Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) vs Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO)
CSCO leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Applied Materials, Inc. and Cisco Systems, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
AMAT
Applied Materials, Inc.
$567.25Technology
CSCO
Cisco Systems, Inc.
$121.10Technology
Total return — AMAT vs CSCO
growth of $100 · last 30yAMAT +12762.8%CSCO +1850.1%AMAT compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AMAT CSCO
AMAT vs CSCO: by the numbers
- •CSCO is the larger company ($477.31B vs $450.37B market cap).
- •CSCO trades at the lower earnings multiple (40.37 vs 53.31 P/E).
- •AMAT converts more revenue to profit (29.31% vs 19.69% net margin).
- •AMAT grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.33% vs 4.58% CAGR).
- •CSCO pays the higher dividend yield (1.36% vs 0.34%).
Which is better, AMAT or CSCO?
Metric tally: AMAT 8 · CSCO 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueCSCO(lower P/E)
GrowthAMAT(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCSCO(higher dividend yield)
QualityAMAT(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | AMAT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 53.31 | 40.37● |
| Forward P/E | 46.38 | 28.33● |
| P/S ratio | 15.62 | 7.95● |
| P/B ratio | 18.96 | 9.88● |
| PEG ratio | 76.90 | 68.41● |
| EV / EBITDA | 42.42 | 29.07● |
| FCF yield | 1.32% | 2.61%● |
Profitability
| Metric | AMAT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 48.96% | 64.33%● |
| Operating margin | 29.51%● | 23.36% |
| Net margin | 29.31%● | 19.69% |
| ROE | 35.58%● | 24.47% |
| ROIC | 21.96%● | 11.66% |
Dividends
| Metric | AMAT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.34% | 1.36%● |
| Payout ratio | 21.93% | 64.45% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AMAT | CSCO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.33%● | 4.58% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 17.13%● | -0.69% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 9.02%● | -2.45% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 34.01%● | 20.60% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, AMAT or CSCO?
- It depends on your goal. value: CSCO (lower P/E); growth: AMAT (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CSCO (higher dividend yield); quality: AMAT (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, CSCO leads 9 to 8.
- Is AMAT or CSCO cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, CSCO is cheaper: AMAT trades at a 53.31 P/E and CSCO at 40.37.
- Which has grown faster, AMAT or CSCO?
- Over the past five years, AMAT grew revenue faster — AMAT at a 9.33% CAGR versus CSCO at 4.58%.
- Does AMAT or CSCO pay a bigger dividend?
- AMAT yields 0.34% and CSCO yields 1.36% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is AMAT or CSCO more profitable?
- AMAT runs the higher net margin — AMAT at 29.31% versus CSCO at 19.69%.
- Which has been the better investment, AMAT or CSCO?
- Over the past 10-year, AMAT delivered the higher annualized total return — AMAT at 38.64% versus CSCO at 18.88%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Applied Materials P/E ratioCisco Systems P/E ratioApplied Materials dividend yieldCisco Systems dividend yieldApplied Materials ROECisco Systems ROEApplied Materials operating marginCisco Systems operating marginApplied Materials revenue growthCisco Systems revenue growthApplied Materials free cash flowCisco Systems free cash flow
Applied Materials & Cisco Systems appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.