New York, January 13, 2026, 14:23 EST — Regular session
- Cisco shares climbed roughly 1.3% in afternoon trading, standing out amid a wider decline in U.S. stocks
- Inflation figures sustained hopes for rate cuts, a crucial factor for tech stock valuations
- Coming up: Cisco’s earnings report on Feb. 11 and dividend payment scheduled for Jan. 21
Cisco Systems Inc shares climbed roughly 1.3% on Tuesday, bucking a weaker U.S. stock market as investors absorbed new inflation data and adjusted their bets on large-cap tech. The stock traded between $73.27 and $75.07, closing at $74.97.
U.S. consumer prices climbed 0.3% in December, pushing annual inflation to 2.7%, according to Labor Department figures. The “core” CPI, which strips out food and energy costs, increased 0.2% for the month and stood at 2.6% year-on-year. Reuters reported the Federal Reserve is likely to keep its benchmark rate steady at 3.50%-3.75% during the Jan. 27-28 meeting. 1
Cisco’s challenge now is turning strong data-center order flow into sustained revenue. Back in November, the company raised its fiscal 2026 revenue and profit forecasts. CEO Chuck Robbins flagged an expected $3 billion boost in AI infrastructure sales from hyperscalers—major cloud providers—by then. Ryan Lee, senior VP at Direxion in New York, told Reuters the networking sector may be mature, but Cisco is benefiting from the AI surge and some product updates. 2
On Tuesday, a few of Cisco’s networking rivals climbed despite the broader market’s slip. Arista Networks rose roughly 5.2%, while Hewlett Packard Enterprise gained around 1.4%.
Investors have a couple of dates to watch closely. Cisco plans to pay a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share on Jan. 21, based on its investor relations info. Then, the company’s redesigned “Cisco 360” partner program is expected to roll out on Jan. 25. 3
The key milestone coming up is earnings. Cisco is set to announce on Feb. 11, with analysts forecasting roughly $1.02 per share, per Yahoo Finance’s earnings calendar. 4
Traders are zeroing in on a handful of key cues: the pace of AI-driven order momentum, whether major clients are accelerating their networking upgrades, and how fast those moves translate into margins and cash flow.
The setup works both ways. If enterprise spending weakens or major cloud customers delay deliveries, Cisco’s AI-driven orders could face timing issues, sending the stock tumbling quickly.
Another spike in inflation would carry weight. Rates staying elevated could pressure tech valuations and cut into equipment spending, even among the more stable players.
Investors are now zeroing in on Feb. 11, the day Cisco reports earnings and revises its outlook. After Tuesday’s inflation-fueled session, that date will become the key marker for the stock’s direction.
