ABT vs. CSCO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ABT and CSCO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | ABT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Abbott Laboratories | Cisco Systems, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Communications Equipment |
| Market Capitalization | 230.51 billion USD | 265.76 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | February 16, 1990 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ABT and CSCO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.44% | -3.16% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -2.29% | 4.99% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 0.49% | 5.12% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 18.36% | 34.27% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 4.95% | -1.42% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 17.09% | 13.36% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 5.80M | 27.80M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 6.66M | 20.51M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 24.22% | 19.17% |
| Beta | 0.70 | 0.98 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ABT
29.93%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 34.53%
- Q3
- 19.38%
- Median
- 9.52%
- Q1
- 4.86%
- Min
- -7.58%
In the upper quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, ABT’s Return on Equity of 29.93% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
CSCO
22.74%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 32.05%
- Q3
- 19.58%
- Median
- 11.77%
- Q1
- 2.23%
- Min
- -11.93%
In the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, CSCO’s Return on Equity of 22.74% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ABT
32.43%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 23.34%
- Q3
- 13.06%
- Median
- 9.53%
- Q1
- 5.96%
- Min
- -3.87%
ABT’s Net Profit Margin of 32.43% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
CSCO
18.45%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 23.65%
- Q3
- 14.32%
- Median
- 5.31%
- Q1
- 1.45%
- Min
- -12.72%
A Net Profit Margin of 18.45% places CSCO in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ABT
17.34%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 29.44%
- Q3
- 17.80%
- Median
- 13.95%
- Q1
- 8.73%
- Min
- -3.56%
ABT’s Operating Profit Margin of 17.34% is around the midpoint for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
CSCO
21.38%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 42.27%
- Q3
- 18.90%
- Median
- 6.21%
- Q1
- 2.97%
- Min
- -20.72%
An Operating Profit Margin of 21.38% places CSCO in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 29.93% | 22.74% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 17.41% | 8.58% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.43% | 18.45% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.34% | 21.38% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 56.20% | 65.56% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ABT
1.82
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 3.05
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.49
- Min
- 0.86
ABT’s Current Ratio of 1.82 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
CSCO
1.01
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.72
- Q3
- 1.72
- Median
- 1.46
- Q1
- 1.18
- Min
- 0.93
CSCO’s Current Ratio of 1.01 falls into the lower quartile for the Communications Equipment industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ABT
0.27
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.49
- Q3
- 0.71
- Median
- 0.45
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.00
ABT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 is typical for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
CSCO
0.60
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.55
- Q3
- 0.92
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
CSCO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.60 is typical for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ABT
38.30
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 58.29
- Q3
- 25.56
- Median
- 9.06
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- -28.92
ABT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 38.30 is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
CSCO
20.35
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 181.73
- Q3
- 113.63
- Median
- 7.59
- Q1
- 3.82
- Min
- -5.39
CSCO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 20.35 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.82 | 1.01 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.14 | 0.92 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.27 | 0.60 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 38.30 | 20.35 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ABT
1.73%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.05%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.71%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ABT’s Dividend Yield of 1.73% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
CSCO
2.42%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.88%
- Q3
- 2.75%
- Median
- 0.93%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSCO’s Dividend Yield of 2.42% is consistent with its peers in the Communications Equipment industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ABT
28.42%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 160.00%
- Q3
- 72.47%
- Median
- 27.49%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ABT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 28.42% is within the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
CSCO
61.58%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 111.16%
- Q3
- 55.91%
- Median
- 28.42%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSCO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 61.58% is in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.73% | 2.42% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 28.42% | 61.58% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ABT
16.47
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 73.48
- Q3
- 51.69
- Median
- 34.31
- Q1
- 25.74
- Min
- 11.47
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, ABT’s P/E Ratio of 16.47 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
CSCO
25.42
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 57.30
- Q3
- 47.92
- Median
- 27.50
- Q1
- 17.89
- Min
- 13.89
CSCO’s P/E Ratio of 25.42 is within the middle range for the Communications Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ABT
5.34
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.53
- Q3
- 5.26
- Median
- 3.39
- Q1
- 2.13
- Min
- 0.00
ABT’s P/S Ratio of 5.34 is in the upper echelon for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
CSCO
4.69
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 11.03
- Q3
- 5.53
- Median
- 2.20
- Q1
- 0.99
- Min
- 0.40
CSCO’s P/S Ratio of 4.69 aligns with the market consensus for the Communications Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ABT
4.68
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 10.85
- Q3
- 5.98
- Median
- 3.48
- Q1
- 2.43
- Min
- 0.69
ABT’s P/B Ratio of 4.68 is within the conventional range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
CSCO
5.71
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 9.66
- Q3
- 5.60
- Median
- 3.73
- Q1
- 2.67
- Min
- 0.30
CSCO’s P/B Ratio of 5.71 is in the upper tier for the Communications Equipment industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ABT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 16.47 | 25.42 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.34 | 4.69 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 4.68 | 5.71 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 33.99 | 20.00 |