Softcat buys US IT firm GDT for $1.1B to expand stateside
What's the deal? UK IT infrastructure provider Softcat has agreed to acquire US-based IT solutions provider General Datatech (GDT)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → for an enterprise value of $1.05 billion (£785 million). The deal, announced on September 17, 2026, gives Softcat a foothold in the US market across networking, data centre, AI infrastructure, and cybersecurity.
What's the endgame? Softcat wants to serve multinational customers as a single global partner. GDT brings an established upper mid-market and enterprise customer base, plus a service delivery team in Bengaluru, India — opening a new talent market and strengthening Softcat's 24/7 support.
How is it funded? Softcat will pay through a mix of cash, new debt facilities, and an equity issuance. It expects net debt leverage of 1.3x at closing, falling below 1.0x by July 2028.
What about the numbers? Alongside the deal, Softcat raised its FY2026 guidance, now expecting high-teens growth in underlying operating profit, up from mid-teens previously, with gross profit growth moderately above that. For FY2027, excluding GDT, it forecasts high single-digit operating profit growth. The acquisition is expected to deliver high single-digit to low double-digit underlying EPS accretion in its first full fiscal year.
Why now? The purchase fits Softcat's stated strategy of extending its US capabilities when the right opportunity appears. It expects the transaction to close by the end of Q1 CY2027.
The signal: Softcat is betting that scale and US reach are the price of staying relevant as customers face rising demand for AI infrastructure and complex, multinational IT needs.
Read more: investegate.co.uk
Image credit: cbowns
