CSCO vs MSFT: Cisco Systems and Microsoft compared
The short version
From the latest prices and each company's SEC filings. Who's ahead on each measure, not which to buy.
- Microsoft is the larger company, worth $4.14T, about 7.6 times Cisco Systems.
- Microsoft grew revenue faster over the last year (+17.8% vs +17.6%).
- Microsoft keeps more of each dollar of revenue as operating profit (46.8% vs 24.3%).
- On earnings, Microsoft is the cheaper stock (33.2x vs 45.8x).
- Microsoft's price assumes faster free cash flow growth: about 20% a year, against 15% for Cisco Systems (reverse DCF).
Side by side
The stronger figure is shaded where higher (or, for valuation multiples, lower) reads as better. How the implied growth works.
| Measure | CSCO | MSFT |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $542.6B | $4.14T |
| Share price | $118.39 | $535.07 |
| Revenue (last fiscal year) | $63.3B | $331.8B |
| Free cash flow (last fiscal year) | $12.8B | $67.0B |
| Revenue growth, last year | +17.6% | +17.8% |
| Revenue growth per year, last 5 fiscal years | +5.3% | +13.7% |
| Operating margin | 24.3% | 46.8% |
| Net margin | 20.9% | 40.3% |
| Return on equity | 26.4% | 30.2% |
| P/E (trailing) | 45.8x | 33.2x |
| Price / free cash flow | 40.8x | 57.8x |
| EV / EBITDA | 23.6x | 19.1x |
| FCF growth the price implies | 14.9% | 19.8% |
| Dividend yield | 1.2% | 0.66% |
| Debt / equity | 1.58x | 0.71x |
| Fundamental grade | B | B |
| Superinvestors holding it | 15 | 33 |
| Insider purchases, last 12 months | 10 | 10 |
Results from SEC filings
Revenue and free cash flow by fiscal year, from each company's 10-K filings.
Cisco Systems
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $51.6B | $12.7B | 27.1% |
| 2023 | $57.0B | $19.0B | 26.4% |
| 2024 | $53.8B | $10.2B | 22.6% |
| 2025 | $56.7B | $13.3B | 20.8% |
| 2026 | $63.3B | $12.8B | 24.3% |
Microsoft
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $198.3B | $65.1B | 42.1% |
| 2023 | $211.9B | $59.5B | 41.8% |
| 2024 | $245.1B | $74.1B | 44.6% |
| 2025 | $281.7B | $71.6B | 45.6% |
| 2026 | $331.8B | $67.0B | 46.8% |
Where the revenue comes from
Cisco Systems · by segments, 2026
Americas$37.8B60%
EMEA$16.6B26%
APJC$8.9B14%
Microsoft · by segments, 2026
Productivity and Business Processes$140.0B42%
Intelligent Cloud$137.8B42%
More Personal Computing$54.1B16%
Compare them in fullFifteen years of statements, quarterly results, DCF and IRR models, and any number of peers side by side.
Open CSCO in InvestinglyQuestions
Which is bigger, Cisco Systems or Microsoft?
Microsoft (MSFT), at $4.14T against $542.6B.
Is CSCO or MSFT cheaper?
By trailing P/E, Microsoft (33.2x) is cheaper than Cisco Systems (45.8x). A lower multiple can also mean the market expects less growth.
Which grows faster, CSCO or MSFT?
Microsoft: revenue grew +17.8% over the last year, against +17.6%.
Prices and ratios as of the last daily update; statements from SEC filings. Information only, not investment advice.