Cybersecurity spending will receive a “next-generation boost” from AI, the CEO of Westcon-Comstor’s parent predicted as it was revealed the distributor is now generating more than half of its annual sales from cyber.
Westcon-Comstor saw gross invoiced income rise 3% to $5.24bn in the year to 28 February 2025.
Cisco arm Comstor generated around 30% of that total, with cybersecurity and networking specialist Westcon contributing 70%.
Parent company Datatec – which also houses integrator arm Logicalis – saw total gross invoice income inch up 1.5% to $7.74bn.
For the first time ever, Westcon-Comstor generated more than half (51%) of its sales from cybersecurity.
“Next-generation boost”
But on an earnings call, Datatec CEO Jens Montanana said he expected rising demand for AI to generate a further windfall for Westcon-Comstor’s customer base of largely mid-sized channel partners.
“AI adoption significantly increases the threat landscape as processing capability becomes exponentially more powerful,” he said.
“Many positive themes are combining that will collectively help propel Westcon to the next level. With AI now at the forefront of many enterprise strategies, IT infrastructure – and especially cybersecurity – is set to get a next-generation boost.”
Westcon-Comstor’s newly promoted EMEA boss Rene Klein last week highlighted cyber duo Z-scaler and CrowdStrike (or ‘Z-Strike’ as it refers to them) as its fastest-growing vendors.
“Sustained retooling of the IT landscape”
Westcon-Comstor registered an 11% fall in revenue to $1.97bn during the period as Datatec moved to adopt new accounting conventions that meant it now ‘nets down’ all Westcon-Comstor’s software sales (hence its decision to split out GII).
The distributor’s adjusted EBITDA pogoed from $120.2m to $149.9m.
Integrator arm Logicalis International’s gross invoiced income was roughly flat at $1.92bn. Its adjusted EBITDA widened from £66.5m to $90m.
On the call, Montanana claimed that AI infrastructure “is no longer the domain of the cloud hyperscalers”.
“Every day, businesses are rushing to AI enable themselves, but have neither the right infrastructure networks or elevated security to move to embrace AI solutions,” he said.
“Pretty much all the segments that we operate in are starting to see what could become a monumental and sustained retooling of the IT landscape.”
