Maverick up against Tech Data disappointment

Sales still strong for UK audiovisual distributor

Computer 2000's audiovisual distribution arm Maverick performed strongly in Q2 and is steering a straight course for Q3 – despite the poor overall figures emphasised by US parent Tech Data.

Andy Dow, marketing director at Computer 2000, confirmed to ChannelWeb that its audiovisual distribution arm is still generating sales and growing strongly in the UK. The US parent firm does not permit reporting of actual financial detail from its individual businesses, however.

"Maverick is actually having a great time at the moment," Dow said. "The education market has been particularly good for us [at Maverick], with our range of products, interactive whiteboards, displays, and so on.

"So it has been a very strong quarter and it probably links in quite nicely with our public sector push and with resellers on that side, with an education focus."

Education sales at Maverick had been strong through March, April, May, June and July – with more sales associated with the school summer refresh still to go on the books in Q3, Dow said.

Europe, furthermore, was enjoying "double-digit growth" and there was no expectation of that ending. The overall US figures obscured these successes in the UK and European businesses belonging ultimately to Tech Data, said Dow.

"Spend in the public sector has been better than many expected," he said.

Tech Data's Q2 results as reported on Wall Street did not meet expectations. Profits were slashed due to price erosion and costs associated with a SAP rollout.

For the three months to 31 July, sales fell eight per cent year on year to $5.96bn (£3.78bn) as the weakening euro pummelled its top line.

As reported on ChannelWeb, allowing for currency fluctuations, though, and its exit from the Brazil and Colombia markets, the sales were actually up by about five per cent.