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Cisco SystemsXSWX:CSCO +0.92%81 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.96% as of Apr. 2026, which is 56% below its 10-year median of 11.33. GuruFocus rates XSWX:CSCO with a GF Score™ of 81/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF54.96. The stock has 9 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,716 Hardware companies, Cisco Systems ranks worse than 50.64% on this metric.
Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Cisco Systems's forward rate of return for was 4.96%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Cisco Systems's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:
XSWX:CSCO'
s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 4.06 Med: 11.33 Max: 15.54
Current: 4.19
During the past 13 years, Cisco Systems's highest Forward Rate of Return was 15.54. The lowest was 4.06. And the median was 11.33.
XSWX:CSCO's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked worse than 50.64% of 1716
companies
in the Hardware industry
Industry Median: 4.43
vs XSWX:CSCO: 4.19
Unlike the Earnings Yield %, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Explanation
Unlike the Earnings Yield, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is to make it comparable to the growth rate.
Be Aware
In the Forward Rate of Return calculation, the growth rate is added directly to today's free cash flow yield. Therefore the calculation is reliable only if the company can grow at the same rate in the future as it did in the past. Investors should pay close attention to this when researching growth stocks. A more accurate measurement for return is Return on Capital.
Cisco Systems Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms
Cisco Systems Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Cisco Systems's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % 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 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart
XSWX:CSCO vs MSI, HPE, LITE: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison
For the Communication Equipment subindustry, Cisco Systems's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % 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 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Hardware Industry
For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, Cisco Systems's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Cisco Systems's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.
Cisco Systems Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Calculation
Forward Rate of Return is a concept that Don Yacktman uses in his investment approach. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. He said in the interview (March 2012, when the S&P 500 was at about 1400):
If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.
The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).
Cisco Systems's Forward Rate of Return of Apr. 2026 is
Forward Rate of Return
=
Normalized Free Cash Flow
/
Price
+
5-Year EBITDA Growth Rate
=
2.94533333
/
70.35
+
-0.0133
=
2.86 %
* 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 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 4.96% mean?
Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 4.96% as of Apr. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Cisco Systems and its competitors. This is 56% below median its historical median of 11.33. Over the past decade, Cisco Systems' Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 4.06 to 15.54. According to the industry distribution chart, Cisco Systems ranks #869 out of 1716 companies in the Hardware industry, placing it in the top 50.6%.
Is Cisco Systems' Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Cisco Systems' current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 4.96% is 56% below median its 10-year median of 11.33. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 4.06 to a high of 15.54. The Hardware industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.43. Cisco Systems' value of 4.96% is 12% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Cisco Systems ranks #869 out of 1716 companies in the Hardware industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Cisco Systems has a GF Score™ of 81/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Cisco Systems' Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to MSI and HPE?
According to the Hardware industry distribution chart, Cisco Systems ranks #869 out of 1716 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Cisco Systems in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.43. Cisco Systems' value of 4.96% is 12% above this benchmark. Historically, Cisco Systems' own Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % has ranged from 4.06 to 15.54 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 11.33 vs. the industry median of 4.43, Cisco Systems has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Hardware company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Hardware companies is 4.43, based on 1,716 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Cisco Systems's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 4.96% is 12% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % mean?
A high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Cisco Systems and its competitors. For the Hardware industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.43 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Cisco Systems's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.96%, which is 56% below median its own 10-year median of 11.33. 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 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of 4.96%. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF54.96, compared to a current price of CHF92.12 — trading 67.6% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.96%, which is 56% below median its 10-year median of 11.33 and 12% above the Hardware industry median of 4.43. Cisco Systems' overall GF Score™ is 81/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % calculated?
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 4.96% as of Apr. 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 CHF92.12 is trading 67.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF54.96.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:CSCO:
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: 4.96% (56% below median its 10-year median of 11.33)
GF Value™: CHF54.96 vs. price of CHF92.12 (67.6% above fair value)
Industry Position: 12% above the Hardware median (#869 of 1716)
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 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.
81GF Score
Get the complete analysis for XSWX:CSCO
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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