Cisco, formerly known as Cisco Systems, Inc. is a US-based multinational digital communication company headquartered in San Jose, California. The company has its roots in the computer department of Stanford University and was founded by 2 key Stanford employees. The name Cisco is short for San Francisco, the company’s original hometown, the company’s logo is a representation of the twin towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner founded the company to market technology they’d developed while working for the university. Despite some early problems, the 2 were able to work out an agreement with the university that allowed Cisco to grow into one of the world's largest technology companies. The company was ranked 74th on the 2021 Forbes Fortune 100 list and the #1 spot on the Forbes list of Best Places to Work.
Bosack and Lerner pioneered using LANs or local area networking to connect distant computers via a multiprotocol routing system. Local Area Networks is the network used to connect devices in a localized area such as a home, office building, warehouse or university. It is the nexus from which IP connections are made and a central point of operations for business and a means to secure systems. Cisco’s motto is “if it’s connected, it’s protected” which is more relevant today than ever.
Needless to say, Cisco’s business met with early success. The company came to the public market in 1990, 6 years after its founding, with a market capitalization of $224 million. Shortly after, Bosack and Lerner left the company but that was not the end of its success. The market cap will grow to over $500 billion at the peak of the DotCom bubble and stands at roughly half that amount in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the years, the company has had to adapt to a rapidly changing technological environment that required a shift in business as well. While IP-related products are still the core of the business, it has branched out into other areas in response to competition. These include packet switching products, routing, consumer products, and commercial.
Cisco’s growth is also dependent on acquisitions. The company has made over 2 dozen acquisitions, ranging from products and services to enhance core offerings to new technologies and businesses to enhance portfolio stability and shareholder value.
Today, Cisco designs manufactures and markets IP-based networking equipment, products and services related to the communications industry. The primary sub-industries the company is focused on are the Internet of Things, Domain Security, 5G and Video Conferencing. The company's products are sold directly to consumers, wholesalers, and global OEMs. Total revenue in 2021 topped $51.50 billion, with a nearly 23% net income margin.
Cisco is a blue-chip quality technology stock and a dividend-paying stock as well. The company has a track record for dividend increases that numbered 11 consecutive annual increases in 2022, and future increases are expected.