New York, Feb 11, 2026, 15:31 (EST) — Regular session
- Cisco slipped roughly 0.6% during afternoon trading, with results set to land after the bell.
- Tuesday saw the company roll out its Silicon One G300 AI networking chip, along with new systems built around it.
- After the latest surge to new highs, investors are now looking for direction on where AI-fueled networking demand is headed.
Cisco Systems (CSCO.O) slipped 0.6% to $85.79 by 3:31 p.m. EST on Wednesday, backing off from an earlier high of $87.11, with investors on hold ahead of the networking giant’s quarterly earnings after the bell.
Cisco’s latest update comes as shares hover just shy of a 52-week peak, closing at $86.78 on Monday after a strong rally. Expectations have ratcheted up, so even a slight shift in guidance could jolt the stock. 1
Cisco wants to lock in long-term networking revenue from the AI data-center boom—not just rack up a few quick wins. The company is also pushing further down into the silicon layer, a tough neighborhood with demanding buyers and relentless rivals.
Cisco on Tuesday unveiled a fresh chip and router, pitching them directly at the AI networking turf dominated by Broadcom and Nvidia. The new Silicon One G300 switch chip, built with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s advanced 3-nanometer tech, is slated to hit the market in the year’s second half. The company flagged new features designed to prevent AI network slowdowns when traffic surges threaten to jam the system. “We focus on the total end-to-end efficiency of the network,” said Martin Lund, Cisco’s executive vice president, in an interview. 2
Cisco says its G300 chip hits 102.4 Tbps in switching capacity—a key figure for high-density AI clusters. Jeetu Patel, president and chief product officer, called it “the foundation for the future of infrastructure.” IDC’s Matt Eastwood put it bluntly: as AI moves past just the largest cloud players, network design is “a defining constraint on performance, cost, and sustainability.” 3
Analysts expect Cisco to post adjusted earnings of $1.02 a share on roughly $15.1 billion in revenue, according to Barron’s. The publication breaks down networking revenue estimates at $7.9 billion, while security likely lands near $2.11 billion. 4
Cisco is sticking to a tight revenue range for its second quarter, projecting $15.0 billion to $15.2 billion and targeting non-GAAP earnings between $1.01 and $1.03 a share. The non-GAAP metric excludes items Cisco doesn’t count toward its core results. 5
The focus for traders? It’s on the outlook: AI-driven order updates, customer schedules, and gross margin chatter. Even a whisper of softer demand or tighter pricing might outweigh a modest quarterly beat.
It’s a clear-cut rivalry. Nvidia keeps expanding into networking, bundling those capabilities into its complete AI systems. Broadcom’s Tomahawk chips, on the other hand, remain a staple for data-center switching. Cisco, for its part, is pitching hard on the idea that it can grab share by focusing on network-wide performance and reliability—not limiting itself to just the compute layer.
Still, there’s a flip side. AI infrastructure budgets aren’t always steady; major clients can hit pause on projects, and fresh silicon doesn’t ramp overnight. That can put daylight between splashy product news and the actual revenue showing up.
Cisco will report its earnings after the bell on Feb. 11, with the call set for 1:30 p.m. PT, or 4:30 p.m. ET. Investors are zeroed in on guidance and any fresh signals about demand for the Silicon One roadmap. That’s what could move the stock next. 6
