CiscoCSCODON'T BUYApr 11, 2013Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Sep 04, 2026. Market Open.
Like Apple it was sort of a sleeper last year. It sells processes and analogue chips, very different than GPU's. Is involved in networking products and services. The AI stack explosion needed their products and technology. It is fully priced according to analysts' price targets.
Kudos on that choice, because it's not been a market darling (since the dot-com bubble). Riding coattails of stronger players in the space, catching the halo effect. The old adage: "No one ever went broke taking a profit" -- good risk management.
Prefers, and owns, ANET.
Part of IT infrastructure, but $27B acquisition of Splunk really helped drive security business. Finally hit a new high (previous high was March 27, 2000). Phenomenal allocator of capital. Compelling buy. Every year, buys back stock and raises dividend.
Finally growing revenues again, he's looking for mid-high single-digit revenue growth. AI will bring a much higher recurring revenue stream. Its solutions are so embedded in businesses, he's not worried about clients trying to go it alone with AI.
Carrying the legacy of a growth company in a new era. That new era is that it’s really a mature technology company in the likes of Microsoft or Hewlett-Packard. Earnings are growing at about 5%-7% so it shouldn’t command as high a multiple as it did. Have some headwinds in terms of the piece of its business that is allocated to government spending. Also, heavily linked to housing market and housing formation, which has been a bit of a headwind as well as an opportunity. Better places in the technology area to be.