Capgemini expects AI demand to fuel growth in year ahead

Capgemini said it expects artificial intelligence-related demand to fuel growth in 2026, after AI services lifted orders in last year’s final quarter.

Capgemini said it expects artificial intelligence-related demand to fuel growth in 2026, after AI services lifted orders in last year’s final quarter.

Capgemini said it expects artificial intelligence-related demand to fuel growth in 2026, after AI services lifted orders in last year’s final quarter. (REUTERS)

The French consulting and information-technology company said Friday that it expects revenue growth of 6.5% to 8.5% this year when excluding currency movements, with an operating margin of 13.6% to 13.8%.

For the fourth quarter, Capgemini said revenue rose 11% at constant currency, driven by a 20% jump in North America and a return to growth in its European operations outside France, the U.K. and Ireland.

Quarterly bookings came to 7.20 billion euros ($8.55 billion), up 9.1% on year, and Capgemini said generative AI represented more than 10% of the group’s total.

Capgemini was one of the stocks swept up in a global selloff triggered by concerns about the threat posed by AI to a range of sectors including IT, software and data. Its shares are down nearly 30% since the start of the year.

Nevertheless, Capgemini Chief Executive Aiman Ezzat said the company is signing some large deals for AI-led transformation programs and intelligent operations that are expected to drive growth this year.

For 2025 as a whole, the company made a net profit of 1.60 billion euros, down 4.2% on year, on revenue that rose 1.7% to 22.465 billion euros.

Analysts polled by FactSet had forecast net profit at 1.56 billion euros and revenue at 22.30 billion euros.

Write to Adrià Calatayud at adria.calatayud@wsj.com