Computacenter expected to enter the FTSE 100 on AI data centre demand

In short: Computacenter is likely to join the FTSE 100 as orders tied to AI data centres lift its sales and share price.

What's going on

Computacenter, a UK company that sells and manages business technology, is expected to be confirmed as a new member of the FTSE 100 this week. The FTSE 100 is the list of the 100 biggest companies on the London stock market.

The Financial Times reports that Computacenter has benefited from heavy spending by large US tech companies building data centres for AI. Data centres are large buildings full of computers that store data and run online services. Computacenter supplies practical items these sites need, like cooling equipment and large amounts of cabling.

Demand from these big customers has helped push Computacenter shares up about 50 percent so far this year, according to the report. The company’s revenue rose 32 percent in 2025 to £9.2bn, which supported a return to operating profit growth after a decline the year before.

A key question is how much of this growth can last. Hardware sales, meaning selling equipment, typically bring in less profit per pound than services like advising clients or managing systems for them. Analysts cited in the piece say services make up about 18 percent of sales but around 30 percent of gross profit.

What to watch

The report notes that AI could eventually reduce demand for some consulting-style services, since software can now handle parts of that work. Computacenter will likely need to persuade investors that AI can support its service business rather than replace it, while it expands in steadier areas such as the public sector.

Source: Financial Times