ADBE vs. CSCO

Last updated Jun 6, 2026

ADBE (Adobe Inc) and CSCO (Cisco Systems, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Technology sector — ADBE in Software - Infrastructure, CSCO in Communication Equipment. Over the past 10 years, ADBE returned 9.82%/yr vs 18.93%/yr for CSCO. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

ADBE vs. CSCO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Adobe Inc (ADBE) and Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ADBE achieves a -28.16% return, which is significantly lower than CSCO's 59.62% return. Over the past 10 years, ADBE has underperformed CSCO with an annualized return of 9.82%, while CSCO has yielded a comparatively higher 18.93% annualized return.

ADBE

• 1D: -2.70%
• 1M: 0.51%
• YTD: -28.16%
• 6M: -27.38%
• 1Y: -39.44%
• 3Y*: -16.56%
• 5Y*: -13.00%
• 10Y*: 9.82%

CSCO

• 1D: -6.43%
• 1M: 32.74%
• YTD: 59.62%
• 6M: 57.69%
• 1Y: 92.57%
• 3Y*: 38.44%
• 5Y*: 21.02%
• 10Y*: 18.93%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

ADBE vs. CSCO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ADBE Adobe Inc	-28.16%	-21.29%	-25.46%	77.28%	-40.65%	13.38%	51.64%	45.78%	29.10%	70.22%
CSCO Cisco Systems, Inc.	59.62%	33.47%	21.00%	9.30%	-22.46%	45.76%	-3.49%	13.81%	16.57%	31.27%

Correlation

The correlation between ADBE and CSCO is 0.10, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.10
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.28
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.40
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.45
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 27, 1990	0.44

Over the past year, the correlation between ADBE and CSCO has dropped to 0.10 - well below their long-term average of 0.44, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Fundamentals

Market Cap ADBE : $103.34B CSCO : $484.98B
EPS ADBE : $17.19 CSCO : $3.00
PE Ratio ADBE : 14.63 CSCO : 40.58
PEG Ratio ADBE : 1.03 CSCO : 34.05
PS Ratio ADBE : 4.31 CSCO : 7.99
PB Ratio ADBE : 9.04 CSCO : 9.93
Total Revenue (TTM) ADBE : $24.45B CSCO : $60.75B
Gross Profit (TTM) ADBE : $21.82B CSCO : $39.08B
EBITDA (TTM) ADBE : $9.71B CSCO : $13.98B

Return for Risk

ADBE vs. CSCO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

ADBE

ADBE Risk / Return Rank: 5
ADBE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2
ADBE Sortino Ratio Rank: 4
ADBE Omega Ratio Rank: 5
ADBE Calmar Ratio Rank: 8
ADBE Martin Ratio Rank: 7

CSCO

CSCO Risk / Return Rank: 94
CSCO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
CSCO Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
CSCO Omega Ratio Rank: 94
CSCO Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
CSCO Martin Ratio Rank: 95

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

ADBE vs. CSCO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Adobe Inc (ADBE) and Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	ADBE	CSCO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-1.17	3.03	-4.20
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-1.72	3.56	-5.29
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.80	1.55	-0.75
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.86	6.86	-7.72
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.46	19.16	-20.62
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ADBE vs. CSCO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ADBE Sharpe Ratio is -1.17, which is lower than the CSCO Sharpe Ratio of 3.03. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ADBE and CSCO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ADBE	CSCO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-1.17	3.03	-4.20
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.36	0.85	-1.21
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.29	0.73	-0.45
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.41	0.61	-0.20

Drawdowns

ADBE vs. CSCO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ADBE drawdown since its inception was -79.89%, smaller than the maximum CSCO drawdown of -89.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ADBE and CSCO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ADBE	CSCO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-79.89%	-89.26%	+9.37%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-45.95%	-13.57%	-32.38%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-64.50%	-20.16%	-44.34%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-67.26%	-36.68%	-30.58%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-67.26%	-41.95%	-25.31%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-63.47%	-6.43%	-57.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-25.98%	-40.14%	+14.16%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	27.05%	4.85%	+22.20%

Volatility

ADBE vs. CSCO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Adobe Inc (ADBE) is 14.07%, while Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) has a volatility of 16.94%. This indicates that ADBE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CSCO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ADBE	CSCO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.07%	16.94%	-2.87%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	28.12%	26.88%	+1.24%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	33.71%	30.71%	+3.00%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	36.32%	24.80%	+11.52%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	34.33%	25.85%	+8.48%

Dividends

ADBE vs. CSCO - Dividend Comparison

ADBE has not paid dividends to shareholders, while CSCO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.36%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ADBE Adobe Inc	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
CSCO Cisco Systems, Inc.	1.36%	2.12%	2.69%	3.07%	3.17%	2.32%	3.20%	2.88%	2.95%	2.95%	3.28%	3.02%

Financials

ADBE vs. CSCO - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Adobe Inc and Cisco Systems, Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

ADBE - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Adobe Inc reported a gross profit of 5.73B and revenue of 6.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 89.6%.

CSCO - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cisco Systems, Inc. reported a gross profit of 10.08B and revenue of 15.84B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 63.6%.

ADBE - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Adobe Inc reported an operating income of 2.42B and revenue of 6.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 37.8%.

CSCO - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cisco Systems, Inc. reported an operating income of 3.96B and revenue of 15.84B, resulting in an operating margin of 25.0%.

ADBE - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Adobe Inc reported a net income of 1.89B and revenue of 6.40B, resulting in a net margin of 29.5%.

CSCO - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cisco Systems, Inc. reported a net income of 3.37B and revenue of 15.84B, resulting in a net margin of 21.3%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ADBE and CSCO in my portfolio?

ADBE and CSCO have a correlation of 0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ADBE or CSCO?

CSCO has higher volatility (16.94%) compared to ADBE (14.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ADBE dropped -79.89% vs CSCO's -89.26%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CSCO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.03 vs -1.17), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.