CSCO vs. CTSH: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CSCO and CTSH, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | CSCO | CTSH |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Cisco Systems, Inc. | Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Communications Equipment | IT Services |
| Market Capitalization | 271.78 billion USD | 32.71 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | February 16, 1990 | June 19, 1998 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CSCO and CTSH 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 | CSCO | CTSH |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.33% | -1.89% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -0.51% | -14.05% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 11.97% | -13.85% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 29.18% | -12.77% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 0.48% | -7.17% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 16.13% | -12.78% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 21.60M | 5.32M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 19.74M | 3.92M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.80% | 22.92% |
| Beta | 0.87 | 0.98 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CSCO
22.18%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 32.30%
- Q3
- 20.90%
- Median
- 9.10%
- Q1
- 4.29%
- Min
- -13.50%
In the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, CSCO’s Return on Equity of 22.18% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
CTSH
16.50%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 32.78%
- Q3
- 19.28%
- Median
- 13.86%
- Q1
- 5.50%
- Min
- -10.00%
CTSH’s Return on Equity of 16.50% is on par with the norm for the IT Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CSCO
17.97%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 23.65%
- Q3
- 12.56%
- Median
- 5.62%
- Q1
- 2.50%
- Min
- -3.09%
A Net Profit Margin of 17.97% places CSCO in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
CTSH
11.89%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 19.71%
- Q3
- 11.01%
- Median
- 6.66%
- Q1
- 2.96%
- Min
- -6.22%
A Net Profit Margin of 11.89% places CTSH in the upper quartile for the IT Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CSCO
20.76%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 25.23%
- Q3
- 13.72%
- Median
- 6.44%
- Q1
- 3.00%
- Min
- -10.95%
An Operating Profit Margin of 20.76% 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.
CTSH
15.42%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 22.44%
- Q3
- 14.90%
- Median
- 8.82%
- Q1
- 4.91%
- Min
- -9.89%
An Operating Profit Margin of 15.42% places CTSH in the upper quartile for the IT Services 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 | CSCO | CTSH |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 22.18% | 16.50% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.37% | 12.14% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.97% | 11.89% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 20.76% | 15.42% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 64.94% | 34.18% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CSCO
1.00
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.33
- Q3
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.91
CSCO’s Current Ratio of 1.00 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.
CTSH
2.41
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 3.17
- Q3
- 2.00
- Median
- 1.47
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.52
CTSH’s Current Ratio of 2.41 is in the upper quartile for the IT Services industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CSCO
0.60
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.44
- Q3
- 0.86
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.22
- 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.
CTSH
0.04
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 3.11
- Q3
- 1.55
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.17
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the IT Services industry, CTSH’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.04 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
22.76
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 55.49
- Q3
- 34.19
- Median
- 7.59
- Q1
- 3.73
- Min
- -9.94
CSCO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 22.76 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
CTSH
100.81
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 129.00
- Q3
- 56.00
- Median
- 11.69
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- -28.15
CTSH’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 100.81 is in the upper quartile for the IT Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | CTSH |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.00 | 2.41 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.91 | 2.41 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.60 | 0.04 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 22.76 | 100.81 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CSCO
2.37%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 8.13%
- Q3
- 3.29%
- Median
- 0.94%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSCO’s Dividend Yield of 2.37% is consistent with its peers in the Communications Equipment industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
CTSH
1.86%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 2.79%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.58%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 1.86%, CTSH offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the IT Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
63.23%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 111.16%
- Q3
- 70.91%
- Median
- 30.78%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSCO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 63.23% is within the typical range for the Communications Equipment industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
CTSH
24.92%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 107.85%
- Q3
- 52.62%
- Median
- 22.53%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CTSH’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 24.92% is within the typical range for the IT Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | CTSH |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.37% | 1.86% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 63.23% | 24.92% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
26.70
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 103.74
- Q3
- 61.65
- Median
- 26.20
- Q1
- 18.12
- Min
- 4.19
CSCO’s P/E Ratio of 26.70 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.
CTSH
13.36
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 56.41
- Q3
- 33.17
- Median
- 23.17
- Q1
- 16.18
- Min
- 6.62
In the lower quartile for the IT Services industry, CTSH’s P/E Ratio of 13.36 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
4.80
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 6.86
- Q3
- 6.24
- Median
- 2.44
- Q1
- 1.02
- Min
- 0.48
CSCO’s P/S Ratio of 4.80 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.
CTSH
1.59
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 5.99
- Q3
- 4.26
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.12
CTSH’s P/S Ratio of 1.59 aligns with the market consensus for the IT Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CSCO
5.74
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 6.28
- Q3
- 5.73
- Median
- 3.32
- Q1
- 2.02
- Min
- 0.42
CSCO’s P/B Ratio of 5.74 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.
CTSH
2.52
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 12.34
- Q3
- 7.54
- Median
- 3.84
- Q1
- 2.52
- Min
- 0.88
CTSH’s P/B Ratio of 2.52 is within the conventional range for the IT Services 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | CTSH |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 26.70 | 13.36 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.80 | 1.59 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.74 | 2.52 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 20.45 | 14.26 |