How Does Cisco Systems Stock Stack Up Against Its Peers?
As of November 13, 2025, Cisco‘s (CSCO) stock has largely outperformed its peers over the past year. However, how does it truly measure up against rivals rapidly scaling in the AI and data-center boom? A closer look reveals solid profitability and steady growth, paired with a moderate valuation. Yet, limited upside exists if hyperscale momentum continues to favor pure-plays like Arista and Vertiv, which are experiencing higher revenue growth driven by significant AI infrastructure investments.
- CSCO’s 22.1% operating margin, below ANET’s 42.9%, reflects its broad hardware base, but Splunk acquisition aims to enhance software margins.
- CSCO’s 5.3% revenue growth, moderate vs. ANET/VRT’s AI-driven surge, outpaces ERIC/NTAP, whose markets face telecom/storage challenges.
- CSCO’s 34.1% gain and 30.1 PE reflect investor optimism for AI-driven networking and the Splunk acquisition’s impact on recurring revenue.
Here’s how Cisco Systems stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| CSCO | ANET | VRT | ERIC | NTAP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 306.5 | 163.9 | 62.5 | 32.8 | 22.0 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 56.7 | 8.4 | 9.7 | 240.3 | 6.6 |
| PE Ratio | 30.1 | 48.8 | 60.4 | 1.3 | 18.8 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 5.3% | 27.8% | 28.8% | -2.6% | 3.3% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 22.1% | 42.9% | 18.0% | 15.4% | 21.8% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 23.5% | 47.9% | 14.1% | 12.7% | 25.2% |
| 12M Market Return | 34.1% | 31.9% | 31.6% | 27.8% | -6.6% |
For more details on Cisco Systems, read Buy or Sell CSCO Stock. Nevertheless, equities is not the only thing we do. Is a portfolio of 10% commodities, 10% gold, and 2% crypto in addition to equities and bonds – likely to return more and protect you better? We have crunched the numbers.
Revenue Growth Comparison
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| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSCO | 5.3% | 5.3% | -5.6% | 10.6% | |
| ANET | 27.8% | – | 19.5% | 33.8% | 48.6% |
| VRT | 28.8% | – | 16.7% | 20.6% | 13.9% |
| ERIC | -2.6% | – | -5.9% | -3.0% | 16.9% |
| NTAP | 3.3% | 4.9% | -1.5% | 0.7% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSCO | 22.1% | 22.1% | 24.1% | 27.3% | |
| ANET | 42.9% | – | 42.0% | 38.5% | 34.9% |
| VRT | 18.0% | – | 17.2% | 13.4% | 4.0% |
| ERIC | 15.4% | – | 2.5% | 4.6% | 9.9% |
| NTAP | 21.8% | 21.7% | 20.2% | 18.2% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSCO | 30.1 | 23.1 | 19.8 | 15.5 | |
| ANET | 48.8 | – | 48.7 | 34.9 | 27.5 |
| VRT | 60.4 | – | 86.3 | 39.7 | 67.2 |
| ERIC | 1.3 | – | 1342.8 | -0.8 | 1.0 |
| NTAP | 18.8 | 20.0 | 18.6 | 10.2 |
While peer comparison is critical, the Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a track record of comfortably outperforming its benchmark that includes all 3 — the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 indices. Why is that? As a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride, as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.