New York, February 3, 2026, 12:44 EST — Normal session
- Shares climbed roughly 1.5% to $81.83 around midday, having reached a high of $83.14 earlier.
- NBC Sports chose Cisco to provide networking technology for its all-IP production of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
- Cisco is set to report fiscal second-quarter results after markets close on Feb. 11.
Shares of Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO.O) climbed 1.5% to $81.83 by midday Tuesday. The stock reached an intraday peak of $83.14 and had closed at $80.64 in the previous session, market data showed.
Cisco’s shares climbed after landing a high-profile customer just days before the Winter Games kickoff, with investors now eyeing the company’s upcoming quarterly report. Timing is key here, as management’s recent comments on network spending have been driving the stock’s moves.
Cisco announced it will report fiscal second-quarter results after the market closes on Feb. 11, followed by a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET covering the period ended Jan. 24. Investors are keen to see if the company revises its full-year guidance and to hear updates on demand driven by AI infrastructure expansion. (Cisco Investor Relations)
On Tuesday, Cisco announced NBC Sports will deploy its equipment for an all-IP production at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy, meaning video will run over standard internet-protocol networks. Cliff Ryan highlighted how the technology lets engineers “analyze how traffic moves across our critical backbone,” while Jeetu Patel emphasized “integrating more AI into the workflow than ever before.” (Cisco Newsroom)
In November, Cisco bumped up its fiscal 2026 revenue forecast to between $60.2 billion and $61.0 billion, also raising its adjusted earnings outlook to $4.08-$4.14 per share, fueled by AI-driven data-center growth. This surge in spending has benefited other infrastructure players like Arista Networks and Dell Technologies. (Reuters)
Investors are also watching Cisco’s software mix closely following its $28 billion acquisition of Splunk, finalized in 2024. The thinking: boosting recurring software revenue helps cushion the impact of fluctuating hardware sales, though it’ll take a while for margins and cash flow to reflect the change. (Splunk)
In the short term, order trends and guidance will drive the story, not the Olympics buzz. Markets react sharply to any signs that major clients are accelerating or delaying their network investments.
Cisco’s media contract stands out, though its impact on quarterly revenue remains uncertain. The real issue: can the company convert AI-driven traffic gains into consistent product sales?
But a handful of issues could derail progress. Enterprise budgets can shrink quickly, and networking upgrades tend to stall when IT chiefs turn cautious. Competition in high-end switching stays fierce, with customers frequently leveraging vendors against one another to push prices down.
Cisco’s next big moment comes Feb. 11, after the bell, when it reports earnings and updates its outlook. Investors will be watching closely for details on AI-driven orders and how infrastructure spending may unfold through the spring.
