million. Source
  • Commercial sales rose 20.8 percent: Commercial net sales were $3,979.4 million. Corporate rose 16.8 percent to $2,606.3 million and Healthcare rose 9.3 percent to $801.6 million. Nine-month Commercial sales rose 13.1 percent. Source
  • Gross margin fell year on year: Gross profit margin was 20.5 percent, against 21.9 percent a year earlier and 20.1 percent in the second quarter. Management attributed the year-on-year decline mainly to product mix and lower-margin categories. Source
  • Operating cash flow fell for nine months: Net cash from operating activities was $618.5 million, against $771.4 million. Free cash flow was $537.8 million, against $692.2 million, after capital expenditures of $80.7 million. Source
  • Quarterly dividend raised to $0.680: The Board approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.680 per common share, up from $0.630 in the prior quarter. Source
  • Acquisitions of $450.3 million: Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired, totaled $450.3 million in the nine months, against $5.0 million. Acquisition and integration expenses were recorded in the quarter. Source

“CDW delivered robust third quarter results, powered by broad-based strength across our diverse customer end-markets and strong momentum in enterprise AI adoption,”

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

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Growth versus US IT addressable market SourceNot specified200 to 300 basis pointsKept
Quarterly cash dividend per common share SourcePayable December 10, 2026$0.680Raised from $0.630

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Quarterly dividend raised to $0.680 per share from $0.630. Source
  • New: Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired, totaled $450.3 million in the nine months, against $5.0 million a year earlier. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 17.7 percent: Net sales reached $6,754.5 million, up 17.7 percent. Nine-month net sales rose 12.4 percent to $19,006.5 million. Source
  • Operating income rose 10.4 percent: Operating income was $489.5 million. Non-GAAP operating income rose 16.8 percent to $619.8 million, after excluding amortization, equity-based compensation and other listed items. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS rose 20.4 percent: Diluted EPS was $2.46, up 11.6 percent. Non-GAAP net income rose 14.8 percent to $410.2 million. Source
  • Nine-month GAAP profit grew less: Nine-month operating income rose 5.6 percent to $1,294.1 million and net income rose 4.1 percent to $819.6 million. Nine-month non-GAAP diluted EPS rose 13.3 percent to $8.44. Source

Segments and regions

  • Commercial sales rose 20.8 percent: Commercial net sales were $3,979.4 million. Corporate rose 16.8 percent to $2,606.3 million and Healthcare rose 9.3 percent to $801.6 million. Nine-month Commercial sales rose 13.1 percent. Source
  • Financial Services sales grew fastest: Financial Services net sales rose from $330.0 million to $571.5 million. Nine-month Financial Services sales rose 30.1 percent to $1,487.0 million, after 1.8 percent growth in the second quarter. Source
  • Government sales rose 9.9 percent: Government net sales were $912.8 million, up from $830.9 million. Government growth was 13.6 percent in the second quarter. Nine-month Government sales rose 9.7 percent to $2,393.7 million. Source
  • Education sales rose 7.5 percent: Education net sales were $982.2 million, up from $913.5 million, after 0.7 percent growth in the second quarter. Nine-month Education sales rose 3.7 percent to $2,590.3 million. Source
  • UK and Canada sales rose 26.0 percent: Net sales for the UK and Canadian operations, reported as Other, were $880.1 million, up from $698.4 million. Nine-month Other sales rose 22.3 percent to $2,508.3 million. Source

“Strong customer demand and disciplined execution drove double-digit growth in gross profit, while operating leverage and capital management contributed to more than 20 percent growth in non-GAAP net income per diluted share,”

Albert J. Miralles, chief financial officer, CDW

Products and customers

  • Data storage and servers led: Customer demand drove net sales growth mainly in data storage and servers, notebooks and mobile devices, and software. Source
  • Netcomm dropped from growth drivers: Netcomm products were named among the second-quarter net sales growth drivers and do not appear in the third-quarter list.
  • Full-stack coverage cited: Management tied its ability to meet customer needs across the full technology stack and lifecycle to continued strategic investments. Source

Costs and margins

  • Gross margin fell year on year: Gross profit margin was 20.5 percent, against 21.9 percent a year earlier and 20.1 percent in the second quarter. Management attributed the year-on-year decline mainly to product mix and lower-margin categories. Source
  • Selling and admin costs rose 10.3 percent: Selling and administrative expenses were $895.8 million, against $812.2 million. Management attributed the increase to performance-based incentives, workplace optimization and acquisition costs. Source
  • GAAP operating margin narrowed: GAAP operating margin was 7.2 percent against 7.7 percent a year earlier, while non-GAAP operating margin held at 9.2 percent. Nine-month GAAP operating margin was 6.8 percent against 7.2 percent. Source
  • Interest expense rose 19.8 percent: Interest expense, net was $65.9 million against $55.0 million. Management cited higher average revolver borrowings and lower interest income on cash balances. Source
  • Tax rate rose on fewer credits: The effective income tax rate was 26.9 percent against 25.3 percent, and income tax expense was $114.1 million against $98.4 million. Source
  • Agent-basis revenue increased: Revenue recognized at a point in time where CDW is agent was $529.7 million, up from $452.3 million in the prior-year quarter. Source

“reinforces our confidence in our ability to outpace US IT addressable market growth by 200 to 300 basis points on a constant currency basis”

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

Demand and average daily sales

  • Average daily sales rose 17.7 percent: Average daily sales were $105.5 million against $89.6 million, with 64 selling days in both periods. Nine-month average daily sales were $99.5 million. Source
  • Constant currency growth matched reported: On a constant currency basis net sales rose 17.8 percent, against 17.7 percent as reported. Translating prior-year UK and Canada results at current rates reduced the base by $5.9 million. Source
  • Second-quarter daily sales base: Average daily sales were $102.7 million in the second quarter, against $93.4 million a year earlier.

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow fell for nine months: Net cash from operating activities was $618.5 million, against $771.4 million. Free cash flow was $537.8 million, against $692.2 million, after capital expenditures of $80.7 million. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow rose: Adjusted free cash flow was $784.6 million, against $668.0 million, and includes $240.8 million of inventory product-financing proceeds. Source
  • Net debt rose from year-end: Net debt was $5,585.6 million, against $5,011.1 million at December 31, 2025. Cash and cash equivalents were $1,538.7 million, and revolver availability was $1,869.5 million. Source
  • Working capital days lengthened: Days of sales outstanding were 100, against 95 at year-end and 92 a year earlier. Days of supply in inventory were 18, against 11 at year-end, and the cash conversion cycle was 20 days. Source
  • Quarterly dividend raised to $0.680: The Board approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.680 per common share, up from $0.630 in the prior quarter. Source
  • Diluted share count fell: Weighted-average diluted shares were 125.7 million in the third quarter, against 131.8 million, and 127.5 million for nine months, against 132.6 million. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Acquisitions of $450.3 million: Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired, totaled $450.3 million in the nine months, against $5.0 million. Acquisition and integration expenses were recorded in the quarter. Source
  • Transformation costs rose in quarter: Transformation initiative costs were $15.2 million in the quarter, against $13.0 million, and $33.4 million for nine months, against $44.1 million. Source
  • Trusted-advisor role emphasized: Management said rapid technology change and rising complexity make CDW's role as a trusted advisor more important. Source

People and leadership

  • Workplace optimization charges rose: Workplace optimization costs were $31.0 million in the quarter, against $2.7 million, and $75.2 million for nine months. They cover workforce reductions and real estate lease reductions. Source
  • Equity-based pay held steady: Equity-based compensation was $26.7 million, against $27.1 million, and $76.9 million for nine months, up from $71.1 million. Source
  • Leadership names unchanged: Christine A. Leahy is chair and chief executive officer, and Albert J. Miralles is chief financial officer, as in the second-quarter release. Source
  • Media contact changed: The media inquiries contact is now Tammy Olson, director of corporate communications. The second-quarter release listed Amy Sarosiek, senior vice president, corporate communications. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2026

  • Dividend payable December 10: The $0.680 quarterly dividend is payable December 10, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business on November 25, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin Source20.5 percent, against 21.9 percent
Inventory SourceMerchandise inventory $1,019.9 million at September 30, 2026; 18 days of supply

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management cited product mix and lower-margin categories as the cause of lower gross profit margin this quarter. Source
  • Financial: Interest expense rose as average revolver borrowings grew and interest income on cash balances fell. Source
  • Financial: Lower tax credits and higher non-deductible expenses raised the effective income tax rate to 26.9 percent. Source
  • Operational: Acquisition and integration expenses were $13.8 million in the quarter, against $1.1 million a year earlier. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management restated confidence in this target, the same range as in the second-quarter release. 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.