Core Viewpoint - Cisco (CSCO.US) is expected to report strong growth in its Q4 earnings, driven by AI and security initiatives, with projected EPS of $0.97 and revenue of $14.6 billion, reflecting year-over-year increases of 11.5% and 7.1% respectively [1] Group 1: Financial Performance Expectations - Analysts have raised the EPS forecast by 0.2% over the past 30 days, indicating confidence in Cisco's recovery after a decline in revenue during FY2024 [1] - Cisco's stock has risen 23% year-to-date, outperforming peers like Dell Technologies (21% increase) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (1.02% decrease) [1] - For FY2025, Cisco anticipates revenue between $14.5 billion and $14.7 billion for Q4, with non-GAAP EPS expected between $0.96 and $0.98 [1] Group 2: Business Segment Performance - In Q3, Cisco's networking business revenue grew 8% to $7.07 billion, slightly exceeding expectations, while security product revenue surged 54% to $2 billion, bolstered by the $27 billion acquisition of Splunk [2] - The demand for networking products is expected to improve, driven by needs in switches, enterprise routing, large-scale infrastructure, and industrial networking applications [2] - Analysts project that "product-network business revenue" will reach $7.19 billion, a 5.6% increase, while "product-security business revenue" is expected to grow 23.2% to $2.2 billion [3] Group 3: Strategic Initiatives - Cisco's integration of AI into its security platform and the development of intelligent agent capabilities across its product line are key drivers of growth [2] - The launch of the Duo Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution aims to help enterprises combat identity theft, reinforcing Cisco's zero-trust security approach [2] - Cisco's enhanced security solutions, including hybrid mesh firewalls and universal zero-trust network access solutions, are designed to simplify policy management and improve visibility for businesses [2]