Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) vs NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA)
NVDA leads on 13 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Cisco Systems, Inc. and NVIDIA Corporation across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 15, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — CSCO vs NVDA
growth of $100 · last 27yCSCO +371.2%NVDA +500157.2%NVDA compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CSCO NVDA
CSCO vs NVDA: by the numbers
- •NVDA is the larger company ($4.97T vs $477.31B market cap).
- •NVDA trades at the lower earnings multiple (31.42 vs 40.37 P/E).
- •NVDA converts more revenue to profit (62.97% vs 19.69% net margin).
- •NVDA grew revenue faster over the past five years (68.23% vs 4.58% CAGR).
- •CSCO pays the higher dividend yield (1.36% vs 0.01%).
Which is better, CSCO or NVDA?
Metric tally: CSCO 4 · NVDA 13It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueNVDA(lower P/E)
GrowthNVDA(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCSCO(higher dividend yield)
QualityNVDA(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CSCO | NVDA |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 40.37 | 31.42● |
| Forward P/E | 28.33 | 16.44● |
| P/S ratio | 7.95● | 19.74 |
| P/B ratio | 9.88● | 25.60 |
| PEG ratio | 68.41 | 0.57● |
| EV / EBITDA | 29.07 | 25.96● |
| FCF yield | 2.61%● | 2.38% |
Profitability
| Metric | CSCO | NVDA |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 64.33% | 74.15%● |
| Operating margin | 23.36% | 64.02%● |
| Net margin | 19.69% | 62.97%● |
| ROE | 24.47% | 81.65%● |
| ROIC | 11.66% | 62.88%● |
Dividends
| Metric | CSCO | NVDA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.36%● | 0.01% |
| Payout ratio | 64.45% | 0.61% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CSCO | NVDA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 4.58% | 68.23%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -0.69% | 85.78%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -2.45% | 85.52%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 20.60% | 63.05%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CSCO or NVDA?
- It depends on your goal. value: NVDA (lower P/E); growth: NVDA (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CSCO (higher dividend yield); quality: NVDA (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, NVDA leads 13 to 4.
- Is CSCO or NVDA cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, NVDA is cheaper: CSCO trades at a 40.37 P/E and NVDA at 31.42.
- Which has grown faster, CSCO or NVDA?
- Over the past five years, NVDA grew revenue faster — CSCO at a 4.58% CAGR versus NVDA at 68.23%.
- Does CSCO or NVDA pay a bigger dividend?
- CSCO yields 1.36% and NVDA yields 0.01% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CSCO or NVDA more profitable?
- NVDA runs the higher net margin — CSCO at 19.69% versus NVDA at 62.97%.
- Which has been the better investment, CSCO or NVDA?
- Over the past 10-year, NVDA delivered the higher annualized total return — CSCO at 18.88% versus NVDA at 68.06%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Cisco Systems P/E ratioNVIDIA P/E ratioCisco Systems dividend yieldNVIDIA dividend yieldCisco Systems ROENVIDIA ROECisco Systems operating marginNVIDIA operating marginCisco Systems revenue growthNVIDIA revenue growthCisco Systems free cash flowNVIDIA free cash flow
Cisco Systems & NVIDIA appear in these rankings
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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 15, 2026.