CSCO vs. MSI

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) and Motorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI).

Performance

CSCO vs. MSI - Performance Comparison

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

CSCO vs. MSI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CSCO Cisco Systems, Inc.	1.71%	33.47%	21.00%	9.30%	-22.46%	45.76%	-3.49%	13.81%	16.57%	31.27%
MSI Motorola Solutions, Inc.	13.55%	-16.17%	49.12%	23.04%	-3.81%	61.90%	7.35%	42.19%	29.64%	11.44%

Fundamentals

Market Cap CSCO : $310.71B MSI : $72.98B
EPS CSCO : $2.77 MSI : $12.77
PE Ratio CSCO : 28.10 MSI : 33.99
PEG Ratio CSCO : 23.58 MSI : 2.08
PS Ratio CSCO : 5.27 MSI : 6.27
PB Ratio CSCO : 6.51 MSI : 30.28
Total Revenue (TTM) CSCO : $59.05B MSI : $11.68B
Gross Profit (TTM) CSCO : $38.28B MSI : $5.98B
EBITDA (TTM) CSCO : $14.30B MSI : $3.37B

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CSCO achieves a 1.71% return, which is significantly lower than MSI's 13.55% return. Over the past 10 years, CSCO has underperformed MSI with an annualized return of 13.94%, while MSI has yielded a comparatively higher 20.85% annualized return.

CSCO

• 1D: 0.44%
• 1M: -1.88%
• YTD: 1.71%
• 6M: 14.65%
• 1Y: 29.16%
• 3Y*: 17.52%
• 5Y*: 11.62%
• 10Y*: 13.94%

MSI

• 1D: 0.04%
• 1M: -10.46%
• YTD: 13.55%
• 6M: -4.42%
• 1Y: 0.66%
• 3Y*: 16.17%
• 5Y*: 19.59%
• 10Y*: 20.85%

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

Return for Risk

CSCO vs. MSI — Risk / Return Rank

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

CSCO

CSCO Risk / Return Rank: 74
CSCO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
CSCO Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
CSCO Omega Ratio Rank: 70
CSCO Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
CSCO Martin Ratio Rank: 78

MSI

MSI Risk / Return Rank: 38
MSI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
MSI Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
MSI Omega Ratio Rank: 34
MSI Calmar Ratio Rank: 40
MSI Martin Ratio Rank: 40

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.

CSCO vs. MSI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) and Motorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI). 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.

	CSCO	MSI	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.05	0.03	+1.02
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.45	0.19	+1.26
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.03	+0.19
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.16	0.01	+2.15
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.52	0.02	+5.50
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CSCO vs. MSI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CSCO Sharpe Ratio is 1.05, which is higher than the MSI Sharpe Ratio of 0.03. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CSCO and MSI, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CSCO	MSI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.05	0.03	+1.02
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.50	0.87	-0.37
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.56	0.84	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.57	0.25	+0.33

Correlation

The correlation between CSCO and MSI is 0.44, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

CSCO vs. MSI - Dividend Comparison

CSCO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.10%, more than MSI's 1.06% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CSCO Cisco Systems, Inc.	2.10%	2.12%	2.69%	3.07%	3.17%	2.32%	3.20%	2.88%	2.95%	2.95%	3.28%	3.02%
MSI Motorola Solutions, Inc.	1.06%	1.17%	0.87%	1.16%	1.26%	1.07%	1.55%	1.46%	1.85%	2.14%	2.05%	2.09%

Drawdowns

CSCO vs. MSI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CSCO drawdown since its inception was -89.26%, roughly equal to the maximum MSI drawdown of -93.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CSCO and MSI.

Drawdown Indicators

	CSCO	MSI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-89.26%	-93.60%	+4.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.57%	-25.45%	+11.88%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.68%	-27.23%	-9.45%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-41.95%	-32.81%	-9.14%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.20%	-12.59%	+2.39%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-40.33%	-40.81%	+0.48%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.32%	12.05%	-6.73%

Volatility

CSCO vs. MSI - Volatility Comparison

Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) has a higher volatility of 8.22% compared to Motorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI) at 5.97%. This indicates that CSCO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MSI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CSCO	MSI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.22%	5.97%	+2.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.39%	16.45%	+4.94%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	28.00%	23.42%	+4.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.34%	22.51%	+0.83%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.19%	24.83%	+0.36%

Financials

CSCO vs. MSI - Profitability Comparison

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

CSCO - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Cisco Systems, Inc. reported a gross profit of 9.97B and revenue of 15.35B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 65.0%.

MSI - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Motorola Solutions, Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.77B and revenue of 3.38B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 52.3%.

CSCO - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Cisco Systems, Inc. reported an operating income of 3.78B and revenue of 15.35B, resulting in an operating margin of 24.6%.

MSI - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Motorola Solutions, Inc. reported an operating income of 892.00M and revenue of 3.38B, resulting in an operating margin of 26.4%.

CSCO - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Cisco Systems, Inc. reported a net income of 3.18B and revenue of 15.35B, resulting in a net margin of 20.7%.

MSI - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Motorola Solutions, Inc. reported a net income of 649.00M and revenue of 3.38B, resulting in a net margin of 19.2%.