Cisco Systems

CIS.DE

Communication Equipment · Technology

Exchange

Frankfurt Stock Exchange

Winston Score

Winston is serious

Below-average fundamentals — multiple weak pillars.

Data as of Aug 23, 2026 · filings through Jul 25, 2026

How the score breaks down

Quality

Good

Growth

Mixed

Cash Flow

Data not available

Stability

Mixed

Valuation

Mixed

Dividends

Weak

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Winston Score History

The full picture

Cisco Systems makes the hardware and software that keeps the internet running. Its main products include routers, switches, and security tools that move data between computers and across networks. Cisco sells mostly to large businesses, governments, and internet providers, making it one of the largest networking equipment companies in the world.

Cisco earns money by selling hardware, software licenses, and subscriptions for services like cybersecurity and cloud networking. It operates globally, with the United States as its largest market, and generates over $50 billion in annual revenue. Its moat comes from deep customer relationships and the high cost of ripping out and replacing its equipment once installed. The company has been shifting toward software and recurring subscriptions to make its revenue more predictable, but it faces strong competition from rivals like Juniper Networks and Huawei, and slowing enterprise spending could weigh on growth.

Growth Profile

For growth stock investors

When traditional metrics don't capture the full picture, these are the signals growth stock investors use instead.

Revenue Growth

+17.6% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Steady revenue growth

EPS Growth

+53.1% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

EPS growth accelerating

Insider Activity

0.2%ownership

→ Flat

Insider ownership roughly steady over the past year

Cash Position

Cash flow positive

€20.9B cash & investments

Quarterly Free Cash Flow

→ Burn rate stable

Company generates more cash than it spends — no dilution risk from fundraising

Growth + cash flow

Cisco Systems is a rare growth stock that's already generating positive cash flow while growing at 18%. The Winston Score doesn't fully credit this transition from "burner" to "earner."

The Winston Score above measures business quality today. Growth stocks often score lower because they invest in the future rather than maximising current profits. These metrics show what matters most for evaluating that future.

Score breakdown

Every number that matters to educated investors.

Each metric is explained in plain language so you know exactly what you're looking at. Start your free trial now.

Quality

Profit per sale

Gross Margin

64.1%

Premium pricing power — 64.1% gross margin

Profit after running costs

Operating Margin

24.7%

Excellent — 24.7% operating margin

Return on the money invested

ROCE

5.3%

Weak — 5.3% return on capital

ROIC between 5% and 15%. They earn 5 to 15 cents back per year on every dollar invested.

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Growth

Sales growth

Sales YoY

N/A

Data not available

Profit growth

EPS YoY

N/A

Data not available

How steady the profit is

EPS Consistency

6/8 quarters

Earnings grew in most of the last 8 quarters

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Cash Flow

Profit that turns into cash

Cash Conversion

N/A

Data not available

Spare cash per sale

FCF Margin

N/A

Data not available

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Stability

What it owes vs what it owns

Debt / Equity

0.59

Conservative — low debt load (0.59)

Covers its interest

Interest Cover

N/A

Data not available

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Valuation

Price vs profit

P/E Ratio (TTM)

23.9x

no trend

Growth-priced — P/E 23.9

P/E above the market average. People are paying up for expected growth.

Cheaper or dearer next year

P/E vs Forward

+0.3

GROWING

Earnings roughly flat

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Dividends

Dividend

Dividend Yield

1.45%

no trend

Small dividend — 1.45% yield

Modest yield. The bulk of any return needs to come from price appreciation.

Dividend record

Dividend Growth

-0.6%

no trend

Dividend cut (-0.6% YoY) — warning sign

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