Accessibility StatementSkip Navigation News Summary SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --Â Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) today announced enhancements to the Webex Customer Experience portfolio, including a new AI-powered tool for supervisors launching in early 2026 to unify quality management across the contact center. Cisco also unveiled AI customer momentum, deep industry integrations for seamless and secure experiences, and planned Webex ecosystem expansions in India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As ...

Company Focus - Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET) is concentrating on providing end-to-end networking solutions and enhancing its secure access service edge (SASE) networking gear to cater to a broader customer base, particularly supporting remote workers and branch offices [1] - The acquisition of VeloCloud SD-WAN portfolio from Broadcom Inc. has allowed Arista to offer complementary products and services, leveraging a proven SD-WAN architecture and a dedicated customer base of over 20,000 [1][6] Product Offerings - VeloCloud's offerings, such as VeloRAIN and VeloBrain, utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance security and performance for distributed AI workloads, aiding network engineers in managing their environments more effectively [2] - VeloCloud enables converged cloud networking from the edge to the data center and cloud, featuring end-to-end automation, application continuity, and branch transformation, which facilitates enterprises in modernizing their data centers [2] Technological Integration - VeloCloud complements Arista's existing campus, data center, and cloud routing solutions (CloudEOS), allowing for comprehensive SD-WAN deployment under a single operating system [3] - Arista has introduced cognitive Wi-Fi software that provides intelligent application identification, automated troubleshooting, and location services, while also supporting video conferencing applications like Microsoft Teams and Zoom [3] Competitive Landscape - Cisco Systems, Inc. remains the largest player in the networking sector, with a strong presence in routers and switches, and is expanding its AI capabilities across security and collaboration platforms [4] - Nokia Corporation has established itself in cloud computing infrastructure, focusing on networking, edge computing, and software automation, and is the only global supplier offering Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) with commercial 5G Cloud-RAN networks [5] Financial Performance - Arista's stock has increased by 48.7% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 36.8% [6] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Arista's earnings for 2025 has risen by 9.8% over the past 60 days to $2.81 per share [9]

Core Insights - Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET) is experiencing strong demand trends among enterprise customers due to its unique multi-domain software approach, which includes the single EOS (Extensible Operating System) and CloudVision stack [1][3] - The company has expanded its product offerings with CloudEOS Edge and new cognitive Wi-Fi software, enhancing its capabilities in intelligent application identification and automated troubleshooting [1][2] - Arista's unified software stack is versatile across various use cases, including WAN routing and data center infrastructure, distinguishing it from competitors [1][3] Company Performance - Arista has shown strong momentum and diversification across its verticals, supported by a flexible business model and solid cash flow [3] - The company holds a leadership position in the 100-gigabit Ethernet switching market and is gaining traction in 200-gig and 400-gig high-performance switching products [3] - Over the past year, Arista's stock has increased by 11%, while the industry has grown by 36.2% [6] Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Arista's earnings for 2025 has risen by 0.4% over the past 60 days to $2.57 per share [9] - The forward price-to-sales ratio for Arista is 14.08, which is above the industry average [8] - The company's EPS estimate for 2025 reflects ongoing demand and software momentum [6][9]

Core Insights - Arista Networks and Cisco Systems are leading players in the global networking industry, with Arista focusing on high-performance Ethernet switches and routers, while Cisco maintains a strong presence in the router and switch market and is expanding into network security [1][2][3] Group 1: Arista Networks - Arista holds a leadership position in 100-gigabit Ethernet switches and is gaining traction in 200-and-400-gig high-performance switching products, driven by solid demand trends among enterprise customers [4] - The company has introduced new cognitive Wi-Fi software and expanded its multi-cloud and cloud-native software product family, enhancing its competitive edge with a unified software stack [5] - Despite increased demand, Arista faces high operating costs, with total operating expenses rising around 20% to $431.3 million in Q4 2024, attributed to headcount increases and product introduction costs [6] Group 2: Cisco Systems - Cisco is expanding its AI capabilities across its portfolio, including the introduction of Webex AI Agent and AI-driven solutions for network management, which are expected to improve customer experience [7][8] - The company has partnered with NVIDIA to develop AI-ready data center networks, launching products like the NVIDIA-based CSCO AI POD, which is gaining traction among AI-based cloud customers [9] - Cisco is facing competitive pressure, leading to discounts and deals in response to competition from Arista and others, which may impact profitability and top-line growth due to declining new orders [10] Group 3: Financial Performance and Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Arista's 2025 sales implies an 18% year-over-year growth, while Cisco's sales growth is estimated at 4.9%, with Cisco's EPS expected to decline by 0.3% [11][12] - Over the past year, Arista's stock has gained 12.1%, while Cisco has outperformed with a 19.8% increase [13] - From a valuation perspective, Cisco's shares trade at a forward P/E ratio of 14.76, significantly lower than Arista's 28.5, making Cisco appear more attractive [14] Group 4: Investment Outlook - Arista has shown steady revenue and EPS growth, but Cisco's superior Zacks Rank and better price performance suggest it may be a better investment option at the moment [15][16]

Core Insights - Cisco Systems is expanding its AI portfolio through collaboration with NVIDIA, aiming to increase AI-driven revenues, with orders exceeding $700 million by the end of the first half of fiscal 2025 and projected to surpass $1 billion in the same fiscal year [1][3] - The company is experiencing significant growth in AI-driven enterprise orders, with over 40% growth in the first half of fiscal 2025 and more than 50% in the second quarter alone [2][3] - Despite the positive outlook for AI growth, Cisco shares have declined 6.2% year-to-date due to macroeconomic challenges and competitive pressures in the networking sector [3][18] AI and Security Developments - Cisco's partnership with NVIDIA focuses on creating AI-ready data center networks, enhancing security and management of AI infrastructure [7][10] - The introduction of various AI-driven products, including the Webex AI Agent and Cisco AI Defense, aims to improve customer experience and address security challenges associated with AI adoption [9][15] - Security orders have more than doubled in the fiscal second quarter, with revenues reaching $2.11 billion, driven by advanced analytics and threat detection capabilities [12][15] Financial Performance and Guidance - For fiscal 2025, Cisco expects revenues between $56 billion and $56.5 billion, with non-GAAP earnings projected between $3.68 and $3.74 per share, indicating a year-over-year revenue growth of 4.88% [16][18] - Cisco has consistently beaten earnings estimates in the past four quarters, with an average surprise of 4.07% [17] - The stock is currently trading at a premium price/sales ratio of 4.13X, higher than its historical median and the industry average, suggesting a stretched valuation [18][19]

Core Insights - Cisco is introducing new AI-powered collaboration solutions aimed at enhancing customer and employee experiences, with a focus on predictive and automated interactions [2][6] - The company is transitioning traditional contact centers into customer experience centers, utilizing AI to improve service efficiency and customer satisfaction [4][6] AI Innovations - The Webex AI Agent will be generally available on March 31, 2025, providing a 24/7 self-service solution that interacts with customers in a natural manner, reducing wait times and improving service [4][6] - The Cisco AI Assistant for Webex Contact Center will receive updates in Q2 2025, including features like suggested responses and real-time transcription to enhance agent performance [7] Employee Experience Enhancements - New tools for employees include workflow automation capabilities that streamline routine tasks and improve productivity across various enterprise applications like Salesforce and ServiceNow [8][12] - The Webex Calling Customer Assist solution empowers employees to assist customers effectively, integrating AI features for better call routing and analytics [9] Integration and Collaboration - Cisco is enhancing its collaboration portfolio with features that allow seamless integration of AI-driven innovations across its platforms, improving user experiences in various workspaces [9][12] - The introduction of Apple AirPlay on Cisco devices for Microsoft Teams Rooms facilitates instant wireless content sharing, enhancing collaboration capabilities [13]