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25 Years Later, Cisco Finally Recovers From the Dot-Com Crash

Submitted by Jordan Chussler. Article Posted: 12/17/2025. 

In Brief

• After 25 years, Cisco’s share price has finally recovered from its post-dot-com crash lows.
• The long journey required a rebrand of its services, including a focus on AI services and subscriptions.
• The company has now rewarded shareholders with earnings beats in 32 out of the past 33 quarters dating back to 2017.

After 25 years, shares of networking hardware, software and telecommunications equipment provider Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) have finally rebounded from the lows reached during the dot-com crash in March 2000. 

Having bottomed out at $10.32 on Oct. 11, 2002, the stock has gained more than 658% since, and it has posted an impressive string of results that includes 32 earnings beats in its last 33 quarters dating back to Q3 2017. 

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Cisco’s share-price recovery isn’t the only notable development. The company not only survived decades of severe decline, it also reinvented itself to stay relevant amid fierce competition from other tech companies. 

Here’s what current shareholders and prospective investors should know going forward.  

How Cisco Rebranded With a Multi-Pronged Approach

Cisco’s turnaround hinged on reshaping itself from a legacy hardware vendor into a key partner for customers’ digital transformation. The company adopted several strategic moves that shifted its identity and revenue mix.

Founded in 1984 by two Stanford engineers, Cisco helped commercialize network hardware components such as routers and switches, becoming indispensable to IT infrastructure.   

After the dot-com crash and its aftermath, Cisco broadened its portfolio to move beyond hardware. Today the firm offers software-defined networking, cybersecurity, and edge and cloud computing solutions that help organizations build and manage modern IT environments.

That shift required a multi-pronged strategy: moving from one-off hardware sales to subscription services, investing in AI capabilities, and delivering end-to-end solutions for customers. 

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

Subscriptions have played a central role in the transformation. Cisco has steadily shifted from one-time hardware transactions toward recurring software and subscription revenue.

On the company’s Q1 earnings call for fiscal 2026 (FY2026), chairman and CEO Chuck Robbins said cloud-subscription revenue is rising and helping customers accelerate AI adoption. In the first quarter, that revenue stream accounted for $8 billion, representing 54% of Cisco’s total revenue.

Cisco has also pushed into AI and machine learning, positioning itself as an AI infrastructure provider. Part of that effort was the development of AI-powered management tools and a generative AI interface called AI Canvas for network operations, which debuted in June 2025.

Strategic acquisitions have helped Cisco expand into areas such as the cybersecurity market. In March 2024, Cisco acquired Splunk, a prominent player in security analytics and SIEM, which bolsters Cisco’s ability to offer full-stack visibility, threat detection and data insights for cloud customers. 

At the same time, Cisco has renewed focus on hardware with refreshed core networking devices — including switches and routers powered by Cisco Silicon One — designed to meet the scalability and low-latency demands of AI workloads.

Cisco’s Income Statement Is Proof

Over the past decade, Cisco’s restructuring is reflected in its financial results. In 2015, net income totaled $8.981 billion; by the end of fiscal 2025, that figure had grown to $10.18 billion, an increase of more than 13% despite heightened competition in cloud, cybersecurity and AI. 

The company’s earnings-per-share (EPS) growth has been substantial over the period, and it has maintained healthy margin stability, with gross margins remaining in the mid-60% range.

On a quarterly basis, Cisco has continued to show momentum: in Q1 FY2026 year-over-year (YOY) revenue growth was 7.53%, YOY free cash flow grew by more than 108%, and return on capital invested was nearly 19% YOY. 

What Wall Street Thinks About Cisco

Among 26 analysts covering CSCO, the consensus rating is Moderate Buy: 17 analysts rate it a Buy, nine rate it a Hold, and none rate it a Sell.

The stock’s average 12-month price target implies about 7.52% upside.

That projected return may not be dramatic, but Cisco offers an additional benefit — and a rarity among many tech firms — in the form of a dividend. The yield is currently 2.10%, or $1.64 per share annually. 

Other supportive indicators: just 1.30% of the stock’s float is shorted, and institutional ownership is a relatively high 73.33%.

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