Valuentum Exclusive Analysis for the Discerning Investor

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Image Source: Cisco Systems Inc – Second Quarter Fiscal 2020 IR Earnings Presentation. 

On February 12, Cisco reported second-quarter earnings for fiscal 2020 (period ended January 25, 2020) that beat consensus estimates on both the top- and bottom-line. However, shares of CSCO still fell initially on the news, possibly due to the company’s forward guidance for the third quarter falling short of expectations. Cisco is currently undergoing a major transition from a company that primarily sells hardware to one that also offers material subscription-based services and software, in order to offset the structural declines facing the enterprise data application management space (which can be summed up as many/most enterprises around the world switching their IT infrastructure needs off-site to more flexible, powerful, and often relatively cheaper cloud computing offerings when considering the dynamic effects of the change). Shares of CSCO are included in both our Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio and Dividend Growth Newsletter portfolio as we appreciate the strength of its free cash flows, its pristine balance sheet (nice net cash balance), and see the firm’s strategic shift as one with promise (albeit, this is still a work in process).