Can Motorola Solutions Outrun Cisco Systems in the Next Rally?
Cisco Systems surged 16% during the past Month. You may be tempted to buy more, or may want to reduce your exposure. But there is an entirely different perspective you might be missing. Is there a better alternative? Turns out, its peer Motorola Solutions gives you more. Motorola Solutions (MSI) stock offers superior revenue growth across key periods, better profitability, and relatively lower valuation vs Cisco Systems (CSCO) stock, suggesting you may be better off investing in MSI
- MSI’s quarterly revenue growth was 12.3%, vs. CSCO’s 9.7%.
- In addition, its Last 3-Year Average revenue growth came in at 8.6%, ahead of CSCO’s 3.8%.
- MSI leads on profitability over both periods – LTM margin of 25.3% and 3-year average of 24.6%.
These differences become even clearer when you look at the financials side by side. The table highlights how CSCO’s fundamentals stack up against those of MSI on growth, margins, momentum, and valuation multiples.
Valuation & Performance Overview
| CSCO | MSI | Preferred | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valuation | |||
| P/EBIT Ratio | 25.9 | 25.0 | MSI |
| Revenue Growth | |||
| Last Quarter | 9.7% | 12.3% | MSI |
| Last 12 Months | 9.0% | 8.0% | CSCO |
| Last 3 Year Average | 3.8% | 8.6% | MSI |
| Operating Margins | |||
| Last 12 Months | 23.2% | 25.3% | MSI |
| Last 3 Year Average | 24.2% | 24.6% | MSI |
| Momentum | |||
| Last 3 Year Return | 107.2% | 57.2% | CSCO |
Note: For “Last 3 Year Return” metric, preferred stock is one with higher returns unless the returns are too high (>300%) which creates risk of sell off.
See more revenue details: CSCO Revenue Comparison | MSI Revenue Comparison
See more margin details: CSCO Operating Income Comparison | MSI Operating Income Comparison
See detailed fundamentals on Buy or Sell MSI Stock and Buy or Sell CSCO Stock. Below we compare market return and related metrics across years.
Historical Market Performance
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Total [1] | Avg | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||||
| CSCO Return | 46% | -22% | 9% | 21% | 33% | 15% | 130% | ||
| MSI Return | 62% | -4% | 23% | 49% | -16% | 17% | 180% | <=== | |
| S&P 500 Return | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 16% | 4% | 89% | ||
| Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||||
| CSCO Win Rate | 75% | 33% | 58% | 67% | 67% | 75% | 62% | ||
| MSI Win Rate | 83% | 50% | 50% | 75% | 50% | 75% | 64% | <=== | |
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 67% | 50% | 62% | ||
| Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||||
| CSCO Max Drawdown | -1% | -36% | -3% | -9% | -9% | -4% | -10% | ||
| MSI Max Drawdown | -2% | -27% | -2% | -1% | -21% | -2% | -9% | ||
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | -7% | -9% | <=== | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2021
[2] 2026 data is for the year up to 4/21/2026 (YTD)
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
No matter how good the numbers, stock investment is never a smooth ride. There is a risk you must factor in. Read MSI Dip Buyer Analyses to see how the stock has fallen and recovered in the past.
Still not sure about CSCO or MSI? Consider portfolio approach.
Portfolios Are The Smarter Way To Invest
Stocks can jump or crash, but long-term success comes from staying invested. The right portfolio helps you ride gains and cushion single stock drops.
Beating the market consistently is hard, but the Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio makes it look achievable. By selecting 30 high-conviction stocks, the HQ strategy has historically outpaced the S&P 500, S&P Mid-cap, and Russell 2000. See how this curated selection delivers superior risk-adjusted returns in our detailed performance factsheet.