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Investors are loading up on Cisco Systems (CSCO) shares ahead of the tech conglomerate’s fiscal Q4 earnings scheduled to be released today after market close. And options traders believe the immediate reaction to CSCO’s quarterly print will likely be a push further to the upside, according to data from Barchart.
Heading into the release, Cisco stock is trading more than 50% above the price at which it started 2026.
Where Options Data Suggests Cisco Stock Is Headed
The derivatives market believes Cisco’s earnings will prove a significant tailwind that drives its share price up to a near all-time high this week.
A put-to-call ratio of 0.4x on contracts expiring Aug. 14 suggests a bullish skew — with the upper price set at $132.52, indicating potential for a nearly 7% rally on the back of quarterly results.
Even from a technical perspective, CSCO stock remains handily above its major moving averages (MAs), with an RSI in the early 60s signaling intense buying pressure.
This technical setup is primarily why Barchart has an average “88% BUY” opinion on Cisco Systems heading into its Q4 print.
What to Expect From Cisco’s Q4 Earnings Release
Note that Cisco shares aren’t particularly inexpensive to own at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of roughly 30x.
But the giant’s growth trajectory helps justify that valuation premium — with earnings per share (EPS) expected to come in at $0.35 for the fourth financial quarter, representing a more than 100% increase on a year-over-year basis.
Additionally, the artificial intelligence (AI) beneficiary also currently pays a healthy dividend yield of 1.36%, which makes it even more attractive as a long-term holding.
Note that consensus is for CSCO to post about a 14% year-over-year increase in revenue to $16.8 billion.
How Wall Street Recommends Playing Cisco Systems
Investors should also note that Wall Street analysts seem to share the derivatives market optimism for CSCO shares as well.
According to Barchart, the consensus rating on Cisco Systems remains at “Moderate Buy,” with price targets as high as $150 indicating potential for a more than 20% rally over the next 12 months.
