Cisco Stock Rises 8% in 3 Months: Will the Rally Continue in 2026?

Core Insights - Cisco Systems (CSCO) shares have returned 7.7% over the past three months, outperforming the broader Zacks Computer & Technology sector and peers like Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Arista Networks (ANET) due to a strong focus on AI and security [1][6] Stock Performance - CSCO stock has outperformed the tech sector, driven by solid trends in AI and security [6] Valuation - Cisco's aggressive AI initiatives and strong networking growth justify its premium valuation, with a forward 12-month price/sales ratio of 4.77X, higher than the industry average of 4.63X and HPE's 0.72X, but lower than ANET's 14.57X [4] Revenue and Earnings Guidance - For fiscal year 2026, Cisco expects revenues between $60.2 billion and $61 billion, up from $56.7 billion in fiscal 2025, with non-GAAP earnings projected between $4.08 and $4.14 per share [15] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 revenues is $60.59 billion, indicating a 7% growth from fiscal 2025, while earnings are estimated at $4.10 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 7.6% [16] AI Infrastructure and Networking Growth - In Q1 of fiscal 2026, AI infrastructure orders from hyperscalers reached $1.3 billion, with expectations of $3 billion in AI infrastructure revenues for the full fiscal year [8] - The networking product orders have seen high teens growth, marking five consecutive quarters of double-digit growth, driven by demand in hyperscale infrastructure and enterprise solutions [9] Strategic Partnerships - Cisco's partnership with NVIDIA enhances its AI capabilities, integrating Cisco Nexus switches with NVIDIA's Spectrum-X architecture to provide low-latency networking for AI clusters [12] Future Outlook - Cisco anticipates strong growth in its networking revenues, supported by robust demand for AI infrastructure and next-gen campus networking solutions [10][11] - The company expects to benefit from a multi-year refresh opportunity in campus networking as older switch support phases out [10]