CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. vs FORTINET, INC., two Computer Hardware stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Where CSCO and FTNT diverge most: on p/b, CSCO reads 9.45 and FTNT reads 77.22; on return on invested capital, CSCO reads 14.2% and FTNT reads 94.2%. The rest of the comparable metrics sit closer together. What CSCO's price implies is a somewhat stretched bet versus history (whole-company basis). What FTNT's price implies is a somewhat stretched bet versus history (whole-company basis). The bull and bear cases for each are in their full reports below.
| Metric | CSCO | FTNT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $116.00 | $161.89 |
| Market cap | $461.9B | $119.8B |
| Sector | Computer Hardware | Computer Hardware |
| Stage | Mature | Growth |
| P/E | 38.5 | 57.2 |
| P/B | 9.45 | 77.22 |
| P/S | 7.60 | 15.91 |
| EV/EBITDA | 34.5 | 45.3 |
| Revenue growth | +9.2% | +18.7% |
| Gross margin | 63.6% | 80.2% |
| Operating margin | 25.0% | 33.7% |
| Net margin | 19.7% | 28.2% |
| Return on equity | 24.5% | 136.7% |
| Return on assets | 9.5% | 19.5% |
| Return on invested capital | 14.2% | 94.2% |
| FCF yield | 2.5% | 2.6% |
| Dividend yield | 1.4% | — |
| Debt / equity | 0.71 | 0.32 |
| Current ratio | 0.92 | 1.28 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 4.18 | 7.01 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 6 / 9 | 6 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.