Cisco Systems stock holds gains after record fiscal 2026 results

Cisco Systems (US17275R1023) stock is trading in the low $110s as of August 18, 2026, after the networking company delivered record fiscal 2026 results with double-digit revenue and earnings growth for the year. Recent market data as of August 18, 2026 indicate a Nasdaq closing price of $111.61 in USD, modestly below the prior session's $112.90 close and within a broader uptrend over the past year.

Record fiscal 2026 revenue and earnings

Recent earnings coverage shows that Cisco reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $17.25 billion for the period ended July 25, 2026, up 18 percent from $14.67 billion in the same quarter a year earlier. Non-GAAP earnings per share for that quarter came in at $1.22, compared with $0.99 a year earlier, representing 23 percent year-over-year growth and a modest beat versus consensus estimates near $1.17 per share.

The company’s full fiscal 2026 performance underscores the same trend. For the fiscal year 2026, Cisco generated revenue of $63.33 billion, an increase of 11.8 percent versus fiscal 2025 revenue of $56.65 billion. Net income for the year reached $13.27 billion, up 26.9 percent from the prior fiscal year, reflecting both higher sales and margin expansion compared with fiscal 2025.

Operationally, the Networking segment was a key driver in the latest quarter. That segment delivered $9.79 billion in fourth-quarter revenue, which represents 28 percent year-over-year growth and accounts for more than half of Cisco’s total quarterly revenue. According to recent analysis of the results, non-GAAP operating margin for the quarter reached 35.9 percent, while GAAP operating margin came in at 24.7 percent, highlighting the profitability profile of the business at current scale.

AI order book and guidance support the growth story

An important element for investors in the latest report is Cisco’s growing exposure to AI-related infrastructure demand. Recent commentary on the earnings release indicates that Cisco booked $4 billion in AI infrastructure orders from large cloud and hyperscale customers in the fourth quarter alone. For the full fiscal year 2026, these AI-related infrastructure orders reached $9.3 billion, providing visibility into future revenue as those orders convert into shipments and deployments over the coming quarters.

Beyond the order book, the company has communicated new guidance ranges for the coming periods. Current guidance points to fiscal 2027 non-GAAP earnings per share in a range of $5.05 to $5.11, suggesting further earnings growth versus the fiscal 2026 non-GAAP EPS figures reported in recent coverage. For the first quarter of fiscal 2027, Cisco has guided to EPS between $1.32 and $1.34, which, if achieved, would exceed the fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 EPS of $1.22 and illustrate continued operational leverage.

Analyst consensus data compiled in recent days highlight a generally constructive view. One summary of average price targets shows an average target price of $136.05 per share, while another source cites a current consensus price target of $129.43 per share. Both figures sit above the August 18, 2026 closing price of $111.61, suggesting that the stock currently trades at a discount to the aggregated analyst target range, even after a significant move over the past year.

Insider selling and recent price action

Recent trading has included some insider selling activity among Cisco executives. One regulatory disclosure summarized in market commentary notes that the chief executive officer and several other executives sold a combined total of 38,045 shares, with transaction value reported around $4.25 million. The day those sales were reported, Cisco shares traded between an intraday low of $110.36 and a last trade price of $111.61, down from a prior close of $112.90, representing a session decline of about 1.1 percent.

Despite that short-term pullback, longer-term performance remains strong. A recent overview of returns states that Cisco shares gained 69.11 percent over the past 52 weeks as of mid-August 2026, while the one-month return stood at 0.64 percent. Another report notes that the stock has climbed 46.6 percent since late 2025, placing the current consolidation in the low $110s in the context of a multi-month advance. At a closing price of $112.90 on August 17, 2026, the company’s market capitalization was reported at $444.99 billion, underlining its role as one of the larger technology names in global equity indices.

Shorter-term volatility has been notable around earnings. One market recap points out that Cisco closed at $123.88 on August 12, 2026 after reporting fiscal fourth-quarter results, then declined by 8.4 percent to close at $113.47 in the following session, a move of $10.41 on trading volume of 61.1 million shares. That session’s volume was reported as 137 percent above the company’s three-month average of 25.7 million shares, highlighting the extent of post-earnings repositioning among investors.

Valuation, consensus, and S&P 500 context

From a valuation perspective, recent quote data show Cisco trading at a normalized price-to-earnings ratio of 25.84 as of August 18, 2026, based on current prices and normalized earnings measures. With non-GAAP EPS for fiscal 2026 reported at $4.33 and a closing price in the $111 to $113 range during mid-August 2026, the non-GAAP price-to-earnings multiple lies in the mid-20s, consistent with other large-cap technology companies that are benefiting from AI and cloud infrastructure trends.

Consensus assessments also remain broadly positive. One overview of analyst views reports that the stock holds an average rating characterized as moderate buy, alongside the previously mentioned consensus price target of $129.43 per share. Another dataset, focused on European trading venues, lists an average target price of $136.05 per share, indicating that some analysts see further upside beyond the current US-dollar trading level on Nasdaq.

Recent sector performance provides additional context. A review of S&P 500 movers published on August 19, 2026 lists Cisco among the session’s decliners with a one-day move of negative 7.9 percent and a 48.7 percent gain over a broader comparison period. That combination of shorter-term volatility and longer-term strength is consistent with the stock’s behavior around its fiscal 2026 earnings release, where strong reported numbers and AI-related orders coexisted with profit-taking and shifts in investor positioning.

Product spotlight - networking and AI infrastructure

Cisco’s core business remains centered on networking hardware, software, and related services, with the latest results underscoring the importance of high-performance switching and routing platforms for modern data centers and enterprise networks. The reported $9.79 billion in networking segment revenue in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, representing 28 percent year-over-year growth, indicates strong customer demand for updated infrastructure capable of handling AI workloads, cloud connectivity, and secure enterprise traffic.

The AI infrastructure order book of $9.3 billion for fiscal 2026 reflects orders from hyperscale cloud providers and large enterprises that are building or expanding clusters to support advanced machine learning and generative AI applications. These deployments typically rely on high-bandwidth networking fabrics, low-latency switching, and robust security, all of which align with Cisco’s portfolio across hardware, software-defined networking, and observability platforms. As those orders convert to revenue, investors will watch whether the AI-driven demand maintains its current pace and how it interacts with traditional enterprise refresh cycles for campus and branch networks.

Cisco stock and recent Nasdaq trading

On the market side, recent quote information shows Cisco stock closing at $111.61 on Nasdaq as of August 18, 2026, representing a decline of 1.29 points or 1.14 percent versus the previous close of $112.90. Extended trading data for the same date show after-hours quotations of $111.39, a further decline of 0.22 points or 0.20 percent, indicating modest selling interest outside regular trading hours.

In addition to US trading, some European quote platforms list a last close price of $111.61 in USD for Cisco as of August 18, 2026, with an average target price of $136.05 per share highlighted alongside. At present, the stock continues to trade on Nasdaq in US dollars, and its inclusion in major indices such as the S&P 500 means that its performance contributes to broader index-level moves, especially on days when technology shares experience significant shifts driven by earnings or macroeconomic news.

Closing view on Cisco Systems stock

As of the close on August 18, 2026, Cisco Systems stock finished the regular Nasdaq session at $111.61 in USD, with after-hours quotes modestly lower at $111.39. With fiscal 2026 revenue of $63.33 billion, full-year net income of $13.27 billion, and a robust AI-focused order book, the company enters fiscal 2027 with both strong recent financial performance and a sizeable pipeline of demand that investors will continue to evaluate against the stock’s current valuation.

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Further information on Cisco’s investor communications and filings can be found via the company’s investor relations portal.

Fact box

Company: Cisco Systems, Inc.
ISIN: US17275R1023
Ticker: CSCO
Exchange: Nasdaq
Sector / Industry: Technology / Communications equipment