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

Updated on November 20, 2025

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

Company Profile

Symbol	CSCO	XYZ
Company Name	Cisco Systems, Inc.	Block, Inc.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Information Technology	Financials
GICS Industry	Communications Equipment	Financial Services
Market Capitalization	313.01 billion USD	36.37 billion USD
Exchange	NasdaqGS	NYSE
Listing Date	February 16, 1990	November 19, 2015
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of CSCO and XYZ 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	CSCO	XYZ
5-Day Price Return	8.20%	-9.46%
13-Week Price Return	17.82%	-20.21%
26-Week Price Return	26.25%	3.97%
52-Week Price Return	31.80%	-29.53%
Month-to-Date Return	6.69%	-20.36%
Year-to-Date Return	31.76%	-28.84%
10-Day Avg. Volume	29.12M	8.46M
3-Month Avg. Volume	19.91M	9.08M
3-Month Volatility	22.61%	41.27%
Beta	0.85	2.71

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.

XYZ

14.35%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 34.42%
Q3: 16.76%
Median: 9.18%
Q1: 3.90%
Min: -10.16%

XYZ’s Return on Equity of 14.35% is on par with the norm for the Financial Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

CSCO vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

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.

XYZ

13.08%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 52.16%
Q3: 25.33%
Median: 13.11%
Q1: 7.04%
Min: -8.99%

XYZ’s Net Profit Margin of 13.08% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Financial Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

CSCO vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

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.

XYZ

5.16%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 81.07%
Q3: 40.32%
Median: 19.93%
Q1: 10.20%
Min: -34.40%

XYZ’s Operating Profit Margin of 5.16% is in the lower quartile for the Financial Services industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

CSCO vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	CSCO	XYZ
Return on Equity (TTM)	22.31%	14.35%
Return on Assets (TTM)	8.53%	8.41%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	17.90%	13.08%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	22.12%	5.16%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	64.85%	40.87%

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.

XYZ

2.18

Financial Services Industry

Max: 4.36
Q3: 2.26
Median: 1.33
Q1: 0.86
Min: 0.01

For the Financial Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

CSCO vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

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.

XYZ

0.35

Financial Services Industry

Max: 5.07
Q3: 2.14
Median: 0.55
Q1: 0.11
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Financial Services industry.

CSCO vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

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.

XYZ

12.18

Financial Services Industry

Max: 140.54
Q3: 57.67
Median: 6.72
Q1: 1.93
Min: -33.27

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial Services industry.

CSCO vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	CSCO	XYZ
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.93	2.18
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.83	2.15
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.60	0.35
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	22.76	12.18

Growth

Revenue Growth

CSCO vs. XYZ: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

CSCO vs. XYZ: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

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.

XYZ

0.00%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 7.52%
Q3: 3.60%
Median: 1.75%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

XYZ 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 vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

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.

XYZ

0.00%

Financial Services Industry

Max: 132.10%
Q3: 64.32%
Median: 17.51%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

XYZ 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 vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	CSCO	XYZ
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.10%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	62.56%	0.00%

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.

XYZ

13.79

Financial Services Industry

Max: 46.13
Q3: 28.79
Median: 13.18
Q1: 9.14
Min: 0.47

XYZ’s P/E Ratio of 13.79 is within the middle range for the Financial Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

CSCO vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

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.

XYZ

1.80

Financial Services Industry

Max: 9.71
Q3: 4.81
Median: 2.49
Q1: 1.25
Min: 0.04

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.

CSCO vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

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.

XYZ

1.96

Financial Services Industry

Max: 7.21
Q3: 3.51
Median: 1.52
Q1: 0.88
Min: 0.08

XYZ’s P/B Ratio of 1.96 is within the conventional range for the Financial 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.

CSCO vs. XYZ: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Communications Equipment and Financial Services industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	CSCO	XYZ
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	29.77	13.79
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	5.33	1.80
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	6.00	1.96
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	24.15	23.44