ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. Cisco Systems's annualized return on invested capital (ROIC %) for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 was 10.68%.
As of today (2026-06-27), Cisco Systems's WACC % is 8.83%. Cisco Systems's ROIC % is 10.17% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Cisco Systems generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO) ROIC % Explanation
ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. The reason book values of debt and equity are used is because the book values are the capital the company received when issuing the debt or receiving the equity investments.
There are four key components to this definition. The first is the use of operating income or EBIT rather than net income in the numerator. The second is the tax adjustment to this operating income or EBIT, computed as a hypothetical tax based on an effective or marginal tax rate. The third is the use of book values for invested capital, rather than market values. The final is the timing difference; the capital invested is from the end of the prior year whereas the operating income or EBIT is the current year's number.
Why is ROIC % important?
Because it costs money to raise capital. A firm that generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases, whereas a firm that earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital will destroy value as it grows.
As of today, Cisco Systems's WACC % is 8.83%. Cisco Systems's ROIC % is 10.17% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Cisco Systems generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
Be Aware
Like ROE % and ROA %, ROIC % is calculated with only 12 months of data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective.
Cisco Systems ROIC % Related Terms
Cisco Systems ROIC % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Cisco Systems's ROIC % 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.
For the Communication Equipment subindustry, Cisco Systems's ROIC %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROIC % 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 ROIC % vs Hardware Industry
For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, Cisco Systems's ROIC % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Cisco Systems's ROIC % falls into.
Note:
The Operating Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Apr. 2026) data.
The tax rate is limited to between 0% and 100%.
* 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 (XSWX:CSCO) has a ROIC % of 10.68% as of Apr. 2026. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on Cisco Systems and its competitors.
Is Cisco Systems' ROIC % too high?
Cisco Systems' current ROIC % is 10.68%. The Hardware industry median ROIC % is 4.12. Cisco Systems' value of 10.68% is 159.5% above this industry median. Overall, Cisco Systems has a GF Score™ of 83/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Cisco Systems' ROIC % compare to CIEN and MSI?
Cisco Systems' ROIC % of 10.68% can be compared against companies in the Hardware industry. The industry median ROIC % is 4.12. Cisco Systems' value of 10.68% is 159.5% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROIC % for a Hardware company?
The median ROIC % among Hardware companies is 4.12, based on 2,444 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROIC % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROIC % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Cisco Systems's current ROIC % of 10.68% is 159.5% 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 ROIC % mean?
A high ROIC % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on Cisco Systems and its competitors. For the Hardware industry, the median ROIC % is 4.12 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Cisco Systems's current ROIC % is 10.68%. 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?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF55.99, compared to a current price of CHF93.27 — trading 66.6% above its estimated fair value. The current ROIC % is 10.68% and 159.5% above the Hardware industry median of 4.12. Cisco Systems' overall GF Score™ is 83/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROIC % calculated?
ROIC % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Cisco Systems (XSWX:CSCO), the current ROIC % is 10.68% 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 CHF93.27 is trading 66.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF55.99.
GuruFocus considers Cisco Systems to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:CSCO:
ROIC %: 10.68%
GF Value™: CHF55.99 vs. price of CHF93.27 (66.6% above fair value)
Industry Position: 159.5% above the Hardware median
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.
83GF Score
Get the complete analysis for XSWX:CSCO
ROIC % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
XSWX:CSCO has been successfully added to your 
