Computacenter upbeat for new year after profitable 2011

UK decline continues but continental growth and influx of big-ticket services deals puts a smile on reseller's face

Computacenter is expecting to post double-digit bottom-line growth for 2011 and its expanding services business has put it in "a positive mood" for the coming year.

In a pre-close trading update issued to the markets this morning, the UK's biggest reseller claims that group sales for the year to 31 December rose seven per cent year on year. Organic constant currency growth was a more modest two per cent.

Services was the star performer, with revenue rising five per cent organically and seven per cent in total. Product sales continued to be more of a slog. Kit revenue did rise one per cent overall, but the vast majority of this came from acquisitions.

The firm's UK performance continues to lag those of its continental cousins, although Computacenter noted that the sales decline slowed further in Q4. Across the whole of 2011, UK turnover fell 13 per cent, with product sales contracting by 18 per cent and services turnover down two per cent.

Germany, which overtook the UK to become the VAR's largest sales territory during the year, enjoyed 2011 top-line growth of 22 per cent. Organic constant currency expansion stood at 18 per cent.

France also performed solidly, with revenue growth pegged at six per cent, excluding the effect of acquisitions and currency fluctuations. The total sales increase stood at 34 per cent, with the February 2011 buyout of Parisian outfit Top Info giving the top line an extra sheen.

The reseller sounded a note of optimism about the new year, stressing that, across 2011, its contract base grew six per cent and now stands at an annual value of about £565m. Last month, Computacenter announced that a swathe of new services contracts will deliver an extra £60m in annualised revenue to its UK operations.

"Despite the challenging customer capital expenditure environment in the UK, the group has achieved another year of good progress," says today's statement. "This performance, coupled with the managed services new business success, bodes well for continued growth. While it is clearly far too early to make any further predictions about 2012, we enter the year in a positive mood."

The firm's full results for 2011 will be published on 13 March.