Shares of Wesco International (NYSE:WCC) climbed 6.46% in premarket trading on Thursday after the company reported first-quarter results that came in ahead of analyst expectations, supported by record sales and an improved full-year outlook.
The company posted adjusted earnings per share of $3.37, exceeding the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.53.
Revenue reached a record $6.1 billion, rising 14% year-over-year and beating the $5.86 billion forecast. Organic sales increased 12.3% compared to the prior year, marking the third straight quarter of double-digit growth. Data center-related revenue surged roughly 70% year-over-year to $1.4 billion, accounting for 24% of total company sales.
Operating margin expanded to 4.8%, up 30 basis points from a year earlier, while adjusted EBITDA margin improved by 60 basis points to 6.4%.
Operating cash flow totaled $221 million, an increase of $193 million from the same period last year, while free cash flow came in at $213 million, equivalent to 128% of adjusted net income. The company also reported a record backlog, up 22% year-over-year.
“We delivered an exceptional start to 2026, building on last year’s market outperformance and accelerating business momentum,” said John Engel, Chairman, President, and CEO. “The power of our customer value proposition, global capabilities, and leading portfolio of products, services and solutions is clear as we continue to outperform the market.”
Wesco raised its full-year 2026 guidance, citing strong first-quarter results and sustained positive momentum across its operations.