Wesco International ended 2025 with record sales, a swelling backlog and faster growth in two of its three business units.
But behind those gains, the distributor is betting that a sweeping technology rebuild — centered on a global data platform and new AI tools — will determine how efficiently it turns that demand into orders, pricing, fulfillment and cash in 2026.
Wesco International reported $23.5 billion in sales for the year, up 8% from 2024. As part of that, Wesco Q4 sales rose 10%. Backlog at year end was 19% higher than a year earlier.
At the same time, cash from operations fell sharply as large projects, higher receivables and more inventory tied up money across the business.
CEO John Engel said the answer is not more price increases or cost cuts, but better use of data across Wesco’s network of more than 700 locations worldwide.
“We made excellent progress on our enterprise-wide digitalization efforts in 2025,” Engel said. “The centerpiece of our new tech stack is a world-class data lake where we’re working to apply AI to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our business.”
How Wesco International’s digital transformation impacted sales in Q4
Wesco said it spent more than $35 million in 2025 on its digital transformation, including pilot deployments of the new system in each of its three business units:
- Communications and Security Solutions
- Electrical and Electronic Solutions
- Utility and Broadband Solutions
The goal is to replace a patchwork of legacy systems with a single technology backbone that connects pricing, inventory, customer data and order processing across the company.
Executives said the company designed the unified system to:
- Give sales teams consistent pricing and contract visibility.
- Improve inventory accuracy across branches and distribution centers.
- Make it easier to sell across business units.
- Speed the link between ecommerce orders and local fulfillment.
Engel said the company expects those tools to improve margins, reduce operating costs and help the company move inventory and receivables faster.
Much of Wesco’s recent growth is tied to large, complex projects serving AI-driven data centers, power generation and utility infrastructure.
Sales in the Communications and Security unit grew 16% in the fourth quarter. Electrical and Electronic Solutions grew 9%. The Utility and Broadband business continued to face pressure with public-power customers, though orders from investor-owned utilities improved late in the year. Utility backlog rose more than 20%.
Those markets often involve large orders, extended payment terms, and heavy inventory commitments — conditions that can strain cash even as sales rise.
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Wesco cited higher receivables and inventory as the primary reasons operating cash fell in 2025 compared with the prior year.
The company said it intends for its new data platform to give leaders and frontline teams a single view of orders, pricing and inventory across all locations. Wesco also noted it ranked No. 10 in Fortune’s first AI ranking of Fortune 500 companies. Engel cited that as recognition of the company’s technology direction.
“Once our digital transformation is completed, we will accelerate our earnings growth through even greater cross-sell, improved pricing and operating cost leverage, and better working capital turns,” Engel said.
Wesco said it expects steady sales growth, improved margins and stronger cash performance in 2026 as the new systems move from pilot to broader use. The company also plans to raise its annual dividend by 10%.
For Wesco, the message from 2025 is clear. Demand from data centers, electrification and utilities is lifting sales. The challenge now is using technology, data, and ecommerce tools to turn that growth into faster orders, tighter pricing and more efficient fulfillment across its global network.
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