Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) Upgraded at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Cisco Systems from “hold” to “buy,” adding to an already favorable analyst backdrop. Overall, analysts now rate the stock a Moderate Buy with a consensus price target of $123.14.
• Cisco’s latest quarterly results topped expectations, with EPS of $1.06 versus $1.03 expected and revenue of $15.84 billion beating estimates. Revenue rose 12% year over year, and the company issued guidance for both Q4 2026 and FY 2026.
• Despite the positive outlook, insiders have been selling shares, including recent transactions by Jeetendra I. Patel and Oliver Tuszik. Institutional ownership remains high at 73.33%, and recent headlines suggest Cisco is being viewed as a potential AI infrastructure play.

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO - Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued on Monday.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Barclays boosted their target price on Cisco Systems from $76.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Cisco Systems from $95.00 to $96.00 in a report on Monday, May 11th. Bank of America lifted their price objective on Cisco Systems from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, June 8th. Citigroup boosted their price objective on Cisco Systems from $90.00 to $112.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Finally, CICC Research upped their target price on shares of Cisco Systems from $96.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, May 18th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $123.14.

Cisco Systems Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ CSCO opened at $111.94 on Monday. Cisco Systems has a 1-year low of $65.75 and a 1-year high of $130.37. The company has a 50-day moving average of $117.40 and a two-hundred day moving average of $93.44. The company has a market cap of $441.20 billion, a PE ratio of 36.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.85 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a current ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40.

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 13th. The network equipment provider reported $1.06 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.03. Cisco Systems had a net margin of 20.14% and a return on equity of 28.44%. The business had revenue of $15.84 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $15.56 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.96 earnings per share. Cisco Systems's 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. As a group, equities analysts expect that Cisco Systems will post 3.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Cisco Systems

In other Cisco Systems news, insider Jeetendra I. Patel sold 7,169 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.28, for a total transaction of $840,780.32. Following the transaction, the insider owned 246,737 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,937,315.36. This trade represents a 2.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Oliver Tuszik sold 2,607 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.12, for a total value of $315,759.84. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 172,727 shares of the company's stock, valued at $20,920,694.24. The trade was a 1.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 47,650 shares of company stock valued at $5,668,823 over the last quarter. 0.01% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Cisco Systems

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Cozad Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in Cisco Systems by 0.3% in the first quarter. Cozad Asset Management Inc. now owns 26,203 shares of the network equipment provider's stock valued at $2,033,000 after acquiring an additional 87 shares during the last quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Cisco Systems by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,413 shares of the network equipment provider's stock worth $283,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. Financial Insights Inc. increased its stake in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. CPA Asset Management Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Cisco Systems by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter. CPA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 5,335 shares of the network equipment provider's stock worth $627,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the period. Finally, Southern Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in Cisco Systems by 1.1% in the first quarter. Southern Financial Group LLC now owns 9,159 shares of the network equipment provider's stock valued at $711,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the last quarter. 73.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Cisco Systems

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

• Positive Sentiment: Cisco is being highlighted as a key AI infrastructure play, with commentary arguing the company could benefit from rising demand for networking gear tied to AI buildouts. Price Prediction: Cisco Will Hit $170 on This Date
• Positive Sentiment: Investor sentiment is also supported by a favorable long-term track record under CEO Chuck Robbins, with a recent article pointing to strong returns since he took over in 2015. A $10,000 Investment in Cisco When Chuck Robbins Became CEO Is Worth This Much Today
• Neutral Sentiment: One analysis says Cisco stock looks fairly valued around current levels, suggesting upside may depend on future execution rather than an obvious valuation discount. Cisco (CSCO) Stock Looks About Right As Security Deal Talk Grows
• Neutral Sentiment: Cisco was also mentioned in a dividend-focused roundup of legacy tech names, reinforcing its appeal as a cash-generating, shareholder-friendly stock. 4 Tech Stocks Throwing Off Dividends
• Negative Sentiment: Technical traders are watching a weakening chart, with Cisco reportedly below its 50-day moving average and near key support, which could cap gains if buyers fail to step in. Cisco Systems (CSCO) Price Forecast: Correction Deepens as Key Support Nears

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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