Cisco Systems vs NVIDIA: Business Model & Financial Comparison 2026
Cisco Systems · Technology / Communication Equipment·NVIDIA · Technology / Semiconductors
Financial Comparison
| Metric | CSCOCisco Systems | NVDANVIDIA |
|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $309.49B | $4.38T |
| Revenue (TTM) | $59.05B | $215.94B |
| Revenue Growth | 9.7% | 73.2% |
| Gross Margin | 64.8% | 71.1% |
| Operating Margin | 24.9% | 65.0% |
| Net Margin | 18.8% | 55.6% |
| Return on Equity | 23.8% | 101.5% |
| P/E (Trailing) | 28.2x | 36.8x |
| P/E (Forward) | 17.3x | 16.7x |
| Free Cash Flow | $10.13B | $58.13B |
| Cash | $15.78B | $62.56B |
| Total Debt | $31.74B | $11.41B |
Data sourced from Yahoo Finance. Green highlights indicate better performance for that metric. Use the interactive tool for real-time data.
Business Model Comparison
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. stands as a leading company in Technology. Generating $59.05 billion in annual revenue (growing 9.7% year-over-year) and carrying a market capitalization of $316.13 billion, the company has cemented its position as a foundational player in the global Communication Equipment landscape. Under the leadership of its leadership team, Cisco Systems, Inc. continues to execute on a multi-year strategic vision that balances growth inve…
Full Cisco Systems analysis →NVIDIA
NVIDIA stands as the world's leading AI computing company and GPU manufacturer. Generating $215.94 billion in annual revenue (growing 73.2% year-over-year) and carrying a market capitalization of $4.46 trillion, the company has cemented its position as a foundational player in the global Semiconductors landscape. Under the leadership of Jensen Huang, NVIDIA continues to execute on a multi-year strategic vision that balances growth investment with…
Full NVIDIA analysis →SWOT Analysis Comparison
Strengths
Cisco Systems
- With a market capitalization of $316.13B, Cisco Systems, Inc. is one of the largest companies in its sector, providing the scale advantages of brand recognition, supplier leverage, and capital access
- Cisco Systems, Inc.'s gross margin of 64.8% is well above industry averages, reflecting pricing power, operational efficiency, or a high-value product mix. The operating margin of 24.9% demonstrates d
- A return on equity of 23.8% demonstrates that Cisco Systems, Inc. generates strong returns from shareholder capital, a hallmark of companies with durable competitive advantages.
NVIDIA
- With a market capitalization of $4.46T, NVIDIA is one of the largest companies in its sector, providing the scale advantages of brand recognition, supplier leverage, and capital access that smaller co
- NVIDIA's gross margin of 71.1% is well above industry averages, reflecting pricing power, operational efficiency, or a high-value product mix. The operating margin of 65.0% demonstrates disciplined co
- Revenue grew 73.2% year-over-year to $215.94B, indicating strong demand for NVIDIA's products and services and outperformance relative to many industry peers.
Weaknesses
Cisco Systems
- Cisco Systems, Inc.'s debt-to-equity ratio of 66.5 indicates meaningful financial leverage. Total debt stands at $31.74B against $15.78B in cash and equivalents.
NVIDIA
- Extreme concentration: top 5 customers (Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Meta, Oracle) likely account for 40%+ of revenue
- US export restrictions on H100/H200 chips to China removed a market that was $3-4B in annual revenue
Opportunities
Cisco Systems
- The rapid advancement of generative AI and large language models presents Cisco Systems, Inc. with opportunities to automate operations, enhance products, and develop new AI-native services. Companies
- Cisco Systems, Inc. operates in the Communication Equipment segment of the broader Technology sector, which represents a $5.0 trillion by 2027 (IDC Global Technology Market). Even modest share gains i
- Emerging markets — particularly India (1.4B people, rapidly growing middle class), Southeast Asia (700M people), and Sub-Saharan Africa — represent significant untapped addressable markets for Cisco S
NVIDIA
- The rapid advancement of generative AI and large language models presents NVIDIA with opportunities to automate operations, enhance products, and develop new AI-native services. Companies in Technolog
- NVIDIA operates in the Semiconductors segment of the broader Technology sector, which represents a $5.0 trillion by 2027 (IDC Global Technology Market). Even modest share gains in this environment tra
- Emerging markets — particularly India (1.4B people, rapidly growing middle class), Southeast Asia (700M people), and Sub-Saharan Africa — represent significant untapped addressable markets for NVIDIA'
Threats
Cisco Systems
- Global economic slowdowns, inflation, or rising interest rates can reduce consumer and enterprise spending. Cisco Systems, Inc.'s revenue is not fully insulated from macroeconomic cycles, and a recess
- Increasing government regulation — particularly data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA), antitrust enforcement, and trade restrictions — poses compliance costs and potential restrictions on Cisco Systems, Inc.
- The technology sector evolves at a pace where today's competitive advantages can erode quickly. New entrants with AI-native approaches, open-source alternatives, or disruptive business models could ch
NVIDIA
- Global economic slowdowns, inflation, or rising interest rates can reduce consumer and enterprise spending. NVIDIA's revenue is not fully insulated from macroeconomic cycles, and a recession scenario
- Increasing government regulation — particularly data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA), antitrust enforcement, and trade restrictions — poses compliance costs and potential restrictions on NVIDIA's business m
- The technology sector evolves at a pace where today's competitive advantages can erode quickly. New entrants with AI-native approaches, open-source alternatives, or disruptive business models could ch
Compare any 2–4 companies with live data
The interactive comparison tool lets you select any companies, see real-time metrics, and export a side-by-side report.
Open Comparison ToolCisco Systems vs NVIDIA: FAQ
- Is Cisco Systems bigger than NVIDIA?
- By market capitalization, NVIDIA is larger at $4.38T vs Cisco Systems's $309.49B.
- Which has better profit margins — Cisco Systems or NVIDIA?
- NVIDIA has higher net profit margins (55.6%) compared to Cisco Systems (18.8%). Gross and operating margins are compared in the table above.
- What sectors do Cisco Systems and NVIDIA operate in?
- Cisco Systems operates in the Technology sector (Communication Equipment). NVIDIA operates in the Technology sector (Semiconductors).
- How does Cisco Systems's revenue compare to NVIDIA's?
- Cisco Systems generates $59.05B in annual revenue (TTM) while NVIDIA generates $215.94B. NVIDIA is the larger company by revenue as of 2026.