What Analysts Are Saying About Cisco After Earnings

August 17, 2018 by Chris Lange

Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) reported its most recent quarterly results earlier this week and closed out its fiscal year. Overall the networking giant dominated this quarter, and investors cheered shares higher in the days that followed. Analysts were fairly positive on the stock as well, with most giving the thumbs up for Cisco.

24/7 Wall St. has included some highlights from the earnings report, as well as what analysts are saying about the firm after the fact.

The company said that it had $0.70 in earnings per share (EPS) and $12.8 billion in revenue. Consensus estimates had called for $0.69 in EPS and revenue of $12.77 billion. The same period of last year reportedly had EPS of $0.61 and $12.13 billion in revenue.

In terms of its segments, Cisco reported as follows:

  • Product revenue increased 6.8% year over year to $9.64 billion.
  • Service revenue increased 3.1% to $3.20 billion.

Chuck Robbins, board chair and chief executive of Cisco, commented:

We had a very strong finish to a great year and generated our highest quarterly revenue of $12.8 billion. Our results demonstrate a combination of strong customer adoption of our latest innovations, the ongoing value customers see in our software and subscription offerings, and excellent execution across our customer segments and geographies. Our strategy is working and we believe that are well-positioned to capture growth across our portfolio with our pipeline of innovation.

Looking ahead to the fiscal first quarter, the company expects to see EPS in the range of $0.70 to $0.72 and revenue growth of 5% to 7% year over year. The consensus estimates are $0.69 in EPS and $12.61 billion in revenue in the quarter.

Here’s what analysts had to say after the report:

  • Credit Suisse has a Hold rating but raised its price target to $43 from $41.
  • JPMorgan has a Buy rating with a $59 price target.
  • RBC has a Buy rating with a $52 price target.
  • Cowen has an Outperform rating and raised its target to $58 from $51.
  • William Blair has an Outperform rating.
  • BMO Capital Markets has an Outperform rating and raised its target to $48 from $43.
  • Goldman Sachs reiterated a Buy rating and a $56 price target.

Shares of Cisco were last seen up about 1% at $45.56, with a consensus analyst price target of $50.76 and a 52-week trading range of $30.36 to $46.37.

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