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CSCO vs. PG: Cisco Systems vs. Procter & Gamble Stock Comparison

How do Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Cisco Systems (CSCO) is classified in the Information Technology sector (Technology Hardware & Equipment), whereas Procter & Gamble (PG) belongs to Consumer Staples (Household & Personal Products) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
Profile ItemCSCOPG
NameCisco Systems, Inc.The Procter & Gamble Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupTechnology Hardware & EquipmentHousehold & Personal Products
GICS IndustryCommunications EquipmentHousehold Products
GICS Sub-IndustryCommunications EquipmentHousehold Products
Market Capitalization370.01 billion USD383.36 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateFebruary 16, 1990January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CSCO
PG
GSPC
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCSCOPG
Total Return (1Y)40.88%17.45%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)26.81%6.50%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)14.44%5.59%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CSCO
PG
GSPC
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCSCOPG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)36.83%21.15%
Beta (5Y)1.020.35
Max Drawdown (5Y)-36.68%-23.77%
Avg. Volume (3M)18.52M9.19M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CSCO and PG are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. Each dashed Capital Allocation Line uses that stock's own industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCSCOPG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.990.62
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.440.96

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 27.32% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Procter & Gamble (PG) at 29.61% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CSCO.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

27.32%

Max
42.47%
CSCO
27.32%
Q3
19.13%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

29.61%

Max
42.18%
Q3
31.87%
PG
29.61%
Median
17.80%
Q1
9.28%
Min
-14.64%
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 20.95% and Procter & Gamble (PG) at 18.23% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

20.95%

Max
27.60%
CSCO
20.95%
Q3
11.66%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

18.23%

Max
23.47%
PG
18.23%
Q3
12.19%
Median
8.50%
Q1
3.08%
Min
-9.74%
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 26.87% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 27.72% also operates in the top quartile.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

27.72%

Max
36.27%
CSCO
27.72%
Q3
18.36%
Median
8.84%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

26.87%

PG
26.87%
Max
23.94%
Q3
17.03%
Median
13.15%
Q1
10.58%
Min
1.87%
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCSCOPG
ROE (TTM)27.32%29.61%
ROA (TTM)7.98%10.49%
Net Margin (TTM)20.95%18.23%
Operating Margin (TTM)27.72%26.87%
Gross Margin (TTM)64.52%50.59%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 3.26% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 11.78% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for PG.

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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Procter & Gamble (PG) reports EPS growth of 1.69%, ranked against its industry; Cisco Systems (CSCO) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCSCOPG
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.78%3.26%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.57%2.00%
EPS Growth (YoY)--1.69%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--3.91%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 0.93 and Procter & Gamble (PG) at 0.72 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.93

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
Q1
1.32
CSCO
0.93
Min
0.17

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

0.72

Max
4.26
Q3
2.82
Median
1.84
Q1
0.92
PG
0.72
Min
0.65
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their current ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 0.62 and Procter & Gamble (PG) at 0.70 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.62

Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
CSCO
0.62
Median
0.24
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

0.70

Max
2.30
Q3
2.12
Median
0.81
PG
0.70
Q1
0.50
Min
0.01
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCSCOPG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.930.72
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.620.70
Net Debt / EBITDA0.820.94

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 2.57% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 1.73% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.73%

CSCO
1.73%
Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

2.57%

Max
5.00%
PG
2.57%
Q3
2.47%
Median
1.30%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 64.62% keeps its payout in the industry’s typical band, while Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 49.85% pays out more than any of its peers — the most stretched cover in its group.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

49.85%

CSCO
49.85%
Max
32.27%
Q3
14.48%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

64.62%

Max
140.00%
Q3
73.75%
PG
64.62%
Median
46.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCSCOPG
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.73%2.57%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)49.85%64.62%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 28.18 and Procter & Gamble (PG) at 24.91 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

28.18

Max
69.48
Q3
41.02
CSCO
28.18
Median
26.39
Q1
19.36
Min
6.07

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

24.91

Max
37.57
Q3
33.54
PG
24.91
Median
20.03
Q1
15.76
Min
6.45
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 5.84 and Procter & Gamble (PG) at 4.36 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

5.84

Max
11.30
CSCO
5.84
Q3
5.82
Median
2.56
Q1
1.05
Min
0.00

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

4.36

PG
4.36
Max
4.36
Q3
3.57
Median
1.68
Q1
0.76
Min
0.30
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Procter & Gamble (PG) at 7.05 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 7.36 carries an above-peer premium to book — CSCO is pricier on assets.

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

7.36

Max
10.75
CSCO
7.36
Q3
5.52
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33

PG

Household & Personal Products industry group

7.05

Max
12.30
Q3
7.43
PG
7.05
Median
3.44
Q1
1.30
Min
-3.91
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Cisco Systems (CSCO) vs. Procter & Gamble (PG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Household & Personal Products industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Procter & Gamble (PG)
MetricCSCOPG
P/E Ratio (TTM)28.1824.91
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.844.36
P/B Ratio (MRQ)7.367.05
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.02%3.30%