Cisco Systems stock gained 3.2 percent on October 2 amid target cuts and AI growth debate

Published on 10/05/2026 at 23:03 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Cisco Systems stock rose 3.2 percent to USD 112.20 on October 2, 2026. Fiscal Q4 revenue reached USD 17.25 billion, while analysts set a USD 128.52 average target.

Isometrisches Diagramm einer Netzwerkinfrastruktur mit Servern und Cloud, Symbolbild für Cisco Systems Inc — Isometrische 3D-Grafik der Netzwerk-Wertschöpfungskette veranschaulicht das Geschäftsmodell von Cisco Systems Inc., ISIN US17275R1023, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Cisco Systems (ISIN US17275R1023) stock was last at USD 112.20 on Nasdaq on October 2, 2026, up 3.2 percent from USD 108.76. The move followed renewed analyst attention as Piper Sandler cut its price target from USD 132 to USD 125 while keeping a Neutral rating, according to MarketBeat.

Quarterly growth sets the baseline

Cisco reported fiscal Q4 2026 revenue of USD 17.25 billion, up 17.6 percent from the prior-year quarter, while quarterly EPS reached USD 1.22 against a USD 1.17 consensus estimate, as Yahoo Finance published in the fiscal Q4 2026 earnings transcript. Cisco's fiscal 2026 revenue reached USD 63.3 billion, up 12 percent, while non-GAAP EPS increased 14 percent to USD 4.33.

The operating picture is increasingly tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure. Fiscal Q4 product orders rose 35 percent year over year, and hyperscaler AI infrastructure orders reached USD 4 billion in the quarter, bringing the fiscal-year total to USD 9.3 billion, according to Yahoo Finance.

Guidance raises the execution bar

Management guided fiscal 2027 revenue to USD 72.2 billion-USD 73.4 billion and non-GAAP EPS to USD 5.05-USD 5.11. The forecast implies a sharper growth profile than fiscal 2026, but it also leaves the stock exposed to concerns over whether AI demand can sustain the pace highlighted in the latest quarter.

Fiscal Q1 2027 guidance calls for revenue of USD 18 billion-USD 18.2 billion and non-GAAP EPS of USD 1.32-USD 1.34. The mix matters: the company expects hyperscaler AI infrastructure revenue to reach USD 7.5 billion in fiscal 2027, compared with USD 4 billion of orders in fiscal Q4 2026, according to Yahoo Finance.

Consensus stays above the market

Twenty-six brokerages assign Cisco a Moderate Buy consensus, comprising 16 Buy ratings, three Strong Buy ratings and seven Hold ratings. The average 12-month target is USD 128.52, which places the target 14.6 percent above the October 2 price of USD 112.20, according to MarketBeat. Piper Sandler's USD 125 target sits below that average, highlighting the disagreement over valuation and growth durability.

Stock remains below its yearly high

Cisco Systems stock was last at USD 112.20 on Nasdaq on October 2, 2026. Its 52-week range was USD 66.81 to USD 130.37, and its market capitalization was USD 442.4 billion on that date.