CSCO vs. WDC: Cisco Systems vs. Western Digital Stock Comparison

Company Profile

Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Western Digital (WDC) both fall under the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group, but CSCO is classified in Communications Equipment while WDC is classified in Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals.

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

Trailing Returns

Calendar-Year Returns

Performance Metrics

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

Return Distribution

Risk Metrics

Western Digital (WDC) carries a highly aggressive beta of 2.13, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas Cisco Systems (CSCO) is closer to market-like at 1.00 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Profitability

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Western Digital (WDC) at 130.85% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 27.32% also sits in the top quartile.

Western Digital (WDC) at 72.95% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 20.95% also retains a top-quartile share.

Western Digital (WDC) at 42.86% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 27.70% also operates in the top quartile.

Profitability Metrics

Growth

Western Digital (WDC) at 50.70% clears its industry range for revenue growth, far stronger top-line momentum than Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 5.30%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

Only one side can be read here: Cisco Systems (CSCO) reports EPS growth of 2.76%, ranked against its industry; Western Digital (WDC) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Growth Metrics

Financial Strength

Western Digital (WDC) at 1.33 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 0.93 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CSCO.

Both Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 0.59 and Western Digital (WDC) at 0.12 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

Financial Strength Metrics

Dividends

Western Digital (WDC) at 0.10% pays an industry-typical yield; Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 1.46% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

Western Digital (WDC) at 2.06% 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.

Dividend Metrics

Valuation

Western Digital (WDC) at 20.08 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 34.15 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for WDC, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 6.95 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Western Digital (WDC) at 13.57 sits in the pricier quartile — WDC costs more per dollar of sales.

Both look rich against book: Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 9.01 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Western Digital (WDC) at 24.33 prices even higher, above its industry range.

Valuation Metrics