New York, Jan 14, 2026, 15:26 ET — Regular session.
Arista Networks shares dropped roughly 4% to $124.68 in afternoon trading Wednesday, underperforming the wider tech sell-off. The Nasdaq 100 index fell around 1.4%, and Cisco Systems slid about 2%.
The selloff is significant since Arista is seen as a key barometer for data-center network spending linked to AI expansions. The stock has been volatile, tracking changes in investor risk appetite. It bounced 5.27% on Tuesday, despite a broadly downbeat market session. 1
Investor’s Business Daily reported Wednesday that Arista’s Relative Strength rating climbed to 78 from 64, measuring its 52-week price performance against other stocks. The stock remains shy of the 80-plus mark typically linked to early leaders and is currently consolidating just below the $164.94 level that technicians watch as a possible breakout trigger. 2
A Zacks note from the day before highlighted growing demand for faster Ethernet switching, like 400G and 800G ports, as cloud providers build out bigger AI clusters. It mentioned that Arista goes head-to-head with Cisco’s Nexus and Catalyst lines, along with Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Aruba campus equipment, while competitors unveil fresh “smart switch” models and new silicon collaborations.
Arista reported in November that revenue climbed 27.5% year-over-year to $2.308 billion for the quarter ending Sept. 30, with non-GAAP earnings at $0.75 per share. CFO Chantelle Breithaupt highlighted a 25% increase in non-GAAP EPS, while the company forecasted fourth-quarter revenue between $2.3 billion and $2.4 billion.
The risk is straightforward: the stock assumes strong growth. Should major clients cut back on orders or pricing pressure intensify amid rising competition in the high-speed switch space, losses could hit quickly.
Investors are navigating a packed U.S. calendar, zeroing in on new economic reports and policy cues that could shift rate expectations—a crucial factor for high-multiple tech stocks. 3
Arista’s earnings report is the next key date. Public.com notes the company is set to announce fourth-quarter results on Feb. 17, with analysts forecasting earnings around $0.72 per share.
Traders will be watching to see if Arista can regain its footing after this week’s rollercoaster, and whether the wider tech sector can halt its slide. The next key date is Feb. 17.
