Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO) Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based): CHF36.61 (As of Aug. 06, 2026) — 3837% Above Median

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Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
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Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.

XSWX:CSCO Cisco Systems Inc XSWX:CSCO
75 GF Score
Price CHF97.62
GF Value CHF55.36
! 9 Warning Signs
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What is Cisco Systems Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based)?

Cisco Systems XSWX:CSCO +0.54% 75 Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is CHF36.61 as of Aug. 06, 2026, which is 100% below its 10-year median of 0.93. GuruFocus rates XSWX:CSCO with a GF Scoreâ„¢ of 75/100 and a GF Valueâ„¢ of CHF55.36. The stock has 9 warning signs investors should review. Among 291 Hardware companies, Cisco Systems ranks worse than 82.47% on this metric.

As of today (2026-08-06), Cisco Systems's intrinsic value calculated from the Discounted Earnings model is CHF36.61.

Note: Discounted Earnings model is only suitable for predictable companies (Business Predictability Rank higher than 1-Star). If the company's predictability rank is 1-Star or Not Rated, result may not be accurate due to the low predictability of business and the data will not be stored into our database.

Cisco Systems's Predictability Rank is 2.5-Stars.

Margin of Safety (Earnings Based) using Discounted Earnings model for Cisco Systems is -166.65%.

The historical rank and industry rank for Cisco Systems's Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) or its related term are showing as below:

XSWX:CSCO' s Price-to-DCF (Earnings Based) Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.54   Med: 0.93   Max: 2.67
Current: 2.67

During the past 13 years, the highest Price-to-Intrinsic-Value-DCF (Earnings Based) Ratio of Cisco Systems was 2.67. The lowest was 0.54. And the median was 0.93.

XSWX:CSCO's Price-to-DCF (Earnings Based) is ranked worse than
82.47% of 291 companies
in the Hardware industry
Industry Median: 1.27 vs XSWX:CSCO: 2.67

Cisco Systems  (XSWX:CSCO) Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) Explanation

Unlike valuation methods such as Net Current Asset Value, Tangible Book Value per Share, Graham Number, Median Ratio etc, discounted Cash Flow model evaluates the companies based on their future earnings power instead of their assets.


Be Aware

What you need to know about Discounted Earnings model:

1. The Discounted Earnings model evaluates a company based on its future earnings power
2. Growth is taken into account; therefore a faster growth company is worth more if everything else is the same.
3. Since we are projecting future growth, it is assumed that the company will grow at the same rate as it did during the past 10 years. Therefore this model works better for the companies that are relatively consistent performers.
4. The Discounted Earnings model works poorly for inconsistent performers like cyclicals.
5. Your expected return from the investment is a reasonable discount rate assumption.
6. A larger margin of safety should be required for companies with less predictable businesses.

You can screen for stocks that trade below their Intrinsic Value: DCF (FCF Based) and Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) with the GuruFocus All-in-One Screener. Companies with a high Predictability Rank that trade at a discount to their Intrinsic Value: DCF (FCF Based) and Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) can be found in the screen of Undervalued Predictable Companies.


Cisco Systems Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) Related Terms


Cisco Systems Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Cisco Systems's Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Cisco Systems Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) Chart

Cisco Systems Annual Data
Trend Jul16 Jul17 Jul18 Jul19 Jul20 Jul21 Jul22 Jul23 Jul24 Jul25
Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based)
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 56.11 55.23 0.00 0.00 0.00

Cisco Systems Quarterly Data
Jul21 Oct21 Jan22 Apr22 Jul22 Oct22 Jan23 Apr23 Jul23 Oct23 Jan24 Apr24 Jul24 Oct24 Jan25 Apr25 Jul25 Oct25 Jan26 Apr26
Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 0.00 0.00 0.00 34.53 35.47

XSWX:CSCO vs MSI, HPE, LITE: Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) Comparison

For the Communication Equipment subindustry, Cisco Systems's Price-to-DCF (Earnings Based), along with its competitors' market caps and Price-to-DCF (Earnings Based) data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Cisco Systems Price-to-DCF (Earnings Based) vs Hardware Industry

For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, Cisco Systems's Price-to-DCF (Earnings Based) distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Cisco Systems's Price-to-DCF (Earnings Based) falls into.


XSWX:CSCO
75GF Score
Cisco Systems Inc XSWX:CSCO
Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Cisco Systems Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) Calculation

This is the intrinsic value calculated from the Discounted Earnings model with default parameters. The calculation method is the same as Discounted Cash Flow model except earnings are used in the calculation instead of free cash flow. This is the default method of calculation with GuruFocus DCF calculator.

Usually a two-stage model is used in calculating the intrinsic value with discounted cash flow model. The first stage is called growth stage; the second is called the terminal stage. In the growth stage the company grows at a faster rate. Because it cannot grow at that rate forever, a lower rate is used for the terminal stage.

GuruFocus DCF calculator is a two-stage model. The default values are defined as:

1. Discount Rate: d = 11%
A reasonable discount rate assumption should be at least the long term average return of the stock market, which can be estimated from risk free rate plus risk premium of stock market. GuruFocus uses 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate as the risk-free rate and rounded up to the nearest integer. It is updated daily. The current risk-free rate is 4.64%. Please go to Economic Indicators page for more information. Please note that we use the 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate of the country/region where the company is headquartered. If the data for that country/region is not available, then we will use the 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate of the United States as default. Then we added a risk premium of 6% to get the estimated discount rate. Some investors use their expected rate of return, which is also reasonable. A typical discount rate can be anywhere between 6% - 20%.

2. Growth Rate in the growth stage: g1 = 5.60%
The Growth Rate in the growth stage is initially set as the default 10-Year EPS without NRI Growth Rate. In cases where the 10-year growth rate is unavailable, it defaults to using the 5-Year EPS without NRI Growth Rate. If both the 10-year and 5-year growth rates are unavailable, the system defaults to the 3-Year EPS without NRI Growth Rate.
However, it's important to note that there is a growth rate range. If the calculated growth rate exceeds 20%, it will be capped at 20%. Conversely, if the calculated growth rate falls below 5%, it will be adjusted to 5% to maintain a reasonable range.
=> Cisco Systems's average EPS without NRI Growth Rate in the past 10 years was 5.60%, which is between 5% and 20%. => GuruFocus defaults => Growth Rate: 5.60%

3. Years of Growth Stage: y1 = 10

4. Terminal Growth Rate: g2 = 4%

5. Years of Terminal Growth: y2 = 10

6. EPS without NRI: eps without nri = CHF3.051.
GuruFocus DCF calculator is actually a Discounted Earnings calculator, EPS without NRI is used as the default. The reason we are doing this is we found that historically stock prices are more correlated with earnings than free cash flow.

All of the default settings can be changed and the results are calculated automatically.

Cisco Systems's Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) for today is calculated as:

Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based)=EPS without NRI*{[(1+g1)/(1+d)+(1+g1)^2/(1+d)^2+...+(1+g1)^10/(1+d)^10]
+(1+g1)^10/(1+d)^10*[(1+g2)/(1+d)+(1+g2)^2/(1+d)^2+...+(1+g2)^10/(1+d)^10]}

set x = (1+g1)/(1+d) = (1+0.056)/(1+0.11) = 0.95135135135135
and y = (1+g2)/(1+d) = (1+0.04)/(1+0.11) = 0.93693693693694

Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based)=EPS without NRI*{[x+x^2+...+x^10]+x^10*[y+y^2+...+y^10]}
=EPS without NRI*[x*(1-x^10)/(1-x)+x^10*y*(1-y^10)/(1-y)]
=3.051*11.9984
=36.61

Margin of Safety % (DCF Earnings Based)=(Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based)-Current Price)/Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based)
=(36.61-97.62)/36.61
=-166.65 %

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

What does a Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) of CHF36.61 mean?
Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO) has a Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) of CHF36.61 as of Aug. 06, 2026. Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is the stock value based on a two-stage discounted earnings model. View historical data on Cisco Systems and its competitors. This is 3837% above median its historical median of 0.93. Over the past decade, Cisco Systems' Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) has ranged from 0.54 to 2.67. According to the industry distribution chart, Cisco Systems ranks #240 out of 291 companies in the Hardware industry, placing it in the top 82.5%.
Is Cisco Systems' Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) too high?
Cisco Systems' current Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) of CHF36.61 is 3837% above median its 10-year median of 0.93. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.54 to a high of 2.67. Based on the distribution chart, Cisco Systems ranks #240 out of 291 companies in the Hardware industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Cisco Systems has a GF Scoreâ„¢ of 75/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Cisco Systems' Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) compare to MSI and HPE?
According to the Hardware industry distribution chart, Cisco Systems ranks #240 out of 291 companies for Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based). This places Cisco Systems in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is 1.27. Historically, Cisco Systems' own Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) has ranged from 0.54 to 2.67 over the past decade. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) for a Hardware company?
The median Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) among Hardware companies is 1.27, based on 291 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) mean?
A high Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is the stock value based on a two-stage discounted earnings model. View historical data on Cisco Systems and its competitors. For the Hardware industry, the median Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is 1.27 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Cisco Systems's current Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is CHF36.61, which is 3837% above median its own 10-year median of 0.93. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Cisco Systems stock overvalued right now?
Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO) has a current Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) of CHF36.61. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF55.36, compared to a current price of CHF97.62 — trading 76.3% above its estimated fair value. The current Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is CHF36.61, which is 3837% above median its 10-year median of 0.93. Cisco Systems' overall GF Score™ is 75/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) calculated?
Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO), the current Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is CHF36.61 as of Aug. 06, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Cisco Systems stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of CHF97.62 is trading 76.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF55.36.

Key valuation signals for XSWX:CSCO:

  • Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based): CHF36.61 (3837% above median its 10-year median of 0.93)
  • GF Value™: CHF55.36 vs. price of CHF97.62 (76.3% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 75/100 with 9 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:CSCO stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Cisco Systems Business Description

Address 170 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA, USA, 95134-1706
Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.
75GF Score

Get the complete analysis for XSWX:CSCO

Intrinsic Value: DCF (Earnings Based) is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

CHF97.62
Price
CHF55.36
GF Value