Cisco Systems Option Alert: Jan 16 $67.5 Calls Sweep (48) near the Ask: 1500 vs 1487 OI

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Jan 16 $67.5 Calls Sweep (48) near the Ask: 1500 @ $4.75 vs 1487 OI; Ref=$64.43

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (22) near the Ask: 2500 vs 7970 OI

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (22) near the Ask: 2500 @ $2.76 vs 7970 OI; Ref=$64.7999

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (29) above Ask!: 2500 vs 7970 OI

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (29) above Ask!: 2500 @ $2.76 vs 7970 OI; Ref=$64.78

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) 주식

Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.

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CSCO

시스코 시스템즈(NASDAQ:CSCO)는 1월 25일에 마감된 2분기에 애널리스트의 예상치를 뛰어넘는 실적을 기록했다. 특히 6개월 동안 7억 달러 이상의 AI 인프라 주문을 받았다. 웹 규모 고객의 막대한 수요와 추론 잠재력이 AI 기반 인프라 붐을 주도할 핵심 테마로 보인다.

시스코, 기술 거대 기업들의 높은 수요 속 7억 달러 규모 AI 인프라 주문 접수

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시스코 시스템즈(NASDAQ:CSCO)는 수요일(12일) 장 마감 후 2분기 재무 실적을 발표했다. 실적 보고서의 주요 내용은 다음과 같다.

시스코 시스템즈, 2분기 호실적과 강력한 전망 발표 후 시간외 6%↑

Pre-Market Outlook

Trading Ideas

수요일(12일) 아침 미국 주식 선물이 소폭 하락하는 가운데 오늘 투자자들의 주목을 받을 수 있는 주식은 다음과 같다. CVS 헬스, 크래프트 하인즈, 피트니 보우스, 질로우 및 시스코

수요일 주목해야 할 주식: CVS 헬스, 크래프트 하인즈, 피트니 보우스, 질로우 및 시스코

Cisco Systems Inc

Cybersecurity-focused ETFs are back in the spotlight following a <a href="https://therecord.media/hegseth-orders-cyber-command-stand-down-russia-planning">report </a>by The Record that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a halt to offensive cyber and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/russia">information operations against Russia</a>. 
The Pentagon <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-04/pentagon-denies-report-of-halt-in-cyber-operations-versus-russia">denied</a> these claims. Still, the news has reignited interest in cybersecurity investments. As cyber threats escalate, organizations worldwide are ramping up efforts to protect their digital assets, making cybersecurity companies and ETFs holding them, attractive investment opportunities.
For investors looking to gain diversified exposure to the cybersecurity sector without the hassle of studying and choosing individual stocks, here are three <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs">noteworthy cybersecurity ETFs</a>:
<ul>
<li>Global X Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BUG#NASDAQ">BUG</a>): This ETF provides investors access to a portfolio of 22 cybersecurity companies. It includes leading firms like Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PANW#NASDAQ">PANW</a>), Zscaler (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZS#NASDAQ">ZS</a>), Fortinet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FTT#NASDAQ">FTT</a>), and CrowdStrike (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWD#NASDAQ">CRWD</a>). While the ETF primarily focuses on U.S.-based companies, it also includes firms from Israel, Japan, and South Korea. It has an expense ratio of 0.5%, which is relatively standard for sector-specific ETFs.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIBR#NASDAQ">CIBR</a>): This fund tracks the Nasdaq CTA Cybersecurity Index and includes companies actively involved in cybersecurity operations. CrowdStrike is one of its major holdings, along with other key players such as Check Point Software (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHKP#NASDAQ">CHKP</a>), Fortinet, and Palo Alto. CIBR has over $8 billion in assets under management and an expense ratio of 0.6%.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HACK#NYSE">HACK</a>): The <a href="https://amplifyetfs.com/hack/#:~:text=Launched%20in%202014%2C%20HACK%20is,within%20the%20growing%20cybersecurity%20industry.">first </a>ETF focused on cybersecurity and remains one of the most popular choices among investors. It provides exposure to a mix of established cybersecurity companies and emerging players. Its holdings include CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, and Cisco (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), among others.</li>
</ul>
HACK follows a tiered, equal-weighted approach, ensuring that no single company dominates the portfolio. This diversification helps mitigate risk while still capturing growth potential in the cybersecurity industry. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.6% and has consistently performed well as cyber threats continue to increase globally.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/25/02/43632056/3-etfs-for-cybersecurity-investors-as-ai-driven-threats-grow">3 ETFs For Cybersecurity Investors As AI-Driven Threats Grow</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Growing Importance Of Cybersecurity</h2>
The increasing reliance on digital infrastructure across industries has made businesses, governments, and individuals more vulnerable to cyberattacks. High-profile breaches targeting financial institutions, healthcare providers, and government agencies have demonstrated the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures.
Companies are now investing heavily in AI-driven security solutions, zero-trust architectures, and threat intelligence platforms to stay ahead of evolving threats. As a result, cybersecurity firms are experiencing strong revenue growth, making them attractive investment opportunities.
According to a Bloomberg Intelligence research report, the total cybersecurity market will likely hit $338 billion by 2033. That&#8217;s up from about $152.5 billion in 2023.
Cybersecurity has become one of the fastest-growing sectors in the market. High-profile cyberattacks in recent years have led to massive data breaches, infrastructure failures, and financial losses amounting to billions of dollars. 
According to a research report by CrowdStrike:
<ul>
<li>China-linked cyber activity rising by 150% across all sectors in 2024. </li>
<li>Vishing attacks experienced an explosive 442% increase between the first and second half of the year.</li>
<li>The fastest recorded eCrime breakout time was just 51 seconds, emphasizing the speed at which cybercriminals can compromise systems.</li>
<li>79% of detected cyber incidents were malware-free, indicating a shift toward advanced attack techniques. </li>
<li>26 newly named adversaries emerged</li>
<li>52% of vulnerabilities identified were linked to initial access methods, underscoring the ongoing challenge of securing entry points against persistent cyber threats.</li>
</ul>
As cyber threats continue to evolve, businesses and governments are prioritizing investments in cybersecurity to safeguard their networks and data. This growing demand positions cybersecurity ETFs and companies for sustained long-term growth.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43886224/bybit-founder-confirms-1-4-billion-ethereum-hack-blames-masked-transaction">Bybit Founder Confirms $1.4 Billion Ethereum Hack, Blames &#8216;Masked&#8217; Transaction</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Renewed Interest Fueled By Stalled Cyber Operations</h2>
Hegseth&#8217;s move was reportedly aimed at fostering diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Russia regarding Ukraine. 
U.S. cyber operations against Russia have historically included disrupting ransomware groups, countering disinformation campaigns, and targeting networks used by Russian intelligence agencies. These operations have played a critical role in reducing cyber threats that could impact American infrastructure, financial institutions, and national security. A halt or pause in such actions could enable Russian state-backed hackers and cybercriminal groups to escalate their activities against U.S. and European targets.
According to a New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/us/politics/hegseth-cyber-russia-trump-putin.html">report</a>, former intelligence officials have noted that pauses in military and cyber operations during sensitive diplomatic negotiations are not uncommon, as they can prevent tensions from escalating further. 
Critics argue that scaling back offensive cyber capabilities, even temporarily, risks weakening U.S. deterrence and response mechanisms. 
Regardless of the conflicting narratives, cybersecurity remains a critical national security and business priority. The alleged pause in U.S. cyber operations against Russia has raised concerns about potential vulnerabilities, further underscoring the need for robust cybersecurity solutions.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/25/03/44120598/broken-deal-big-consequences-how-etfs-and-stocks-will-react">Broken Deal, Big Consequences: How ETFs And Stocks Will React</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Sector ETFs

Politics

Global

CHKP

CIBR

CRWD

HACK

PANW

3 Cybersecurity ETFs in Focus Amid Reports of US Cyber Operations Suspension

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Cisco Systems. Our analysis of options history for Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) revealed 28 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 46% of traders were bullish, while 28% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 14 were puts, with a value of $667,773, and 14 were calls, valued at $740,714.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $55.0 to $75.0 for Cisco Systems over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Cisco Systems options trades today is 3236.5 with a total volume of 9,295.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Cisco Systems's big money trades within a strike price range of $55.0 to $75.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Cisco Systems Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1741033870_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Largest Options Trades Observed:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$8.8</td>
<td>$8.45</td>
<td>$8.5</td>
<td>$57.50</td>
<td>$195.5K</td>
<td>12.2K</td>
<td>612</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$8.7</td>
<td>$8.65</td>
<td>$8.7</td>
<td>$57.50</td>
<td>$100.9K</td>
<td>12.2K</td>
<td>202</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$1.0</td>
<td>$0.99</td>
<td>$1.0</td>
<td>$64.00</td>
<td>$87.4K</td>
<td>210</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$4.45</td>
<td>$4.35</td>
<td>$4.4</td>
<td>$65.00</td>
<td>$84.4K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
<td>249</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$9.15</td>
<td>$8.8</td>
<td>$8.9</td>
<td>$57.50</td>
<td>$66.7K</td>
<td>12.2K</td>
<td>85</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Cisco Systems</h3>
Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.
<h3>Cisco Systems's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 11,669,853, the CSCO's price is down by -1.05%, now at $63.44. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 72 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About Cisco Systems</h3>
Over the past month, 5 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $67.8.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Goldman Sachs keeps a Neutral rating on Cisco Systems with a target price of $63. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Piper Sandler has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on Cisco Systems, which currently sits at a price target of $72. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from UBS continues to hold a Neutral rating for Cisco Systems, targeting a price of $70. 
&#x2A; An analyst from JP Morgan persists with their Overweight rating on Cisco Systems, maintaining a target price of $73. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Barclays keeps a Equal-Weight rating on Cisco Systems with a target price of $61. 
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Cisco Systems with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Options

Smart Money Is Betting Big In CSCO Options

Citigroup analyst Atif Malik maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $71 to $73.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Citigroup Maintains Buy on Cisco Systems, Raises Price Target to $73

Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) just delivered another knockout quarter, smashing expectations as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/artificial-intelligence">AI infrastructure demand</a> remains red-hot. 
With its Blackwell chips already raking in $11 billion, compute players like Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>), Super Micro Computer Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPE#NYSE">HPE</a>) are set to benefit.
But for networking giants like Arista Networks Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANET#NYSE">ANET</a>) and Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), the competition is only getting fiercer.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43997622/nvidias-record-breaking-financials-drive-ai-based-cryptos-higher">Nvidia&#8217;s Q4 Revenue, Earnings Beat Drives AI-Based Cryptos Higher Even As Major Coins Bleed</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Blackwell Powers Nvidia's Blowout Quarter</h2>
JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee sees Nvidia's latest results as a bullish signal for compute and optical stocks. Data center revenue soared 93% year-over-year to $35.6 billion, with compute revenue alone skyrocketing 116%. 
Blackwell's meteoric rise makes it Nvidia's fastest-ramping product ever, with hyperscalers like Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) driving adoption.
On top of that, Nvidia is already looking ahead to Blackwell Ultra, expected in the second half of the year, said Chatterjee. With AI model inferencing demand accelerating, particularly for OpenAI's GPT-4o, DeepSeek-R1, and Grok 3, the need for more compute is only growing.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Networking Stumbles, But Recovery Is In Sight</h2>
Not everything was flawless &#8211; networking revenue dropped 9% as Nvidia transitions from NVLink 8 with InfiniBand to NVLink 72 with Spectrum-X, noted Chatterjee. However, the company expects networking to return to sequential growth next quarter, thanks to deployments at major AI factories. 
According to Chatterjee, Microsoft, Oracle, and CoreWeave are among those fueling Spectrum-X adoption, while Nvidia's recent Cisco partnership could help expand its enterprise reach.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Pressure Mounts On Arista &amp; Cisco</h2>
With Nvidia increasingly controlling the AI stack, Arista and Cisco must fight to maintain market share. AI networking demand is surging, but Chatterjee notes that Nvidia's Spectrum-X is winning customers. 
The next few quarters could be make-or-break for traditional networking giants.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/43998226/jensen-huangs-nvidia-fuels-ai-factory-boom-revenue-growth-in-data-center-business-dominates-peers-with-a-staggering-3460-growth-over-5-years">Jensen Huang&#8217;s Nvidia Fuels &#8216;AI Factory&#8217; Boom: Revenue Growth In Data Center Business Dominates Peers With A Staggering 3460% Growth Over 5 Years</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Long Ideas

AMZN

ANET

DELL

GOOG

GOOGL

MSFT

NVDA

ORCL

SMCI

Nvidia Dominance Continues As AI Demand Grows: Can Arista, Cisco Keep Up?

IBKR

CNBC Halftime Report Final Trades: Fiserv, Cisco Systems, Interactive Brokers Group, iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF

On Tuesday, Cisco Systems, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) announced plans for an expanded partnership with Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) to provide <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/n43938001/cisco-expands-partnership-with-nvidia-to-accelerate-ai-adoption-in-the-enterprise" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI technology solutions to enterprises</a>.
Cisco will develop data center switches with the Nvidia Spectrum Ethernet platform.
Cisco will collaborate with Nvidia to create and validate&nbsp;Nvidia Cloud Partner (NCP)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Enterprise Reference Architectures&nbsp;based on Nvidia Spectrum-X&nbsp;with Cisco Silicon One, Hyperfabric, Nexus, UCS Compute, Optics, and other Cisco technologies.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/02/43788975/amd-closing-competitive-gpu-gap-with-nvidia-gains-market-share-from-intel-in-client-and-server-markets-analyst" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMD Closing Competitive GPU Gap With Nvidia, Gains Market Share From Intel In Client And Server Markets: Analyst</a>
The expanded partnership aims to give organizations flexibility and choice as they look to meet the demand of AI workloads within and between data centers, clouds, and users.
The&nbsp;Nvidia&nbsp;Spectrum-X&nbsp;Ethernet&nbsp;networking&nbsp;platform&nbsp;based on Cisco and Nvidia silicon will form the foundation for many enterprise AI workloads. By enabling interoperability between both companies&#8217; networking architectures, the two companies are prioritizing customers&#8217; needs for simplified, full-stack solutions.
The expanded partnership allows customers to optimize their AI infrastructure investments with a typical architecture, using their existing management tools and processes, spanning front and back-end networks.
By making it easier to integrate and standardize on both Cisco and Nvidia technology, customers will benefit from current and future technology advancements in the Nvidia Spectrum-X platform, such as adaptive routing, telemetry, congestion control, and low latency, as well as Cisco&#8217;s broader networking, security, and digital resilience portfolio, including the Splunk data platform.
As businesses develop AI capabilities and train data models, a comprehensive security strategy becomes crucial.
Also, Cisco <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/n43937810/cisco-achieves-milestone-fedramp-authorization-for-meraki-cloud-networking-platform" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced that it</a> had won Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) authorization at the Moderate Impact Level for its&nbsp;Cisco Meraki for Government solution under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security&#8217;s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) sponsorship.
FedRAMP is a U.S. government program that promotes the adoption of cloud technologies across the federal government by providing a standardized approach to validating security and risk controls for cloud-based products and services.
Cisco Systems stock surged 31% in the last 12 months. Analysts, including JP Morgan, Piper Sandler, BofA Securities, and Goldman Sachs, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43708265/ciscos-ai-expansion-and-cloud-growth-drive-analyst-upgrades-and-price-hikes-citing-growth-like-extreme-juniper" rel="noreferrer noopener">raised Cisco&#8217;s price targets</a> after the second-quarter results, citing AI-driven growth, strong cloud and security orders, and increasing subscription revenue.
Price Action: CSCO stock is up 1.64% at $64.28 at the last check on Tuesday.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43939199/alibaba-doubles-down-on-ai-launches-qwq-max-to-challenge-openai-and-deepseek" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alibaba Doubles Down On AI, Launches QwQ-Max to Challenge OpenAI and DeepSeek</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Anucha Cheechang via Shutterstock

Government

Regulations

Cisco and Nvidia Expand AI Partnership, Secure US Government Authorization for Cloud Security

Cisco And NVIDIA Announced Intent To Create A Unified Architecture

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in CSCO usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 12 extraordinary options activities for Cisco Systems. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 58% leaning bullish and 41% bearish. Among these notable options, 5 are puts, totaling $518,314, and 7 are calls, amounting to $299,817.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $57.5 to $70.0 for Cisco Systems during the past quarter. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Cisco Systems's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Cisco Systems's whale activity within a strike price range from $57.5 to $70.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Cisco Systems Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1740429043_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$2.34</td>
<td>$2.33</td>
<td>$2.34</td>
<td>$62.50</td>
<td>$264.0K</td>
<td>3.7K</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$5.65</td>
<td>$5.6</td>
<td>$5.65</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$105.0K</td>
<td>3.3K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/19/25</td>
<td>$4.25</td>
<td>$4.15</td>
<td>$4.16</td>
<td>$62.50</td>
<td>$81.3K</td>
<td>468</td>
<td>197</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$7.7</td>
<td>$7.6</td>
<td>$7.6</td>
<td>$70.00</td>
<td>$78.2K</td>
<td>170</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$4.6</td>
<td>$4.5</td>
<td>$4.52</td>
<td>$65.00</td>
<td>$63.2K</td>
<td>810</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Cisco Systems</h3>
Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.
In light of the recent options history for Cisco Systems, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Cisco Systems</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 8,187,309, the price of CSCO is down by -1.0%, reaching $63.34.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 79 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Cisco Systems</h3>
A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $73.4.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Rosenblatt has elevated its stance to Buy, setting a new price target at $80. 
&#x2A; An analyst from JP Morgan has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on Cisco Systems, which currently sits at a price target of $73. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Wells Fargo continues to hold a Equal-Weight rating for Cisco Systems, targeting a price of $72. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Piper Sandler keeps a Neutral rating on Cisco Systems with a target price of $72. 
&#x2A; An analyst from UBS persists with their Neutral rating on Cisco Systems, maintaining a target price of $70. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Cisco Systems, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Cisco Systems Unusual Options Activity

Benchmark analyst Cody Acree reiterated Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) with a Buy and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AMD/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">$170&nbsp;price target</a>.
Acree recently hosted AMD&#8217;s Jean Hu, CFO, for a discussion with investors. He came away with further conviction in AMD&#8217;s strong fundamental position, its increasing competitiveness in the AI market, and its continued market share gains in both the Client and Server markets versus Intel Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>).
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43728563/amc-networks-q4-earnings-subscriber-growth-cash-flow-despite-revenue-declines-impairment-charges-free-cash-flow-outlook" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMC Networks Q4 Earnings: Streaming Revenue And Subscriber Growth Cushions Revenue Decline</a>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="650" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18102022/newplot-12.png" alt="" class="wp-image-787133" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18102022/newplot-12.png 750w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18102022/newplot-12-300x260.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>
The analyst noted a focus on the company&#8217;s AI ramp of its next-generation MI350 GPU with a pulled-ahead schedule of mid-year 2025 versus the prior schedule of the second half. With the transition, AMD expects first-half 2025 Data Center revenue to be flat due to softer seasonality and its Instinct revenue to be flat as customers wait for the launch of the new platform.
AMD broadly expects MI350 to be much more directly competitive with Nvidia Corp&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) Blackwell, with MI400 likely to be technically competitive with Rubin. Nvidia&#8217;s Blackwell delays and accelerated move-up of the MI350 launch proved that AMD is closing the competitive gap.
AMD noted ASICs only make up about 20% of the total AI silicon opportunity, thereby remaining adamant about not changing its focus priority from its primary GPU roadmap.
The analyst said that the company&#8217;s Client business continues to look solid as AMD gains market share momentum in both the Desktop and Notebook markets.
At a high level, for 2025, AMD is forecasting its PC TAM to grow by a mid-single-digit percentage year-on-year. However, based on the breadth of its client CPU portfolio and strong design win momentum, the company expects to grow its Client segment revenue well ahead of the market.
While the company expects its Client business to see normal first-quarter softer seasonality, in 2025, it is benefiting from its first win at Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>) in the commercial client space.
In the server market, AMD continues to benefit from the strong adoption of its Gen 4 and new Gen 5 designs.
The company is seeing its EPYC processors gaining traction thanks to Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), Dell, and Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>).
Amazon.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Amazon Web Services, Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) launched over 100 AMD general-purpose and AI instances in just the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, EPYC CPU sales grew by a strong double-digit percentage annually, thanks to high-volume deployments with ServiceNow Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOW#NYSE">NOW</a>), Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), Visa Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>), and others. Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) exclusively used MI300X to power their Llama 405B frontier model on meta.ai.
Microsoft leveraged MI300X to power multiple GPT-4-based Copilot services.
With over 100 customer engagements in AI, AMD expanded its ROCm software suite.
International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), DigitalOcean Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOCN#NYSE">DOCN</a>), and several other AI-focused Cloud Service Providers have begun deploying AMD Instinct accelerators for new instances. IBM also announced plans to enable MI300X on their watsonx.ai and data platform for training and deploying enterprise-ready generative AI applications.
AMD began volume production of MI325X in the fourth quarter. MI325 delivers significant performance and TCO advantages compared to competitive offerings, including H100.
AMD has passed key milestones and received unconditional regulatory approvals regarding its acquisition of ZT Systems. Additionally, AMD expects to divest ZT Systems&#8217; data center infrastructure production capabilities.
While industry capacity will likely remain tight, AMD noted it has successfully secured sufficient wafer capacity to support its customers&#8217; planned ramps through the end of this year and into 2026.
Price Action: AMD stock is up 1.10% at $114.35 at the last check on Tuesday.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43727973/taiwan-semiconductor-eyes-us-expansion-amid-taiwans-push-for-bigger-investments-and-advanced-chip-production" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Taiwan Semiconductor Eyes US Expansion Amid Push for Bigger Investments and Advanced Chip Production</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

Reiteration

BABA

DOCN

INTC

AMD Closing Competitive GPU Gap With Nvidia, Gains Market Share From Intel In Client And Server Markets: Analyst

Wall Street climbed on Thursday, even as the Producer Price Index (PPI) sharply exceeded estimates in January, reigniting concerns <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/02/43692996/inflation-fears-mount-as-producer-prices-soar-to-35-put-fed-interest-rate-cut-on-ice">over persistent inflationary pressures. </a>
Despite the hotter-than-expected PPI reading—up 3.5% year-over-year in January, surpassing the 3.3% forecast—investors found some relief in certain PPI components that influence the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, which showed signs of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/02/43701823/economists-breathe-sigh-of-relief-why-producer-inflation-isnt-as-bad-as-it-seems">cooling compared to December.</a>
Investor risk appetite remained supported by expectations of ceasefire talks in Ukraine following a conversation between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier. 
By midday trading in New York, all major indices were in positive territory, with technology stocks leading the gains. Among semiconductor stocks, Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) continued to rally, surging 10% after strong performances in prior sessions. 
The U.S. chipmaker benefited from renewed buying momentum following comments from Vice President J.D. Vance, who indicated that the Trump administration plans to ease regulations to accelerate AI chip innovation in the U.S.
Intel has now soared over 27% this week, tracking its best weekly performance since 1974. 
The U.S. dollar extended its decline as Treasury yields pulled back sharply, reversing Wednesday&#8217;s surge.
In commodities, gold edged up 0.4% to $2,918 per ounce, oil remained steady at $71 per barrel, and natural gas surged 2.4% to $3.66 per million British thermal units. 
Sentiment in cryptocurrency markets remained subdued, with Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) sliding 2.4% to trade below $96,000.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>21,903.94</td>
<td>0.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>6,088.51</td>
<td>0.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>44,493.13</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,261.64</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 12:45 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent021325&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:
<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>)&nbsp;rose 0.6% to $606.89.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) rose 0.3% to $445.18.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>)&nbsp;rose 0.9% to $532.98.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) rose 0.4% to $224.58.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLB#NYSE">XLB</a>) outperformed, up 1.1%; the&nbsp;Industrials Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLI#NYSE">XLI</a>) lagged, down 1.2%.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>
Stocks reacting to company earnings reports included:
<ul>
<li>Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>): up 2.05%</li>
<li>Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZTS#NYSE">ZTS</a>): down 7.8%</li>
<li>Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUK#NYSE">DUK</a>): down 2.5%</li>
<li>American Electric Power Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AEP#NASDAQ">AEP</a>): down 0.6%</li>
<li>Equinix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EQIX#NASDAQ">EQIX</a>): down 1.9%</li>
<li>Moody's Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCO#NYSE">MCO</a>): up 2.9%</li>
<li>Deere &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DE#NYSE">DE</a>): down 1.5%</li>
<li>PPL Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PPL#NYSE">PPL</a>): down 1.8%</li>
<li>MGM Resorts International (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MGM#NYSE">MGM</a>): up 17.9%</li>
<li>Paycom Software Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PAYC#NYSE">PAYC</a>): flat</li>
<li>HubSpot Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUBS#NYSE">HUBS</a>): up 1.6%</li>
<li>Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LECO#NASDAQ">LECO</a>): up 11.7%</li>
<li>Curtiss-Wright Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CW#NYSE">CW</a>): down 0.5%</li>
<li>West Pharmaceutical Services Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WST#NYSE">WST</a>): down 34%</li>
<li>CBRE Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CBRE#NYSE">CBRE</a>): up 1.1%</li>
<li>DTE Energy Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DTE#NYSE">DTE</a>): up 2.4%</li>
<li>AppLovin Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>): up 19.9%</li>
<li>Reddit Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RDDT#NYSE">RDDT</a>): down 8.8%. </li>
</ul>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43703014/robert-f-kennedy-confirmed-as-trump-secretary-of-health">Robert F. Kennedy, Vaccine Skeptic, Confirmed As Trump&#8217;s Secretary Of Health: Health Care Stocks To Watch</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Ryan DeBerardinis via Shutterstock

Macro Economic Events

Bonds

Econ #s

Economics

$BTC

CBRE

CROX

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust

EQIX

GEHC

HUBS

LECO

PAYC

RDDT

Select Sector SPDR-Consumer Discretionary

ZBRA

Stocks Rise Despite Hot Producer Inflation, Intel Soars, Bitcoin Drops Below $96,000: What's Driving Markets Thursday?

Wall Street analysts rerated Cisco Systems, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) for its upbeat quarterly report Wednesday amid an exciting earnings season.
Cisco Systems reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43675860/cisco-systems-shares-climb-on-better-than-expected-q2-results-strong-forward-guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">quarterly earnings of</a> 94 cents per share, topping the analyst consensus estimate of 91 cents. Quarterly revenue of $13.9 billion beat the $13.87 billion consensus estimate.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43691982/iron-mountain-q4-earnings-storage-and-data-center-revenue-growth-dividend-climbs-10-strong-2025-outlook" rel="noreferrer noopener">Iron Mountain Q4 Earnings: Storage And Data Center Revenue Growth, Dividend Climbs 10%, Strong 2025 Outlook</a>
Cisco Systems expects third-quarter EPS of 90 cents-92 cents, versus the 92 cent estimate, and revenue of $13.9 billion-$14.1 billion, versus the $13.86 billion estimate.
<ul>
<li>JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee maintained Cisco Systems with an Overweight and raised the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CSCO/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">price target from $69 to $73</a>.</li>
<li>Piper Sandler analyst James Fish reiterated Cisco Systems with a Neutral and raised the price target from $57 to $72.</li>
<li>Rosenblatt analyst Mike Genovese upgraded Cisco Systems to Buy from Neutral with an $80 price target.</li>
<li>BofA Securities analyst Tal Liani maintained Cisco Systems with a Buy and raised the price target to $76 from $72.</li>
<li>Goldman Sachs analyst Michael Ng reiterated Cisco Systems with a Neutral and raised the price target from $56 to $63.</li>
</ul>
JP Morgan: Cisco&#8217;s second-quarter results reinforced the improvement in the demand cycle, revenue upsides for Core Networking driving greater confidence in upsides for fiscal 2025, alleviating concerns around increased scrutiny on Public Sector and Fed spending, highlighting moderate cost headwinds for tariffs, while also noting mitigation levers in the form of both pricing and supply chain flexibility, and downplaying concerns of temporary dislocations in demand trends from the pull-forward of orders to avoid tariffs.
While the macro backdrop remains mixed, Cisco noted priority from Enterprise customers to spend towards modernizing infrastructure and strong Cloud demand, including triple-digit order growth from Hyperscalers and improving demand trends from Telco customers to get their networks ready for AI-led traffic demand.
Regarding Enterprise adoption of AI, Cisco highlighted a significant uptick in interest for integrated systems, which Chatterjee expects to build to be a key driver of improvement in demand for the portfolio with the broader proliferation of AI investments to the Enterprises alongside continued momentum from Hyperscalers.
Additionally, the analyst expects Core Networking to benefit from Enterprise AI adoption and a pull-through of other parts of the portfolio, including Security, as securing data remains a top priority for Enterprises while pursuing AI deployments, where Cisco&#8217;s broader portfolio stands well positioned to benefit.
Piper Sandler: Cisco faced a good setup as Fish previewed, which, given the upside, guide-up, and narrative around data center refresh, AI-traction with hyperscalers, Splunk integration, new product launches, and Campus refresh potentially down the road, has sent shares &gt;5% higher after hours.
The debate from here will center around how much the lead-metric upside had been more straightforward compared to incremental demand versus Splunk contribution.
Estimates are still set up well following the guide raise, and Fish noted that Cisco could sustain mid-single-digit sales growth as the cycles contribute and the business transition is nearing an inflection point. Fish sought a better entry point and preferred other names.
Rosenblatt: Genovese had been arguing that Extreme Networks Inc
(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EXTR#NASDAQ">EXTR</a>) and Juniper Networks Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNPR#NYSE">JNPR</a>) deserve multiple expansions due to growth in software subscriptions, ARR, RPOs, and AI becoming a more significant driver of total business.
The analyst upgraded Cisco and raised the price target for the same reasons. For the second quarter, Cisco increased revenues by 9% to $14.0 billion and produced EPS of $0.94, exceeding consensus on each.
Total product orders grew 29% and 11%, excluding Splunk, with substantial improvement in Service Provider and Cloud orders. There was double-digit growth in ARR, RPOs, and subscriptions, which accounted for 56% of total revenue.
AI infrastructure orders with Web Scalers were more than $350 million in the quarter, bringing the year-to-date total to ~$700 million and putting Cisco on track to exceed $1 billion of AI infrastructure orders in fiscal 2025.
Other positives were triple-digit growth in Web-Scale orders and greater than 20% in Telco orders. Security revenues and orders more than doubled year-over-year. Cisco said it is starting to see AI orders from Enterprise customers.
BofA Securities: The second-quarter results and third-quarter guidance are above expectations. Excluding Splunk, orders were up 11%, Service Provider and Cloud orders up 63%, and double-digit Data Center and Campus order growth.
Demand is picking up on the back of high network utilization at the macro level following a few years of inventory absorption. AI infrastructure buildouts drive demand across Cloud, Service Provider, and Enterprise verticals.
Cisco was well prepared to address the improving demand, offering a solid portfolio of Optical, Routing, Silicon, and other solutions that cater to these needs. Liani expects continued growth in the second half and 2026.
The rerating reflects Liani&#8217;s belief that Networking should see renewed growth on normalization of Campus switching demand and Ethernet-based AI buildouts, new product announcements should support growth re-acceleration of its Security business, and noted Splunk synergies supporting growth initiatives in Security and Observability.
Additionally, Cisco&#8217;s shift to recurring and subscription revenue is positive and helps support the stock, with 50% of revenue now recurring.
Goldman Sachs: The strength in data center switching and improving Campus switching demand drove the upbeat quarter. Service Provider &amp; Cloud orders strength was driven by AI infrastructure readiness projects, with 20%+ growth in telco and triple-digit growth in webscale, including &gt;$350 million of back-end AI orders, which puts Cisco on track to exceed its $1 billion AI fiscal 2025 order target.
Public Sector orders were up on strength in international public sector demand. U.S. federal represents &lt;10% of total revenue, of which ~75% is the Department of Defense, which Cisco noted is less impacted by government efficiency efforts than civilian agencies.
Ng is encouraged by Cisco&#8217;s order momentum year-to-date, which increases visibility into fiscal 2026 and 2027 targets for 4%-6% annual revenue growth and its conservative outlook for gross margins, which reflect the full potential impacts for tariffs on China, Mexico, and China.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Price Action: CSCO stock is up 2.81% at $64.29 at last check Thursday.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43692627/himax-q4-earnings-beats-estimates-automotive-and-ai-tech-drive-revenue-raises-outlook" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Himax Q4 Earnings: Beats Estimates, Automotive And AI Tech Drive Revenue, Raises Outlook</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

Upgrades

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Cisco's AI Expansion and Cloud Growth Drive Analyst Upgrades And Price Hikes, Citing Growth Like Extreme & Juniper

Citigroup analyst Atif Malik maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $68 to $71.

Citigroup Maintains Buy on Cisco Systems, Raises Price Target to $71

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) has been analyzed by 9 analysts in the last three months, revealing a diverse range of perspectives from bullish to bearish.
The table below provides a snapshot of their recent ratings, showcasing how sentiments have evolved over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts provide deeper insights through their assessments of 12-month price targets, revealing an average target of $69.67, a high estimate of $80.00, and a low estimate of $61.00. This current average has increased by 13.6% from the previous average price target of $61.33. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739469629_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Interpreting Analyst Ratings: A Closer Look</h2>
A comprehensive examination of how financial experts perceive Cisco Systems is derived from recent analyst actions. The following is a detailed summary of key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Mike Genovese</td>
<td>Rosenblatt</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$66.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Ng</td>
<td>Goldman Sachs</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$63.00</td>
<td>$56.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Samik Chatterjee</td>
<td>JP Morgan</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$73.00</td>
<td>$69.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>James Fish</td>
<td>Piper Sandler</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$72.00</td>
<td>$57.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aaron Rakers</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$72.00</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>David Vogt</td>
<td>UBS</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$70.00</td>
<td>$62.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tim Long</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$61.00</td>
<td>$56.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Atif Malik</td>
<td>Citigroup</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$68.00</td>
<td>$64.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Meta Marshall</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$68.00</td>
<td>$62.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: In response to dynamic market conditions and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their reaction to recent developments related to Cisco Systems. This insight gives a snapshot of analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Analysts unravel qualitative evaluations for stocks, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings offer insights into expectations for the relative performance of Cisco Systems compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts gauge the dynamics of price targets, providing estimates for the future value of Cisco Systems's stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
Analyzing these analyst evaluations alongside relevant financial metrics can provide a comprehensive view of Cisco Systems's market position. Stay informed and make data-driven decisions with the assistance of our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CSCO/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Cisco Systems analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Delving into Cisco Systems's Background</h2>
Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff-25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.
<h3>Unraveling the Financial Story of Cisco Systems</h3>
Market Capitalization: Positioned above industry average, the company's market capitalization underscores its superiority in size, indicative of a strong market presence.
Revenue Challenges: Cisco Systems's revenue growth over 3 months faced difficulties. As of 31 October, 2024, the company experienced a decline of approximately -5.64%. This indicates a decrease in top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the revenue growth lags behind its industry peers. The company achieved a growth rate lower than the average among peers in Information Technology sector.
Net Margin: The company's net margin is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive net margin of 19.59%, the company showcases strong profitability and effective cost control.
Return on Equity (ROE): Cisco Systems's ROE lags behind industry averages, suggesting challenges in maximizing returns on equity capital. With an ROE of 5.98%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial performance.
Return on Assets (ROA): Cisco Systems's ROA surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 2.19% ROA, the company effectively utilizes its assets for optimal returns.
Debt Management: Cisco Systems's debt-to-equity ratio is below industry norms, indicating a sound financial structure with a ratio of 0.71.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: Simplified</h2>
Analyst ratings serve as essential indicators of stock performance, provided by experts in banking and financial systems. These specialists diligently analyze company financial statements, participate in conference calls, and engage with insiders to generate quarterly ratings for individual stocks.
Analysts may supplement their ratings with predictions for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue, offering investors a more comprehensive outlook. However, investors should be mindful that analysts, like any human, can have subjective perspectives influencing their forecasts.
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What Analysts Are Saying About Cisco Systems Stock

Rosenblatt analyst Mike Genovese upgrades Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) from Neutral to Buy and raises the price target from $66 to $80.

Rosenblatt Upgrades Cisco Systems to Buy, Raises Price Target to $80

U.S. stocks traded higher midway through trading, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining around 150 points on Thursday.
The Dow traded up 0.33% to 44,513.97 while the NASDAQ rose 0.78% to 19,804.09. The S&amp;P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.51% to 6,082.97.
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43693447/top-wall-street-forecasters-revamp-coinbase-price-expectations-ahead-of-q4-earnings">Top Wall Street Forecasters Revamp Coinbase Price Expectations Ahead Of Q4 Earnings</a>
Leading and Lagging Sectors Consumer discretionary shares jumped by 1.1% on Thursday.
In trading on Thursday, health care shares rose by just by 0.1%.
Top Headline
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results after Wednesday&#8217;s closing bell.
Cisco reported quarterly earnings of 94 cents per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of 91 cents. Quarterly revenue clocked in at $13.9 billion, beating the $13.87 billion consensus estimate.
Cisco said it sees third-quarter EPS between 90 cents and 92 cents, versus the 92 cent estimate, and revenue in a range of $13.9 billion to $14.1 billion, versus the $13.86 billion estimate. The company expects fiscal 2025 EPS between $3.68 and $3.74, versus the $3.66 estimate, and revenue in a range of $56 billion to $56.5 billion, versus the $55.98 billion estimate.
Equities Trading UP &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>AppLovin Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>) shares shot up 34% to $508.36 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and issued first-quarter revenue guidance above estimates.</li>
<li>Shares of Dutch Bros Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BROS#NYSE">BROS</a>)got a boost, surging 30% to $83.96 following better-than-expected quarterly financial results.</li>
<li>Edesa Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EDSA#NASDAQ">EDSA</a>) shares were also up, gaining 88% to $3.50. The company announced a $15 million private placement.</li>
</ul>
Equities Trading DOWN
<ul>
<li>Digital Ally, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DGLY#NASDAQ">DGLY</a>) shares dropped 52% to $0.0746 after the company priced a $15 million underwritten public offering.</li>
<li>Shares of The Trade Desk, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTD#NASDAQ">TTD</a>) were down 32% to $83.28 following downbeat quarterly revenue.</li>
<li>West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WST#NYSE">WST</a>) was down, falling 31% to $223.65 following weak FY25 guidance.</li>
</ul>
Commodities In commodity news, oil traded down 0.4% to $71.10 while gold traded up 0.6% at $2,945.00.
Silver traded down 0.7% to $32.555 on Thursday, while copper rose 0.4% to $4.7220.
Euro zone
European shares were mostly higher today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 rose 1.01%, Germany's DAX 40 rose 1.77% and France's CAC 40 rose 1.57%. Spain's IBEX 35 Index rose 0.39%, while London's FTSE 100 fell 0.56%.
Asia Pacific Markets
Asian markets closed mostly lower on Thursday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 gaining 1.28%, China's Shanghai Composite Index falling 0.42%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index falling 0.20% and India's BSE Sensex falling 0.04%.
Economics
<ul>
<li>The Producer Price Index surged 3.5% year over year in January, according to Thursday&#8217;s release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.</li>
<li>U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 7,000 from the previous week to 213,000 during the first week of February, down from market estimates of 215,000</li>
</ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/02/43692962/top-3-consumer-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-in-february">Top 3 Consumer Stocks You May Want To Dump In February</a></li>
</ul>

Eurozone

Commodities

Intraday Update

BROS

DGLY

EDSA

Nasdaq Surges 150 Points; Cisco Earnings Top Views

Goldman Sachs analyst Michael Ng maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Neutral and raises the price target from $56 to $63.

Goldman Sachs Maintains Neutral on Cisco Systems, Raises Price Target to $63

JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $69 to $73.

JP Morgan Maintains Overweight on Cisco Systems, Raises Price Target to $73

Piper Sandler analyst James Fish maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Neutral and raises the price target from $57 to $72.

Piper Sandler Maintains Neutral on Cisco Systems, Raises Price Target to $72

Wells Fargo analyst Aaron Rakers maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $60 to $72.

Wells Fargo Maintains Equal-Weight on Cisco Systems, Raises Price Target to $72

UBS analyst David Vogt maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Neutral and raises the price target from $62 to $70.

UBS Maintains Neutral on Cisco Systems, Raises Price Target to $70

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Cisco and Mistral AI Partner to Deliver on Cisco's Mission to Transform the Customer Experience with AI

Cisco Empowers Service Providers to Reimagine Networks for AI

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Cisco Study: CEOs in North America Embrace AI, But Knowledge Gaps Threaten Strategic Decisions and Growth

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Cisco Achieves Milestone FedRAMP Authorization for Meraki Cloud Networking Platform

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Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
03:46 PMFeb 20, 2025	CALL	$67.50	Jan 16, 2026	316	1532	1500	103	1487	SWEEP	BULLISH
03:24 PMFeb 14, 2025	CALL	$70.00	Sep 19, 2025	197	5416	2500	68	7970	SWEEP	BULLISH
03:24 PMFeb 14, 2025	CALL	$70.00	Sep 19, 2025	197	2916	2500	37	7970	SWEEP	BULLISH