Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) Reaches New 1-Year High After Analyst Upgrade

Key Points

• Cisco Systems shares hit a new 52-week high after JPMorgan raised its price target from $95 to $96, with the stock trading as high as $98.83 during the session.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed but generally constructive: Cisco has a Moderate Buy consensus rating, and several firms recently lifted price targets or upgraded the stock ahead of earnings.
• The company is set to report quarterly results soon, and investors are watching for signs of AI networking demand, margin trends, and guidance, while insider selling and competitive pressure remain potential headwinds.

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday after JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on the stock from $95.00 to $96.00. The company traded as high as $98.83 and last traded at $98.72, with a volume of 31825664 shares. The stock had previously closed at $96.57.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Cisco Systems from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, March 14th. HSBC boosted their price target on shares of Cisco Systems from $74.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Cisco Systems from $85.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. DZ Bank upgraded shares of Cisco Systems to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Cisco Systems from $90.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $90.29.

Insider Transactions at Cisco Systems

In other Cisco Systems news, SVP Maria Victoria Wong sold 2,179 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.74, for a total value of $169,395.46. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 28,807 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,239,456.18. The trade was a 7.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Charles Robbins sold 19,545 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.00, for a total value of $1,485,420.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 671,095 shares in the company, valued at approximately $51,003,220. This trade represents a 2.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 46,431 shares of company stock valued at $3,574,820. 0.01% of the stock is owned by insiders.

More Cisco Systems News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts are highlighting Cisco’s exposure to strong AI networking demand heading into results, which could support revenue growth and sentiment if management confirms healthy order trends. Buy Cisco Stock Ahead of Q3 Earnings? Here's What to Know
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple industry pieces point to a favorable networking sector backdrop, with Cisco cited as a beneficiary of tailwinds despite macro headwinds and margin pressure. 3 Stocks to Consider From a Flourishing Networking Industry
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target on Cisco to $96, signaling continued confidence in the stock’s long-term fundamentals, even though that target remains below the recent trading level. MarketScreener
• Neutral Sentiment: Cisco is set to report quarterly earnings on Wednesday, making the stock sensitive to any surprise in guidance, margins, or AI-related order commentary. Cisco Systems (CSCO) Expected to Announce Quarterly Earnings on Wednesday
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market news is mixed, with investors waiting on inflation data and geopolitics, which could influence near-term trading in Cisco along with the rest of the market. Week Ahead: Inflation test, an AI IPO and US-China talks put Wall Street on edge
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure from Arista Networks, Dell, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise remains a key concern ahead of earnings and could cap upside if Cisco’s growth outlook disappoints. Buy Cisco Stock Ahead of Q3 Earnings? Here's What to Know

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cisco Systems

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Intesa Sanpaolo Wealth Management acquired a new position in Cisco Systems during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. MidAtlantic Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Cisco Systems during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Networth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Cisco Systems by 276.4% during the 1st quarter. Networth Advisors LLC now owns 335 shares of the network equipment provider's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 246 shares during the period. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC raised its stake in Cisco Systems by 137.0% during the 1st quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 346 shares of the network equipment provider's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the period. Finally, Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in Cisco Systems in the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. 73.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Cisco Systems Trading Up 2.2%

The firm's 50-day moving average is $83.08 and its 200-day moving average is $78.94. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. The firm has a market cap of $389.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.64, a P/E/G ratio of 3.62 and a beta of 0.92.

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The network equipment provider reported $1.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.02 by $0.02. Cisco Systems had a net margin of 19.22% and a return on equity of 27.88%. The business had revenue of $15.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.11 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.94 EPS. Cisco Systems's revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Cisco Systems, Inc. will post 3.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Cisco Systems Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 22nd. Investors of record on Thursday, April 2nd were given a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, April 2nd. This is a positive change from Cisco Systems's previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.7%. Cisco Systems's payout ratio is presently 58.95%.

About Cisco Systems

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.

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