Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) Trading 1.9% Higher – Here’s Why

Posted by Brenda Bartman on May 24th, 2026

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO – Get Free Report)’s stock price traded up 1.9% during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $120.79 and last traded at $120.41. 22,159,468 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 5% from the average session volume of 23,433,922 shares. The stock had previously closed at $118.20.

Cisco Systems News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Cisco Systems this week:

Positive Sentiment: Cisco is being viewed as an AI networking winner, with multiple reports citing surging hyperscaler orders and stronger campus upgrade activity that could support revenue growth and the company’s AI outlook. Cisco Gains From AI Networking Boom : More Upside Ahead?
Positive Sentiment: Another bullish article said Cisco has climbed sharply over the past month because investors are rewarding its exposure to AI networking demand, even though margin pressure remains a concern. Cisco Rises 33% in a Month: Here’s Why You Should Buy the Stock
Positive Sentiment: Coverage also emphasized Cisco’s strong recent financial results, pointing to solid top- and bottom-line growth that reinforces its role as a core tech holding for long-term investors. Impressive Financial Results Assert Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) as a Top Tech Stock in Ken Fisher’s Portfolio
Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street commentary remained broadly constructive, with articles noting bullish analyst views on Cisco, but these pieces did not add a new catalyst beyond reinforcing existing optimism. Should You Invest in Cisco (CSCO) Based on Bullish Wall Street Views?
Neutral Sentiment: Cisco was also mentioned as part of a broader AI optics alliance focused on standardizing optical connectivity for AI infrastructure, which supports the company’s strategic positioning but is not a direct company-specific development. 3M Joins AI Optics Alliance As Shares Screen Undervalued
Negative Sentiment: Recent insider selling by a Cisco executive could create some caution, even though it is not necessarily a sign of deteriorating fundamentals. Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) EVP Sells $772,603.66 in Stock
Negative Sentiment: Another report flagged additional insider selling, which may weigh on sentiment at the margin after the stock’s recent strong run. Insider Selling: Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) Insider Sells $840,780.32 in Stock

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. DZ Bank raised shares of Cisco Systems to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Citic Securities raised their target price on shares of Cisco Systems from $90.00 to $130.00 in a report on Friday, May 15th. Piper Sandler raised their target price on shares of Cisco Systems from $86.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Cisco Systems from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, March 14th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Cisco Systems from $95.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Cisco Systems currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $118.14.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on CSCO

Cisco Systems Trading Up 1.9%

The business’s 50 day moving average price is $89.34 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $81.52. The company has a current ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The company has a market capitalization of $474.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.09, a P/E/G ratio of 3.66 and a beta of 0.92.

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 13th. The network equipment provider reported $1.06 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.03 by $0.03. Cisco Systems had a net margin of 20.14% and a return on equity of 28.44%. The company had revenue of $15.84 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.56 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.96 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Cisco Systems has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 1.160-1.180 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 4.270-4.290 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Cisco Systems, Inc. will post 3.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cisco Systems Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 6th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 6th. Cisco Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 54.55%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Jeetendra I. Patel sold 7,169 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.28, for a total value of $840,780.32. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 246,737 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,937,315.36. This trade represents a 2.82% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Oliver Tuszik sold 2,761 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.61, for a total transaction of $316,438.21. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 180,877 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,730,312.97. The trade was a 1.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 32,103 shares of company stock worth $3,160,587 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.01% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cisco Systems

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in CSCO. Financial Insights Inc. boosted its position in Cisco Systems by 1.5% during the 1st quarter. Financial Insights Inc. now owns 6,220 shares of the network equipment provider’s stock worth $483,000 after buying an additional 92 shares during the period. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Cisco Systems by 2.3% during the 1st quarter. Signature Resources Capital Management LLC now owns 5,061 shares of the network equipment provider’s stock worth $393,000 after buying an additional 116 shares during the period. Smithfield Trust Co boosted its position in Cisco Systems by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 33,666 shares of the network equipment provider’s stock worth $2,596,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the period. Pacific Sage Partners LLC boosted its position in Cisco Systems by 0.7% during the 1st quarter. Pacific Sage Partners LLC now owns 16,185 shares of the network equipment provider’s stock worth $1,256,000 after buying an additional 118 shares during the period. Finally, Capstone Wealth Management Group LLC boosted its position in Cisco Systems by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Capstone Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 3,818 shares of the network equipment provider’s stock worth $294,000 after buying an additional 120 shares during the period. 73.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Cisco Systems

(Get Free Report)

Cisco Systems, Inc is a global technology company that designs, manufactures and sells networking hardware, software and telecommunications equipment. Its core business focuses on enabling enterprise and service-provider networks through products such as routers, switches, network security appliances and wireless systems. Over time Cisco has broadened its portfolio to emphasize software-defined networking, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and edge computing solutions that help organizations build and manage modern IT environments.

In addition to hardware, Cisco offers a growing range of software platforms and subscription services for network management, security, analytics and collaboration.