Core Insights - Madison Investments reported a 3.43% appreciation for the Madison Large Cap Fund in Q4 2025, outperforming the S&P 500's 2.65% return [1] - The S&P 500 achieved a full-year return of 17.9% for 2025, with a three-year annual growth rate exceeding 21% [1] - Market leadership was characterized by High Beta and Momentum factors, with notable improvements in Healthcare, Financials, and Consumer Discretionary sectors [1] Company Summary: CDW Corporation - CDW Corporation, an IT solutions company, had a market capitalization of $16.138 billion and closed at $123.13 per share on February 23, 2026 [2][4] - The stock experienced a one-month return of -3.35% and a 52-week decline of 34.05% [2] - In Q4 2025, CDW reported consolidated net sales of $5.5 billion, reflecting a 5% increase from Q4 2024 [4] Performance Analysis - CDW Corporation was listed among the bottom five detractors for the Madison Large Cap Fund in Q4 2025, with revenue growth improving but operating expenses rising faster, leading to muted earnings growth [3] - Despite the challenges, there is a belief that expenses will stabilize, allowing for a rebound in earnings growth in the long term [3] - CDW Corporation was included in 57 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q4 2025, an increase from 48 in the previous quarter [4]

Financial Performance - In 2025, CDW generated net sales of $22.4 billion, a 6.8% increase from $21.0 billion in 2024[47] - Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2025, totaled $22,424.1 million, representing a 6.8% increase from $20,998.7 million in 2024[202] - Gross profit for 2025 rose by $271 million, or 5.9%, with a gross profit margin of 21.7%, a decrease of 20 basis points from the previous year[176] - Total gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $4,873.4 million, a 5.9% increase from $4,602.4 million in 2024[180] - Operating income for 2025 was $1,655.6 million, reflecting a slight increase of 0.3% compared to 2024, with an operating income margin of 7.4%[174] - Operating income for the year ended December 31, 2025, increased by $4 million, or 0.3%, to $1,656 million compared to $1,651 million for 2024[177] - Non-GAAP net income for 2025 was $1,323.0 million, compared to $1,287.2 million in 2024, with non-GAAP net income per diluted share increasing to $10.02 from $9.52[170] - Non-GAAP operating income for 2025 was $1,996.7 million, or 8.9% of net sales, compared to $1,947.0 million, or 9.3% of net sales in 2024[199] - Free cash flow for 2025 was $1,088.1 million, down from $1,154.7 million in 2024, indicating a decrease of 5.7%[203] Sales Breakdown - The US business accounted for approximately 90% of net sales, with five dedicated customer channels each generating over $1.7 billion in net sales[29] - CDW's net sales from hardware amounted to $16.1 billion, representing 71.6% of total net sales in 2025[47] - Net sales from software reached $4.2 billion, accounting for 18.7% of total net sales in 2025[47] - Corporate segment net sales increased by $605 million, or 6.8%, driven by higher customer demand in software and hardware products[186] - Small Business segment net sales rose by $203 million, or 13.3%, primarily due to increased demand for notebooks/mobile devices and software[188] - Public segment net sales increased by $378 million, or 4.6%, attributed to higher demand in software and services across various customer channels[190] - Other segment net sales increased by $240 million, or 9.7%, driven by growth in notebooks/mobile devices and services within UK and Canada operations[192] Operational Insights - The company operates two distribution centers in North America and one in the UK, handling approximately 22 million units annually[35] - Drop-shipment arrangements represented about 51% of total North America net sales in 2025[36] - The company has approximately 14,800 coworkers globally, with 11,200 in the US and 3,600 internationally[51] - Over 50% of US net sales are generated by account managers with more than seven years of tenure[51] - The company maintains a diverse solutions portfolio with over 100,000 products and services from more than 1,000 brands, delivered through approximately 10,500 customer-facing employees[165] Strategic Initiatives - The company plans to realign its customer-facing organization into three reportable segments: Commercial, Government, and Education, effective January 1, 2026[30] - The company focuses on advanced digital transformation solutions, leveraging cloud-native deployment, DevOps, AI, and automation[49] - The company plans to further invest in AI capabilities to drive scale and efficiency across operations[73] Risk Factors - The company operates in a highly competitive industry, facing substantial competition from resellers, manufacturers, and service providers, which could harm financial performance[76] - Cybersecurity threats and data breaches could significantly impact business operations and reputation, with potential legal and regulatory consequences[89] - The reliance on cloud-based solutions may disrupt traditional business models and increase direct sales to customers, impacting hardware sales[78] - The ability to attract and retain key personnel is crucial for business success, with competitive labor markets increasing the risk of higher costs and turnover[92] - The company is exposed to accounts receivable risks, particularly during economic downturns, which could impact cash flows[100] - Inventory risks are heightened due to rapid technological changes and potential obsolescence, affecting business operations[101] - Legal and regulatory compliance risks could result in fines or contract terminations, adversely affecting business operations[118] Financial Position - As of December 31, 2025, the company had a total debt outstanding of $5.6 billion and $353 million in obligations under inventory financing agreements[128] - The company has $1.9 billion available to borrow under its senior unsecured revolving loan facility[128] - The company reported $635 million in variable rate debt outstanding, exposing it to interest rate risk[130] - Total unsecured indebtedness as of December 31, 2025, was $5.6 billion, with compliance to covenants under credit agreements[209] - The company entered into a new credit agreement in December 2025, increasing its borrowing capacity by $650 million[208] Shareholder Returns - The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.630 per share, payable on March 10, 2026[149] - During the three months ended December 31, 2025, the company repurchased a total of 1.1 million shares of its common stock[151] - The average price paid per share for repurchases in October, November, and December 2025 was $155.34, $143.05, and $143.46 respectively[151] - The company has approximately $685 million remaining under its share repurchase program as of December 31, 2025[152]

Company Overview - CDW Corporation is valued at a market cap of $16.5 billion and is a leading North American IT solutions provider, assisting organizations in designing, procuring, implementing, and managing technology infrastructure [1] Stock Performance - CDW shares have underperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks, declining 33.9%, while the S&P 500 Index has increased by 11.9% [2] - Year-to-date, CDW stock has dropped 8.1%, contrasting with a marginal decline in the S&P 500 [2] - Compared to the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund, which saw a 16.3% increase over the past 52 weeks, CDW's performance has lagged [3] Recent Financial Results - On February 4, CDW reported Q4 2025 results that exceeded expectations, with revenue rising 6% year-over-year to $5.5 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $2.57 surpassing consensus forecasts [5] - The gross profit margin expanded to 22.8%, driven by a shift towards higher-value offerings, despite slight pressure on operating margins from increased SG&A investments [5] Future Earnings Expectations - For the fiscal year ending December 2026, analysts project CDW's EPS to increase by 4.3% year-over-year to $9.94, with a history of beating consensus estimates in the last four quarters [6] - The consensus rating among 12 analysts covering the stock is a "Moderate Buy," consisting of six "Strong Buy" and six "Hold" ratings [6] Analyst Ratings - The current consensus is more bullish than three months ago, when there were five "Strong Buy" suggestions [7] - Citigroup analyst Asiya Merchant maintained a "Neutral" rating on CDW and slightly raised the price target to $150 from $148 [7]

Core Viewpoint - CDW Corporation has been downgraded to a hold rating due to a weaker spending environment and weak Q4 guidance, although Q4 2025 results exceeded expectations [1] Group 1: Company Performance - CDW Corporation's Q4 2025 results were better than anticipated, indicating potential resilience despite a challenging spending environment [1] Group 2: Analyst Perspective - The analyst expresses a long-term investment philosophy focused on identifying undervalued companies with growth potential, emphasizing the importance of buying quality companies at a discount [1]

Group 1 - The article discusses the importance of enabling Javascript and cookies in browsers to prevent access issues [1] - It highlights that users with ad-blockers may face restrictions when trying to access content [1]

Core Insights - CDW's fourth-quarter performance exceeded expectations, driven by strong growth in software, cloud, and professional managed services, leading to the highest gross margin of the year at 22.8% [3][5][7] Financial Performance - For Q4, CDW reported net sales of $5.5 billion, a 5% increase year over year, with gross profit ranging from $1.25 billion to $1.3 billion, reflecting a 9% increase [4][7] - Non-GAAP diluted EPS for the quarter was $2.57, up 4%, while non-GAAP operating income was approximately $502 million to $503 million, up roughly 1% [4][7] Market Dynamics - The company anticipates a low-single-digit growth in the U.S. IT market for 2026, targeting 200 to 300 basis points of outperformance [5][18] - CDW's revenue mix is shifting towards higher-margin categories such as cloud and SaaS, with netted down revenues representing 36.1% of gross profit in Q4, up from 35.8% year over year [13] Segment Performance - Double-digit growth was observed in software, cloud, and professional managed services, with cloud contributing approximately half of the gross profit growth for the quarter [3][9] - Small business sales grew by 18%, driven by cloud consumption and modernization of client devices, while corporate sales declined by 1% due to slowing hardware solutions [8][11] Operational Efficiency - Non-GAAP SG&A expenses increased by 14.6% year over year to $752 million, primarily due to higher commissions and performance-based expenses [14] - Adjusted free cash flow for Q4 was $418 million, with a full-year total of $1.09 billion, representing 82% of non-GAAP net income [15] Capital Allocation - CDW returned nearly $1 billion to shareholders in 2025 through dividends and share repurchases, exceeding its initial target of 50% to 75% of adjusted free cash flow [17] - The company plans to continue returning 50% to 75% of adjusted free cash flow to shareholders in 2026 while remaining active in M&A [17]

Core Insights - CDW Corporation reported fourth-quarter 2025 non-GAAP EPS of $2.57, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.44, with a year-over-year increase of 3.8% [1] - The company achieved net sales of $5.51 billion in the fourth quarter, reflecting a 6.3% year-over-year growth, driven by increased customer spending in software, notebooks, mobile devices, and services [2] Financial Performance - For the full year 2025, net sales rose 6.8% year over year to $22.4 billion, with strong gross profit growth and disciplined working capital management allowing the return of approximately $982 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [3] - Gross profit increased by 8.6% year over year to $1.25 billion, with gross margin expanding to 22.8% from 22.3% due to a higher contribution from software and services [10] Segment Analysis - The Corporate segment reported net sales of $2.37 billion, down 0.6% year over year, indicating caution among large enterprise customers [6] - The Small Business segment saw net sales rise 18.4% year over year to $457 million, reflecting improved investment activity among SMB customers [6] - The Public segment's revenues totaled $2.02 billion, up 7% year over year, with the Education sector leading growth at 12.9% [7] Future Outlook - CDW reaffirmed its long-term growth ambition, targeting 200–300 basis points of growth above the U.S. IT addressable market in 2026, driven by demand across hardware, software, services, and AI-related guidance [4] - The company announced a quarterly dividend of 63 cents, payable on March 10, 2026, to shareholders on record as of February 25 [4] Market Reaction - Following the strong performance, CDW's shares increased by 7% in pre-market trading, although shares have declined 38.8% over the past year compared to a 31.9% decline in the Zacks Computers-IT Services industry [5]

Core Insights - CDW reported revenue of $5.51 billion for the quarter ended December 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 6.3% and exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.6% [1] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $2.57, up from $2.48 in the same quarter last year, surpassing the consensus estimate of $2.44 by 5.54% [1] Revenue Breakdown - Small Business net sales reached $457 million, exceeding the average estimate of $408.83 million by analysts, representing a year-over-year increase of 20.3% [4] - Other net sales were reported at $668.9 million, slightly above the estimated $653.99 million, marking a 10.2% increase year-over-year [4] - Corporate net sales totaled $2.37 billion, falling short of the $2.41 billion estimate, but still showing a 1.1% year-over-year growth [4] - Public Healthcare net sales were $725.8 million, surpassing the estimate of $659.85 million, with a year-over-year increase of 6.3% [4] - Public Government net sales reached $650.5 million, exceeding the average estimate of $591.84 million, reflecting a 6% year-over-year change [4] - Public Education net sales were reported at $639.3 million, above the estimate of $528.22 million, indicating a 14.7% year-over-year increase [4] - Total Public net sales amounted to $2.02 billion, significantly higher than the $1.78 billion estimate, representing an 8.7% year-over-year growth [4] Stock Performance - CDW shares have returned -6.1% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's increase of 0.9% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), suggesting potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2025, the company reported net sales of $5.5 billion, an increase of 5% year-over-year, and gross profit of $1.25 billion, up 9% [5][6] - Non-GAAP operating income was $503 million, up 1%, and non-GAAP net income per share was $2.57, up 4% compared to 2024 [6][7] - Full-year 2025 results showed net sales of over $22 billion, up 7%, with gross profit nearly $5 billion, up 6%, and non-GAAP net income per share reaching $10.02, up 5% [7][8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strong double-digit growth was observed in software, cloud, and professional managed services, contributing to the highest gross margin of the year [6][10] - Corporate sales were relatively flat, down 1%, while small business sales grew by 18%, driven by cloud consumption and client device modernization [9][10] - The healthcare segment increased by 5%, and education saw a 13% increase, driven by strong relationships and lifecycle services capabilities [10][11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.K. and Canadian operations together delivered sales of $2.7 billion in 2025, with strong performance in small business and state and local markets [9] - The government segment increased by 4%, with strong growth in state and local offsetting declines in federal due to the government shutdown [10] - The company expects the U.S. IT addressable market to grow in the low single digits in 2026, with CDW targeting outperformance of 200-300 basis points [17][34] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company emphasizes a three-part strategy for growth, focusing on diverse customer end markets, a broad portfolio of solutions, and relentless execution [8][13] - Investments in high-growth areas, particularly AI, are seen as critical for future success, with a focus on delivering integrated solutions across the technology stack [13][14] - The company plans to maintain a disciplined capital allocation strategy, targeting a return of 50%-75% of adjusted free cash flow to shareholders [29][30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management highlighted the complexity of the operating environment, including government shutdowns and geopolitical risks, but expressed confidence in the company's ability to adapt and grow [7][17] - The outlook for 2026 includes expectations for low single-digit growth in gross profit and mid-single-digit growth in non-GAAP net income per diluted share [34][35] - Management noted that AI momentum is building across all markets, positioning the company to leverage its expertise in helping customers adopt AI solutions [56] Other Important Information - The company reported adjusted free cash flow of $1.1 billion for 2025, with nearly $1 billion returned to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [8][28] - The company is actively evaluating M&A opportunities to enhance its lifecycle capabilities and has made a recent acquisition to bolster its education segment [30] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of memory price changes on demand - Management indicated that while there is some pull forward in demand due to memory price increases, they expect to see continued strength in PCs despite potential deceleration in growth [38][39] Question: SG&A expenses and operating leverage - Management acknowledged that SG&A expenses are expected to remain high initially but emphasized that operating leverage will improve as growth picks up throughout 2026 [42][44] Question: Allocation of IT budgets in 2026 - Management expects client device growth to remain strong, with cloud, SaaS, and security continuing to be key areas of investment for customers [58][60] Question: Differences in performance between corporate and small business segments - Management noted that small businesses are more agile in adopting AI, while larger corporations are taking a cautious approach, focusing on cost optimization and extending asset life [72][73]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2025, the company reported net sales of $5.5 billion, an increase of 5% year-over-year, and gross profit of $1.25 billion, up 9% [5][6] - Full-year 2025 results showed net sales of over $22 billion, up 7%, with gross profit nearly $5 billion, up 6% [8][9] - Non-GAAP operating income for Q4 was $503 million, up 1%, and non-GAAP net income per share was $2.57, up 4% [6][21] - Full-year non-GAAP net income per diluted share reached $10.02, up 5% [8][27] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strong double-digit growth was observed in software, cloud, and professional managed services, contributing to the highest gross margin of the year [6][12] - Corporate sales were relatively flat, down 1%, while small business sales grew by 18% [10][11] - The healthcare segment increased by 5%, and education saw a 13% increase in top line [11][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.K. and Canadian operations delivered sales of $2.7 billion in 2025, with strong performance in small business and state and local markets [10] - The public sector showed growth in healthcare and government, with state and local growth offsetting declines in federal due to the government shutdown [11][12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to deliver sustainable, profitable growth by deepening customer value and deploying capital with discipline [19][32] - A focus on AI solutions is evident, with the company positioning itself to lead in the AI era through its full stack, full lifecycle offerings [15][16] - The company plans to maintain a target of returning 50%-75% of adjusted free cash flow to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [31][32] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the IT addressable market is expected to grow in the low single digits in 2026, with CDW targeting 200-300 basis points of outperformance [18][35] - The company anticipates gross profit growth in the low single digits for 2026, with a slight increase in gross margin compared to 2025 [36][37] - Management expressed optimism about AI adoption among customers and its potential to drive growth [56][57] Other Important Information - The company reported adjusted free cash flow of $1.09 billion for the full year, representing 82% of non-GAAP net income [30] - The company has made a tuck-in acquisition to enhance capabilities in the education sector [31][32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of memory price changes on demand - Management indicated that there is uncertainty regarding the impact of memory prices on demand, but they expect a similar pull forward in Q1 as seen in Q4 [40][41] Question: SG&A expenses and operating leverage - Management acknowledged that SG&A expenses are expected to show operating leverage in 2026, with a focus on optimizing costs [43][45] Question: IT budget allocation for 2026 - Management expects client device growth to remain strong, with cloud, SaaS, and security categories continuing to be important [59][60] Question: Corporate versus small business performance - Management noted differences in spending cycles, with small businesses being more agile in adopting AI compared to larger corporations [70][72]