Quality score · CSCO · Technology

Is Cisco Systems, Inc. a quality business?

Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) scored on five pillars from its reported financial statements, and ranked against 260 Technology companies.

6.4/ 10
Solid quality
as of October 16, 2026
Profitability
6.8 Average
Solvency
7.9 Strong
Growth
4.1 Average
Efficiency
6.5 Average
Predictability
6.7 Average
Strongest pillar: Solvency · Weakest: Growth

Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) scores 6.4 out of 10 as of , computed from its reported financial statements. That reads as solid quality. The reading rests on solvency, and growth is what holds it back.

Data provided by Twelve Data. Scores are computed by Lemma Analysis from reported financials.

Does Cisco Systems, Inc. have an economic moat?

Narrow moat

Cisco Systems, Inc.’s returns on capital beat their cost in most measured years: 5 of 5 indicators passed.

Quantitative signs of a moat, read from the filed statements. This is not a judgement of where it comes from (brand, network effects, switching costs). How Lemma measures a moat →

How Cisco Systems, Inc. scores

On the filings behind it, Cisco Systems, Inc. earns 6.4 out of 10 for business quality as of October 16, 2026. That is solid quality on our scale. A solid reading is a respectable business with clear strengths and at least one area that falls short of the best in its field. The figure is a weighted average of five pillars, each scored from 0 to 10 against sector-aware benchmarks from reported statements.

Among the 260 Technology companies with a published score, that ranks at the 64th percentile, in the upper half of the group, short of the top quarter. A typical company in the group scores 5.9, and the best quarter starts from 6.7. Cisco Systems, Inc. is above that typical reading.

Pillar by pillar

Profitability

Cisco Systems, Inc.’s profitability score is 6.8 out of 10 (average). Against a median of 4.6 among 252 Technology companies, that is well above the group and the 77th percentile. Middling returns are common and not a flaw in themselves, though they leave less slack when costs rise or demand softens.

Solvency

On solvency, Cisco Systems, Inc. scores 7.9, a strong reading. Its peers have a median of 8.0 across 194 Technology companies, which places it in line with them, at the 47th percentile. Strong solvency points to a balance sheet that can carry its debts comfortably, with interest well covered and little pressure from creditors.

Growth

Growth scores 4.1 out of 10, which reads as average. The median across 207 Technology companies is 6.4, so Cisco Systems, Inc. is well below its peers on this pillar and ranks at the 27th percentile. Growth near the median is neither a reason to buy nor a concern, but it does mean the quality case rests more on the other pillars.

Efficiency

Efficiency scores 6.5 out of 10, which reads as average. The median across 240 Technology companies is 7.1, so Cisco Systems, Inc. is below its peers on this pillar and ranks at the 39th percentile. Middling efficiency is unremarkable on its own, though improvements here tend to show up in free cash flow first.

Predictability

Cisco Systems, Inc.’s predictability score is 6.7 out of 10 (average). Against a median of 4.7 among 258 Technology companies, that is well above the group and the 89th percentile. Middling predictability suggests some volatility in the record, enough to read the other pillars with a little caution.

Strongest and weakest pillar

This is a lopsided profile. Solvency scores 7.9 but growth only 4.1, a gap of 3.8 points, so the overall hides a business that is excellent in one respect and weak in another. A solvency lead means the balance sheet is the company’s strongest asset, a cushion that buys time when trading gets harder. A growth shortfall often comes with size or a maturing market, and is less of a concern if the other pillars are strong.

What would move the score

Closing the gap on growth would do the most for the overall. At the median of Technology companies, 6.4, Cisco Systems, Inc. would score about 6.9 instead of 6.4. All five pillars could be scored, so the overall uses the full set of weights out of 100: profitability 25, solvency 20, growth 20, efficiency 15, predictability 20.

Cisco Systems, Inc. and similar companies

These are the Technology companies closest to Cisco Systems, Inc. in market value. Each has its own page scored on the same five pillars, so the comparison is like for like.

What each pillar measures

Profitability

6.8 / 10

How much profit the company generates from its capital and sales.

Solvency

7.9 / 10

The company’s ability to service debt and meet its obligations.

Growth

4.1 / 10

How fast revenue, earnings and cash flow are compounding.

Efficiency

6.5 / 10

How well assets and earnings convert into cash and output.

Predictability

6.7 / 10

How stable and consistent results have been over time.

How this score is calculated

Each metric is scored from 0 to 10 against sector-aware benchmarks, where higher is better. Metrics roll up into five pillars, and the pillars combine into the overall score using the weights shown. Sector-sensitive metrics are judged relative to peers in the same sector.

Limitations

This score is a systematic, backward-looking read of reported fundamentals. It does not judge valuation, management quality, competitive moat, or future prospects, and can be distorted by one-off items or unusual accounting. Treat it as a starting point, not a recommendation.

Educational only. Not investment advice.

FAQ

Is Cisco Systems, Inc. a quality business?

On this reading Cisco Systems, Inc. scores 6.4 out of 10, which reads as solid quality. Its strongest pillar is solvency, its weakest is growth. Quality is not the same as a good investment: the score says nothing about the price you would pay.

How does Cisco Systems, Inc. compare with other Technology companies?

Cisco Systems, Inc. ranks at the 64th percentile of the 260 Technology companies Lemma publishes a score for. The median there is 5.9 and the top quarter starts at 6.7, against Cisco Systems, Inc.’s 6.4.

What does the CSCO quality score measure?

Five pillars, each scored from 0 to 10 against sector-aware benchmarks and then weighted into one overall reading: profitability, solvency, growth, efficiency and predictability. Everything comes from reported financials, and nothing comes from price, sentiment or forecasts.

How current is this score?

This page last changed on October 16, 2026. The score moves with the financial statements, so the page changes when a new filing moves the reading rather than on a schedule. Live figures for CSCO are in the app.

Does a high score mean the stock is cheap?

No. Quality and valuation are separate questions, and a good business at the wrong price is still a bad purchase. Score the business here, then price it with a DCF you control.

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