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

Posted by Grant Hamersma on Jul 21st, 2026

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO – Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report released on Monday.

A number of other analysts also recently commented on CSCO. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Cisco Systems from $95.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Bank of America upped their price target on Cisco Systems from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, June 8th. Evercore increased their price target on Cisco Systems from $110.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on Cisco Systems from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Finally, KeyCorp upped their target price on Cisco Systems from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, June 25th. Three 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $123.14.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems Trading Down 1.1%

Shares of CSCO opened at $110.70 on Monday. Cisco Systems has a 52-week low of $65.75 and a 52-week high of $130.37. The stock has a market cap of $436.32 billion, a PE ratio of 35.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.85 and a beta of 1.02. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $117.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $93.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40.

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 13th. The network equipment provider reported $1.06 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.03 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $15.84 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.56 billion. Cisco Systems had a net margin of 20.14% and a return on equity of 28.44%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.96 earnings per share. 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. Research analysts forecast that Cisco Systems will post 3.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cisco Systems Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 22nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 6th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 6th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.5%. Cisco Systems’s dividend payout ratio is 54.55%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Cisco Systems

In other news, EVP Deborah L. Stahlkopf sold 6,586 shares of Cisco Systems stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.31, for a total transaction of $772,603.66. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 177,223 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,790,030.13. The trade was a 3.58% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Charles Robbins sold 21,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.03, for a total value of $2,568,642.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 637,085 shares in the company, valued at $76,469,312.55. This represents a 3.25% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 47,650 shares of company stock worth $5,668,823. Insiders own 0.01% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cisco Systems

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Cozad Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in Cisco Systems by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Cozad Asset Management Inc. now owns 26,203 shares of the network equipment provider’s stock valued at $2,033,000 after buying an additional 87 shares during the last quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Cisco Systems by 3.9% during the second quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,413 shares of the network equipment provider’s stock worth $283,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. Financial Insights Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Cisco Systems by 1.5% in the first quarter. Financial Insights Inc. now owns 6,220 shares of the network equipment provider’s stock worth $483,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. CPA Asset Management Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Cisco Systems by 1.8% in the second quarter. CPA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 5,335 shares of the network equipment provider’s stock worth $627,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Southern Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings 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 hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Cisco Systems

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

Positive Sentiment: Wall Street Zen upgraded Cisco Systems to “Buy,” adding to a generally favorable analyst backdrop for the stock. Wall Street Zen Upgrades Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) to “Buy”
Positive Sentiment: Cisco continues to be viewed as an AI infrastructure play, with reports noting that the company has raised its AI order target and is working on quantum networking and AI-powered Webex Contact Center tools, which could support longer-term growth. Cisco (CSCO) Tests Quantum Networking While Webex Adds AI Contact Center Partner
Positive Sentiment: Commentary around Cisco’s stock remaining below its 52-week high despite strong year-to-date gains has fueled additional bullish price-prediction headlines, reinforcing optimism about the company’s AI-related upside. Price Prediction: Cisco Stock Will Double on This Date
Neutral Sentiment: Cisco has been labeled a “trending stock” in recent Zacks coverage, reflecting heightened investor attention rather than a clear new catalyst. Here is What to Know Beyond Why Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) is a Trending Stock
Neutral Sentiment: Analyst-focused articles reiterate that consensus brokerage ratings remain constructive, but they do not point to a major new business catalyst. Wall Street Analysts Think Cisco (CSCO) Is a Good Investment: Is It?
Negative Sentiment: Cisco fell alongside a broader market dip, and one article specifically highlighted that CSCO’s decline was slightly worse than the market’s move, contributing to near-term weakness. Cisco Systems (CSCO) Sees a More Significant Dip Than Broader Market: Some Facts to Know
Negative Sentiment: Reports that Cisco may be considering a $150 million to $200 million acquisition of Zafran Security created some uncertainty, especially after the startup denied active sale talks, which may have weighed on sentiment. Cisco Systems (CSCO) Stock Dips Amid Zafran Security Acquisition Reports

Cisco Systems Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.