2. Softcat

Key points

Revenue: £1.082bn (+30%)

Net profit: 5.1%

Staff: 1,130

Twenty-five years after starting life as a mail order software company, and three years after listing on the London Stock Exchange, Softcat has joined the £1bn revenue club on the back of 30 per cent growth in its year to 31 July 2018. Its total sales hit £1.08bn, with software up 36 per cent to £564m, hardware bulging 29 per cent to £367m and services rising 16 per cent to £151m. This was more than matched at the bottom line, with net profits ballooning by £16m to £55m. Since year end, Softcat has opened its first international office in Dublin, and now employs over 1,100 staff. Customer numbers rose by 4.7 per cent to 11,900 during the year. Despite this, CEO Graeme Watt struck a note of caution following the results in October, warning that macroeconomic and supply chain uncertainties could see Softcat's growth moderate in its current year.