ALAB vs. CSCO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on July 8, 2025

Here’s a clear look at ALAB and CSCO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Overview

CSCO’s market capitalization of 274.71 billion USD is significantly greater than ALAB’s 14.97 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.

ALAB’s beta of 1.40 points to significantly higher volatility compared to CSCO (beta: 0.88), suggesting ALAB has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.

Symbol	ALAB	CSCO
Company Name	Astera Labs, Inc. Common Stock	Cisco Systems, Inc.
Country	US	US
Sector	Technology	Technology
Industry	Semiconductors	Communication Equipment
CEO	Jitendra Mohan	Charles H. Robbins
Price	90.8 USD	69.37 USD
Market Cap	14.97 billion USD	274.71 billion USD
Beta	1.40	0.88
Exchange	NASDAQ	NASDAQ
IPO Date	March 20, 2024	February 16, 1990
ADR	No	No

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of ALAB 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.

ALAB vs. CSCO: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Profitability

Return on Equity

ALAB

4.43%

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 41.84%
Q3: 15.81%
Median: 6.31%
Q1: -5.54%
Min: -30.12%

ALAB’s Return on Equity of 4.43% is on par with the norm for the Semiconductors industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

CSCO

21.50%

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 30.07%
Q3: 8.07%
Median: 1.84%
Q1: -11.93%
Min: -31.65%

In the upper quartile for the Communication Equipment industry, CSCO’s Return on Equity of 21.50% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their ROE against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Return on Invested Capital

ALAB

-4.25%

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 30.91%
Q3: 11.34%
Median: 4.08%
Q1: -2.17%
Min: -19.59%

ALAB has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -4.25%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.

CSCO

11.48%

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 11.59%
Q3: 6.61%
Median: 2.97%
Q1: -2.58%
Min: -13.18%

In the upper quartile for the Communication Equipment industry, CSCO’s Return on Invested Capital of 11.48% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their ROIC against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin

ALAB

8.44%

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 51.69%
Q3: 19.67%
Median: 8.56%
Q1: -5.44%
Min: -38.60%

ALAB’s Net Profit Margin of 8.44% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Semiconductors industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

CSCO

17.60%

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 23.65%
Q3: 9.21%
Median: 2.46%
Q1: -8.56%
Min: -29.87%

A Net Profit Margin of 17.60% places CSCO in the upper quartile for the Communication Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin

ALAB

-4.45%

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 58.03%
Q3: 22.12%
Median: 8.40%
Q1: -3.73%
Min: -36.14%

ALAB has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -4.45%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

CSCO

20.30%

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 30.72%
Q3: 11.64%
Median: 5.79%
Q1: -2.28%
Min: -18.20%

An Operating Profit Margin of 20.30% places CSCO in the upper quartile for the Communication Equipment industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their Operating Margin against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	ALAB	CSCO
Return on Equity (TTM)	4.43%	21.50%
Return on Assets (TTM)	3.69%	8.17%
Return on Invested Capital (TTM)	-4.25%	11.48%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	8.44%	17.60%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	-4.45%	20.30%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	75.76%	65.24%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio

ALAB

13.92

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 9.10
Q3: 5.23
Median: 3.09
Q1: 2.49
Min: 1.02

ALAB’s Current Ratio of 13.92 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Semiconductors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.

CSCO

0.95

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 3.40
Q3: 2.59
Median: 1.62
Q1: 1.32
Min: 0.86

CSCO’s Current Ratio of 0.95 falls into the lower quartile for the Communication Equipment industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their Current Ratio against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio

ALAB

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 0.97
Q3: 0.46
Median: 0.21
Q1: 0.05
Min: 0.00

Debt-to-Equity Ratio data for ALAB is currently unavailable.

CSCO

0.64

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 1.82
Q3: 1.00
Median: 0.53
Q1: 0.20
Min: 0.02

CSCO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.64 is typical for the Communication Equipment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their D/E Ratio against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio

ALAB

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 36.25
Q3: 29.12
Median: 7.01
Q1: -1.22
Min: -18.18

Interest Coverage Ratio data for ALAB is currently unavailable.

CSCO

6.87

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 16.12
Q3: 9.22
Median: 2.52
Q1: -0.75
Min: -12.07

CSCO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 6.87 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Communication Equipment industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their Interest Coverage against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	ALAB	CSCO
Current Ratio (TTM)	13.92	0.95
Quick Ratio (TTM)	13.26	0.87
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM)	--	0.64
Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM)	--	0.24
Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM)	4.76	1.39
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	6.87

Growth

The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ALAB and CSCO. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.

Revenue Growth

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Revenue Growth.

Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth.

Free Cash Flow Growth

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Free Cash Flow Growth.

Dividend

Dividend Yield

ALAB

0.00%

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 6.48%
Q3: 0.93%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ALAB currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

CSCO

2.34%

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 4.72%
Q3: 0.38%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 2.34%, CSCO offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Communication Equipment industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their Dividend Yield against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio

ALAB

0.00%

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 204.29%
Q3: 31.85%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ALAB has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

CSCO

65.54%

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 91.96%
Q3: 26.44%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CSCO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 65.54% is in the upper quartile for the Communication 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.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their Payout Ratio against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	ALAB	CSCO
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	2.34%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	65.54%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio

ALAB

357.98

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 86.15
Q3: 47.38
Median: 27.87
Q1: 18.89
Min: 4.73

At 357.98, ALAB’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Semiconductors industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.

CSCO

28.20

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 44.37
Q3: 41.98
Median: 30.61
Q1: 23.44
Min: 2.14

CSCO’s P/E Ratio of 28.20 is within the middle range for the Communication 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.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their P/E Ratio against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Forward P/E to Growth Ratio

ALAB

10.80

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 4.73
Q3: 2.80
Median: 1.11
Q1: 0.68
Min: 0.01

The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Semiconductors industry.

CSCO

3.99

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 15.97
Q3: 6.99
Median: 2.78
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.05

The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Communication Equipment industry.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their Forward PEG Ratio against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio

ALAB

30.53

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 21.96
Q3: 10.21
Median: 4.45
Q1: 2.32
Min: 0.48

With a P/S Ratio of 30.53, ALAB trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Semiconductors industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

CSCO

4.94

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 6.38
Q3: 3.88
Median: 2.17
Q1: 1.15
Min: 0.37

CSCO’s P/S Ratio of 4.94 is in the upper echelon for the Communication Equipment 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.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their P/S Ratio against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio

ALAB

14.23

Semiconductors Industry

Max: 13.12
Q3: 6.49
Median: 3.31
Q1: 1.74
Min: 0.23

At 14.23, ALAB’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Semiconductors industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

CSCO

6.01

Communication Equipment Industry

Max: 14.42
Q3: 7.01
Median: 3.09
Q1: 1.38
Min: 0.41

CSCO’s P/B Ratio of 6.01 is within the conventional range for the Communication Equipment 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.

ALAB vs. CSCO: A comparison of their P/B Ratio against their respective Semiconductors and Communication Equipment industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	ALAB	CSCO
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM)	357.98	28.20
Forward PEG Ratio (TTM)	10.80	3.99
Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM)	30.53	4.94
Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM)	14.23	6.01
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM)	138.44	21.46
EV-to-EBITDA (TTM)	-820.32	19.54
EV-to-Sales (TTM)	30.35	5.32