F m Investments Increases Cisco Stake to $18.18 Million

F m Investments LLC has raised its stake in Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) to approximately $18.18 million, reflecting a 1.2% increase during the second quarter of 2023. The institutional investor disclosed ownership of 262,083 shares of the network equipment provider after acquiring an additional 3,078 shares during this period. Cisco now constitutes 0.7% of F m Investments’ portfolio, ranking as its 26th largest holding.

Several other institutional investors have also adjusted their positions in Cisco recently. For instance, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC entered the market with a new investment valued at around $28,000 in the same quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. increased its holdings by an impressive 89.4%, now owning 409 shares worth approximately $28,000 after acquiring an additional 193 shares. Brown Shipley & Co Ltd has also established a new position valued at $32,000 during the same period. Notably, institutional investors and hedge funds control 73.33% of Cisco’s stock.

Analyst Ratings and Stock Performance

Recent reports from financial analysts have offered a mix of insights regarding Cisco’s performance. On August 14, William Blair upgraded the stock to a “hold” rating, while Erste Group Bank followed suit, upgrading the rating to “buy” on November 10. KeyCorp increased its price target from $77.00 to $87.00, rating Cisco as “overweight” on November 13. That same day, BNP Paribas Exane raised its target price from $76.00 to $86.00, while Argus set a target of $100.00.

According to data from MarketBeat, Cisco Systems currently enjoys an average rating of “Moderate Buy” with a consensus price target of $84.14. The stock opened at $76.07 on the latest trading day, with a market capitalization of $300.56 billion. It has a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.03 and a 52-week range between $52.11 and $80.06.

Recent Earnings and Dividend Announcement

Cisco’s performance in its latest earnings report was noteworthy. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $1.00 for the quarter, surpassing analysts’ expectations of $0.98. Revenue for the quarter reached $14.88 billion, slightly above the forecast of $14.77 billion. Cisco recorded a net margin of 18.45% and a return on equity of 27.06%, with a year-over-year revenue increase of 7.5%.

Looking ahead, Cisco has set its guidance for fiscal year 2026 at an EPS range of $4.080 to $4.140, with a quarterly guidance for Q2 2026 of $1.010 to $1.030. Analysts project an average EPS of $3.04 for the current year.

In further financial news, Cisco Systems declared a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share, scheduled for payment on January 21, 2024. Shareholders of record on January 2, 2024 will be eligible for this dividend, which translates to an annualized dividend of $1.64 and a yield of 2.2%. The company’s current dividend payout ratio stands at 61.65%.

Recent insider trading activity includes the sale of 9,801 shares by Senior Vice President Maria Victoria Wong on November 24, amounting to approximately $748,600. Additionally, insider Jeetendra I. Patel sold 163,896 shares on November 14 for a total of about $12.76 million. Collectively, insiders have sold 1,024,627 shares worth $79.62 million over the past three months.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of Internet Protocol-based networking products and services within the communications and information technology sectors. The company operates across multiple regions, including the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, Japan, and China. Cisco’s extensive product portfolio includes solutions for switching, enterprise routing, wireless networking, and computing, demonstrating its significant role in global networking infrastructure.

As the company continues to adapt and grow in a rapidly evolving market, its financial performance and strategic moves will be closely monitored by investors and analysts alike.