By Chris Lange
Publication Date: 2026-10-27 18:47:00
Cisco and IBM have moved in opposite directions this year, and that gap reshapes which one actually puts more money in a retiree’s pocket over time. The answer depends on which trade-off you can afford to make.
Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO | CSCO Price Prediction) or IBM (NYSE:IBM): which old-guard tech dividend holds up better for someone saving for retirement right now? This year, the two stocks have gone in opposite directions. Cisco is up 46.77% year to date at $111.03. IBM is down 13.13% at $252.18. That gap changes how much income a new buyer gets today.
We compared the two on three things that matter to anyone living off dividends: current income, payout safety and the balance sheet, and the business growth that pays for future raises.
Current Income: IBM Writes the Bigger Check
IBM yields 2.67%, compared with 1.56% for Cisco. Its forward annualized dividend is $6.76 per share. Cisco’s is $1.68. IBM has paid consecutive quarterly dividends every year since 1916, and its…
