Why Cisco (CSCO) Stock Is Trading Up Today

What Happened?

Shares of networking technology giant Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) jumped 3.7% in the afternoon session after Evercore ISI upgraded the stock to Outperform from In Line and raised its price target. 

The firm boosted its price target on the technology company to $100 from $80. Analysts at the firm noted that Cisco was positioned for "high single-digit sales and low-teens EPS growth on a multi-year basis." This positive outlook was supported by strong demand in campus markets and the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) revenues to reach $3 billion by fiscal year 2026. The firm also mentioned that the stock remained attractive at its current valuation compared to other large technology companies.

After the initial pop the shares cooled down to $76.99, up 3.2% from previous close.

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What Is The Market Telling Us

Cisco’s shares are not very volatile and have only had 2 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 10 months ago when the stock gained 7.5% on the news that markets rallied sharply on news that President Trump announced a 90-day tariff pause. 

Reciprocal tariffs were also dropped to 10% for most countries, sparking renewed optimism amid ongoing trade talks. The major stock indices rose as investors, growing impatient of seemingly irrational tariff actions, welcomed the pause as a sign of a more measured path forward. 

However, Trump was quick to note that China was not part of the pause. Instead, he prepared to raise tariffs on Chinese goods to 125% after China announced retaliatory tariffs on US imports. This tough stance on China stood in sharp contrast to the softer tone toward others. In a week marked by growing uncertainty, this news eased some of the pressure. The questions remain whether we are out of the woods and can sustain the rally or not.

Cisco is up 1.2% since the beginning of the year, and at $76.99 per share, it is trading close to its 52-week high of $80.25 from December 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Cisco’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,701.

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