Vertiv Holdings Co. (NYSE: VRT) has gained 48.9% year-to-date, sharply outperforming the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector, which has risen 22.4% over the same period.
The Zacks Computers – IT Services industry actually declined 18.8% during the same timeframe, making Vertiv’s performance even more striking by comparison.
Vertiv has also outpaced key peers including Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI), Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO), and Amphenol (NYSE: APH), which gained 40.3%, 1.4%, and 24.7%, respectively.
The company’s strong run is tied to its extensive product portfolio spanning thermal systems, liquid cooling, uninterruptible power supplies, switchgear, busbars, and modular solutions for data centers.
Rising AI deployment is pushing data center infrastructure density higher and accelerating build cycles, creating sustained demand for precisely the kind of products Vertiv specializes in.
In the second quarter of 2026, net sales grew 24% year over year, with the Americas and APAC regions each posting 29% growth, while EMEA returned to positive net sales growth after a period of contraction.
Vertiv has also been expanding through acquisitions, recently completing purchases of ThermoKey and Strategic Thermal Labs to bolster its heat rejection and high-density thermal management capabilities, with acquisitions contributing 5% to revenues in the second quarter.
The company has further agreed to acquire King Environmental Services, a Europe-based provider of fluid management, commissioning, and load-testing services for high-density liquid-cooled data centers, with the deal expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.
On the profitability front, Vertiv reported an adjusted operating margin of 22.6% in the second quarter of 2026, a gain of 410 basis points year over year and well ahead of its prior guidance, driven by operational execution and favorable price-cost dynamics.
Margin improvement was broad-based, with the Americas up 360 basis points, APAC up 270 basis points, and EMEA recording a 380-basis-point improvement, demonstrating that gains are not concentrated in any single geography.
Management raised its full-year 2026 adjusted operating margin guidance to a range of 23.3% to 24.3%, and expects pricing to exceed inflation, including the impact of current tariffs and countermeasures.
For the third quarter of 2026, Vertiv is guiding for net sales of $3.65 billion to $3.85 billion, with adjusted earnings projected between $1.77 and $1.83 per share.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2026 revenues stands at $3.77 billion, implying year-over-year growth of 40.79%, while the consensus earnings estimate of $1.83 per share reflects a year-over-year increase of 47.58%.
Despite the strong operational momentum, Vertiv carries a Value Score of D, trading at a trailing 12-month Price/Book ratio of 19.53X compared to the broader sector’s 9.21X, suggesting the stock is priced at a significant premium.
Vertiv currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) alongside a Growth Score of A, a combination that signals a compelling investment case for those willing to pay up for quality AI infrastructure exposure.
