CSCO vs. HPE: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CSCO and HPE, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | CSCO | HPE |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Cisco Systems, Inc. | Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Communications Equipment | Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals |
| Market Capitalization | 313.01 billion USD | 27.98 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | February 16, 1990 | October 19, 2015 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CSCO and HPE 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 | HPE |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 8.20% | -7.25% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 17.82% | -1.85% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 26.25% | 18.94% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 31.80% | -0.52% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 6.69% | -13.06% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 31.76% | -0.56% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 29.12M | 33.03M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 19.91M | 25.88M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 22.61% | 38.81% |
| Beta | 0.85 | 1.36 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CSCO
22.31%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 31.28%
- Q3
- 24.67%
- Median
- 13.12%
- Q1
- 4.60%
- Min
- -12.73%
CSCO’s Return on Equity of 22.31% is on par with the norm for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
HPE
5.08%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 56.93%
- Q3
- 29.31%
- Median
- 7.95%
- Q1
- 5.02%
- Min
- -7.45%
HPE’s Return on Equity of 5.08% is on par with the norm for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CSCO
17.90%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 28.72%
- Q3
- 14.02%
- Median
- 5.41%
- Q1
- 2.50%
- Min
- -13.11%
A Net Profit Margin of 17.90% places CSCO in the upper quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
HPE
3.77%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 17.92%
- Q3
- 8.33%
- Median
- 4.15%
- Q1
- 1.88%
- Min
- -3.36%
HPE’s Net Profit Margin of 3.77% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CSCO
22.12%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 33.69%
- Q3
- 15.81%
- Median
- 6.02%
- Q1
- 3.00%
- Min
- -4.94%
An Operating Profit Margin of 22.12% 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.
HPE
3.91%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 20.70%
- Q3
- 10.85%
- Median
- 6.05%
- Q1
- 3.54%
- Min
- -4.90%
HPE’s Operating Profit Margin of 3.91% is around the midpoint for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | HPE |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 22.31% | 5.08% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.53% | 1.74% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.90% | 3.77% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 22.12% | 3.91% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 64.85% | 29.45% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CSCO
0.93
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.28
- Q3
- 2.10
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 1.17
- Min
- 0.91
CSCO’s Current Ratio of 0.93 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.
HPE
0.95
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 2.51
- Q3
- 1.90
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.11
HPE’s Current Ratio of 0.95 falls into the lower quartile for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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)
CSCO
0.60
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.44
- Q3
- 0.96
- Median
- 0.43
- Q1
- 0.21
- 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.
HPE
0.97
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 1.34
- Q3
- 0.82
- Median
- 0.42
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.00
HPE’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.97. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
22.76
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 55.49
- Q3
- 34.19
- Median
- 8.92
- 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.
HPE
116.71
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 143.63
- Q3
- 62.44
- Median
- 17.59
- Q1
- 5.32
- Min
- -23.93
HPE’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 116.71 is in the upper quartile for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | HPE |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.93 | 0.95 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.83 | 0.69 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.60 | 0.97 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 22.76 | 116.71 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CSCO
2.10%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 2.99%
- Q3
- 2.30%
- Median
- 0.91%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSCO’s Dividend Yield of 2.10% is consistent with its peers in the Communications Equipment industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
HPE
2.74%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 4.93%
- Q3
- 3.31%
- Median
- 1.70%
- Q1
- 0.01%
- Min
- 0.00%
HPE’s Dividend Yield of 2.74% is consistent with its peers in the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
62.56%
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 111.16%
- Q3
- 61.16%
- Median
- 30.78%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CSCO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 62.56% 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.
HPE
24.59%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 136.56%
- Q3
- 76.58%
- Median
- 35.95%
- Q1
- 0.01%
- Min
- 0.00%
HPE’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 24.59% is within the typical range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CSCO | HPE |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.10% | 2.74% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 62.56% | 24.59% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CSCO
29.77
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 74.67
- Q3
- 56.42
- Median
- 31.00
- Q1
- 15.93
- Min
- 3.89
CSCO’s P/E Ratio of 29.77 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.
HPE
22.38
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 43.58
- Q3
- 27.14
- Median
- 21.23
- Q1
- 15.28
- Min
- 8.31
HPE’s P/E Ratio of 22.38 is within the middle range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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)
CSCO
5.33
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 11.84
- Q3
- 5.68
- Median
- 2.55
- Q1
- 1.24
- Min
- 0.40
CSCO’s P/S Ratio of 5.33 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.
HPE
0.84
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 6.35
- Q3
- 3.45
- Median
- 0.96
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.04
HPE’s P/S Ratio of 0.84 aligns with the market consensus for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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
6.00
Communications Equipment Industry
- Max
- 6.02
- Q3
- 6.01
- Median
- 3.83
- Q1
- 2.41
- Min
- 0.42
CSCO’s P/B Ratio of 6.00 is within the conventional range for the Communications 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.
HPE
1.11
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 13.94
- Q3
- 8.15
- Median
- 1.85
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.32
HPE’s P/B Ratio of 1.11 is within the conventional range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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 | HPE |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 29.77 | 22.38 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.33 | 0.84 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 6.00 | 1.11 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 24.15 | 12.99 |