{
  "id": 8778494,
  "title": "WHERE TO INVEST: Datatec is riding the global AI infrastructure wave from the JSE",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/where-to-invest-datatec-is-riding-the-global-ai-infrastructure-wave",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-20T22:08:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-09-20-datatec-is-riding-the-global-ai-infrastructure-wave-from-the-jse/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Datatec is riding the global AI infrastructure wave from the JSE, offering exposure to the AI hype on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange without requiring investment in faraway lands. The company operates across 50 countries with 11,000 employees, having built a global business that aligns well with investors. Founder Jens Montanana, who owns nearly 20% of the shares, has led the company over the past 40 years. Datatec's results from the year ended February 2026 are outdated, but investors are eagerly awaiting the release of a trading statement in late October, which could provide insight into the company's earnings growth. While the publicly available numbers are stale, a recent conference presentation from Datatec investors sheds light on the company's strategy to participate in the AI infrastructure wave. Datatec's business is split into Logicalis, a service-oriented division, and Westcon, a hardware and software distribution business. Both divisions benefit from the growing demand for AI technology and infrastructure, positioning Datatec as a preferred risk-reward trade-off for investors. Despite the share price increase of nearly 30% in the past year, the company's P/E multiple of 11.4x suggests skepticism among the market regarding the sustainability of growth or unwillingness to pay a premium for a technology company reliant on a distribution business.",
  "summary": "Can Datatec give you exposure to the AI hype on the JSE, or do you have to take your money to faraway lands?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}