Cisco Is Up 17% Today: Is It Outperforming Other Networking Stocks Like Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Arista Networks?

Actions of cisco systems (NASDAQ:CSCO | CSCO Price Prediction) rose about 17% in early trading Thursday, putting the stock near $119 after a close of $101.87 on May 13. The jump follows a fiscal third-quarter report that decisively reframed the competitive narrative for AI networks.

The move makes Cisco the clear one-day leader in networking infrastructure. In comparison, Hewlett Packard Company (New York Stock Exchange: HPE) is up 6% to $34 and Arista Networks (New York Stock Exchange: ANET) is up 2% to $143.

Cisco’s market capitalization stands near $402.4 billion at the start of the session, and today’s higher gap will widen the gap further. The premarket surge positions Cisco to extend its lead over its networking peers.

Hyperscaler order surge fuels rally

Cisco posted record third-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $15.84 billion, up 12% year-over-year, with non-GAAP earnings per share of $1.06 versus consensus of $1.04. This is Cisco’s fourth consecutive earnings per share.

The owner…