FAQs

Corporate Information

How many employees does Cisco have?

Please visit the Talent and Culture section in our Annual Report for the latest information regarding Cisco's number of employees.

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What products and services does Cisco sell?

Cisco designs and sells a broad range of technologies that have been powering the Internet since 1984. Across networking, security, collaboration, applications and the cloud, our evolving intent-based technologies are constantly learning and adapting to provide customers with a highly secure, intelligent platform for their digital business. Our products and technologies are grouped into the following categories: Secure, Agile Networks; Internet for the Future; Collaboration; End-to-End Security; Optimized Application Experiences; Other Products. In addition to our product offerings, we provide a broad range of service offerings, including technical support services and advanced services. Increasingly, we are delivering our technologies through software and services.

Please refer to the Products & Services portion of our web site at 
www.cisco.com for a specific listing of Cisco solutions.

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What are Cisco's new products?

Cisco is continually announcing new products. Please refer to our web site at www.cisco.com for product announcements and other relevant information.

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When did Cisco go public? At what price?

Cisco went public on February 16, 1990 at a split-adjusted price of about 6 cents.

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What year was Cisco incorporated and in what state?

Cisco was incorporated on December 10, 1984 in California.

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What companies has Cisco acquired?

Please see the Corporate Development page for a complete listing of Cisco's publicly announced acquisitions.

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Who are Cisco's top competitors?

Our competitors include:

  • Amazon Web Services LLC (AMZN)
  • Arista Networks, Inc. (ANET)
  • Broadcom, Inc.
  • Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (CHKP)
  • CommScope Holding Company, Inc.
  • Dell Technologies Inc. (DELL)
  • Extreme Networks, Inc. (EXTR)
  • F5 Networks, Inc. (FFIV)
  • FireEye, Inc. (FEYE)
  • Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT)
  • Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company (HPE)
  • Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
  • Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR)
  • Lenovo Group Limited  (LNVGY)
  • LogMeIn, Inc.
  • Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)
  • New Relic, Inc. (NEWR)
  • Nokia Corporation (NOK)
  • Nutanix, Inc. (NTNX)
  • Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW)
  • RingCentral, Inc.
  • Slack Technologies, Inc.
  • Symantec Corporation (SYMC)
  • Ubiquiti Networks (UBNT)
  • VMware, Inc. (VMW)
  • Zoom Video Communications, Inc
  • Zscaler

Some of these companies compete across multiple product lines, while others are primarily focused in a specific product area.

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Investor Information

How do I get a copy of the Annual Report, 10-K, 10-Q, Proxy Statement, and/or SEC filings?

Please visit the Annual Report website to review the latest Annual Report and Proxy Statement online. For SEC filings, please visit the SEC Filings page. If you require hard copies of any materials you may call the Investor Relations Department or submit a request through the contact form.

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Where can I get Cisco's historical Annual Reports?

Cisco provides Annual Reports from 1999 to the present on the Annual Report website.

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How do I make changes to my account?

If you hold shares through a broker please contact your broker. If you hold shares directly, please contact our Transfer Agent.

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Whom should I contact regarding my stock certificate(s)?

If you hold shares through a broker please contact your broker. If you hold shares directly, please contact our Transfer Agent.

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Who is Cisco's transfer agent and how do I contact them?

Please visit the Transfer Agent page for contact information.

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What is a transfer agent?

A transfer agent manages registered accounts, those who hold a stock certificate, and directly held accounts. Transfer agents can aid in finding accounts information and most stock transactions for the types of accounts referenced.

Transfer agents do not hold records for beneficial accounts, meaning those with share bought and sold through brokerage firms. Beneficial records are kept by each brokerage firm.

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Can Cisco provide me my Cost Basis for tax purposes?

Please contact your tax advisor to better understand and establish your cost basis for shares sold. Cisco does not maintain a database of its shareholders therefore if you own your stock certificate please contact our Transfer Agent, Computershare, at 800-254-5194 or if you have your shares through a brokerage firm please contact the broker directly for your records.

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How can I listen to the webcast for the earnings report?

For an upcoming earnings report, please visit the Events portion of the website. As the date approaches a link will be made available to listen to the earnings report via webcast.

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Who are the Financial Analysts that follow Cisco?

Please visit the Analysts section for a list of the analysts following Cisco.

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Stock Information

On what exchanges does Cisco stock trade and what is the stock symbol (ticker)?

Cisco trades on the NASDAQ OMX. The stock symbol is CSCO.

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How do I buy Cisco stock?

For information on how to invest in Cisco, please visit the Personal Investing page.

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Does Cisco have a direct stock purchase plan for non-employees?

Please see the Personal Investing page for more information.

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When has Cisco's stock split?

Please visit the Stock Splits section for a complete history of Cisco stock splits.

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Does Cisco issue dividends? And, does Cisco have a DRIP plan?

Cisco does issue dividends. Please see the Dividends & Stock Splits page for details. Please see the Personal Investing page for details on the Computershare Investment Plan, a Direct Stock Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Plan for Cisco Systems, Inc. Common Stock.

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How many absolute shares are outstanding?

Please see the first page of our most recent 10Q or 10K under SEC Filings for the most recent information about the number of shares outstanding.

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Financial Information

When are the next quarterly financials released?

Please visit the Events section for the latest information on Cisco's next earnings announcement.

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When do Cisco's fiscal quarters and fiscal years end?

Q1FY24 – July 30, 2023 – October 28, 2023

Q2FY24 – October 29, 2023 – January 27, 2024

Q3FY24 – January 28, 2024 – April 27, 2024

Q4FY24 – April 28, 2024 – July 27, 2024

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Who are Cisco's independent accountants?

Cisco's independent accountants are PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (San Jose, California

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Who is Cisco's outside legal counsel?

Fenwick & West LLP
Silicon Valley Center
801 California Street
Mountain View, CA 94041
Phone: +1-650-336-7136
Fax: +1-650-938-5200

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Corporate Governance

What is Cisco Systems Corporate Governance policy?

Investor confidence in public companies is essential to the functioning of the global economy. Our corporate governance policies provide a framework for the proper operation of our company, consistent with our shareholders' best interests and the requirements of the law. We are committed to providing financial information that is transparent, timely, complete, relevant and accurate. We are also committed to rigorously and diligently exercising our oversight responsibilities throughout the company, managing our affairs consistent with the highest principles of business ethics, and exceeding the corporate governance requirements of both federal law and the NASDAQ.

In our financial accounting and reporting practices, we are dedicated to ensuring that the high standards we have established are maintained. Our culture demands integrity and an unyielding commitment to strong internal practices and policies. We have the highest confidence in our financial reporting, underlying system of internal controls and our people, who are objective in their responsibilities and operate under the highest level of ethical standards. We value the confidence that our investors place in us. To read more about our corporate governance policies, please click here.

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Does Cisco Systems have a Code of Conduct for employees?

Cisco's Code of Business Conduct is monitored by Cisco's Ethics Program Office and is annually affirmed by our employees. This Code of Business Conduct applies to all employees of Cisco Systems, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as "Cisco") and to the members of Cisco's Board of Directors. This Code of Business Conduct has been designed to deter wrongdoing and to promote:

  • Honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships
  • Full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that Cisco files with, or submits to, government agencies and in other public communications
  • Protecting Cisco's confidential and proprietary information and that of our customers and vendors
  • Compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations
  • The prompt internal reporting of violations of this code
  • Accountability for adherence to this code

We believe that long-term, trusting business relationships are built by being honest, open and fair. We promise to uphold the highest professional standards in all global business operations. We also expect that those with whom we do business (including suppliers, customers or re-sellers) will adhere to the standards set by Cisco's Code of Business Conduct. To read our full Code of Business Conduct, please click here.

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Who are the members of Cisco's Board of Directors? Who are Cisco's Executive Officers?

Please visit the Board of Directors section and the Executive Officers section.

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What are the board committees and their members?

Please visit the Committees section for a list of the committees and their members.

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Where can I find information about the qualifications and other factors that the Governance and Nominating Committee evaluates in selecting nominees to serve as directors?

Please see the Governance Policies page to review these qualifications and other factors.

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How do I contact members of the Board?

Shareholders may communicate with Cisco's Board of Directors through Cisco's Secretary by sending an email to bod@cisco.com, or by writing to the following address: Board of Directors, c/o Secretary, Cisco Systems, Inc., 170 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, California 95134. Cisco's Secretary will forward all correspondence to the Board of Directors except for spam, junk mail, mass mailings, product complaints or inquiries, job inquiries, surveys, business solicitations or advertisements, or patently offensive or otherwise inappropriate material. Cisco's Secretary may forward certain correspondence, such as product-related inquiries, elsewhere within Cisco for review and possible response.

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What are Cisco's independence standards? How many of Cisco's directors are independent?

Please see the "Board Composition – Majority of Independent Directors" section of Cisco's Corporate Governance Policies. Please see the Independent Directors section of the Proxy Statement in connection with Cisco's most recent Annual Meeting of shareholders for information about the independence status of each director."

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Does Cisco have a senior executive compensation recoupment policy, or "clawback" policy?

Cisco has adopted a senior executive compensation recoupment policy. This policy is:

In the event of a restatement of incorrect financial results, the Compensation and Management Development Committee (the “Compensation Committee”) will review all cash incentive awards under the Executive Incentive Plan (“bonuses”) that were paid to executive officers (within the meaning of Rule 3b-7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) for performance periods beginning after July 28, 2007. The Compensation Committee will also review the settlement of any performance-based stock units (“PRSUs”) granted to executive officers after June 6, 2019. If any such bonus or settlement of PRSUs would have been lower had the level of achievement of applicable financial performance goals been calculated based on such restated financial results, the Compensation Committee will, if it determines appropriate in its sole discretion, to the extent permitted by governing law, require the reimbursement of (i) the incremental portion of the bonus in excess of the bonus that would have been paid based on the restated financial results, and (ii) the incremental shares of company common stock settled for any PRSUs in excess of the shares of company common stock that would have been settled for such PRSUs based on the restated financial results, or the value of such incremental shares based on the settlement date fair market value to the extent an executive officer sells any incremental shares.

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How do I nominate someone for the Board or submit a stockholder proposal?

Please review our latest Proxy Statement by searching for 'Proxy Filings' from the drop down menu, here. Within our Proxy you may review the section 'Shareholder Proposals and Nominations for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders'. In this section you will find the Requirements for Shareholder Proposals to Be Considered for Inclusion in Cisco's Proxy Material; Requirements for Shareholder Proposals to be Brought Before the Annual Meeting; Requirements to Submit Candidates for Nomination to be Elected at the Annual Meeting and the Requirements to Submit Candidates for Nomination and Inclusion in Cisco's Proxy Materials.

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Corporate Social Responsibility

Where can I find out more about Cisco's Corporate Social Responsibility policies?

Please see the Cisco ESG Reporting Hub and Purpose Report for more an in-depth discussion and more information.

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Where can I find information about Cisco's environmental policies?

Please see the Cisco ESG Reporting Hub and Purpose Report for information on Cisco's environmental policies.

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What is Cisco’s Tax Strategy?

Cisco Global Tax Strategy

Cisco recognizes it has a responsibility to contribute and work in partnership with the communities and places in which it has operations. Such responsibility includes ensuring that Cisco pays tax on the appropriate level of profits generated from the activities undertaken in each jurisdiction.

i) Approach to Tax

Cisco complies with applicable tax laws, treaties, regulations, and other tax guidance. Cisco follows applicable tax laws, treaties, regulations, and other tax guidance to ensure that each Cisco entity reports the appropriate profit based on their respective functions performed, assets used, and risks assumed.

ii) Approach to risk management and governance in relation to taxation

Cisco employs a global staff that consists of qualified and competent tax professionals with the appropriate experience, expertise, and education in taxation to identify and manage potential tax risks. Cisco invests in ongoing technical tax and general business training and development of its employees. All Cisco tax compliance is undertaken with appropriate diligence and technical expertise. We obtain advice from external advisors to supplement our internal expertise or resources, as appropriate.

Our management of specific tax risks includes:

  1. Use of a framework to globally analyze and review uncertain tax positions and tax contingencies on a periodic basis under applicable accounting standards. These tax risks are revalidated each quarter under the supervision and review of our external auditors;
  2. Continuous monitoring and analyzing domestic and international tax legislation, case law, guidance, and practice;
  3. Ongoing review and refinement of the policies and procedures supporting tax compliance;
  4. and

  5. Regular training of our employees to ensure that our tax decisions and compliance activities are conducted accurately with the appropriate level of expertise and oversight.

In addition, Cisco employees are trained on the importance of compliance and Cisco’s compliance framework to ensure that Cisco remains compliant in all areas. This framework is designed to detect and evaluate compliance issues and take the appropriate action. We reinforce our ‘Keep Cisco Compliant’ culture through the roles of specialist compliance functions and a strong internal audit function.

Cisco’s taxation is the responsibility of Cisco management with oversight by the Cisco Systems, Inc. Board of Directors. The Board has an Audit Committee to assist with that oversight. The Audit Committee reviews financial information which will be provided to the shareholders and others; reviews the systems of internal controls which management and the Board of Directors have established; reviews Cisco’s financial and risk management policies; reviews liquidity and capital structure; and oversees Cisco’s accounting and financial reporting processes and the external audits of Cisco’s financial statements. As part of its responsibilities, the Audit Committee reviews items relating to Cisco’s taxation. The senior leadership team of the Global Tax and Customs department informs the Audit Committee so that it is effectively able to fulfill its duties.

The boards of directors of all Cisco companies within the Cisco group are responsible for the oversight of the financial policies and risk management for their legal entities, including with respect to tax. The Tax department personnel responsible for a particular legal entity’s tax matters regularly inform the statutory directors of the legal entity as to tax compliance matters to enable them to effectively fulfill their duties.

iii) Attitude towards tax planning

We undertake appropriate tax planning, consistent with tax laws and principles, and aligned to Cisco’s business and operations.

We utilize tax incentives that are appropriate to Cisco’s business and are consistent with the policies and goals of the organization offering such incentives. To the extent Cisco obtains an incentive, we fully comply with the requirements of such incentives.

We obtain advice from external advisors to supplement our internal expertise and resources, as appropriate.

iv) Level of risk in relation to taxation that Cisco is prepared to accept

Cisco does not enter into transactions that have no commercial rationale or carry legal or reputational risks to our relationships with tax authorities, our customers, or the wider communities in which we operate. Cisco only takes tax positions that are reasonable and defensible under the tax law. Cisco prepares its tax returns in compliance with applicable tax laws. In instances in which the tax treatment of an issue is not settled, Cisco takes a reasonable and defensible position within the law. Cisco’s tax returns in most countries are regularly examined by tax authorities. In those examinations, the company always seeks to maintain open and cooperative relationships with tax authorities. Tax risks may exist if tax authorities do not agree with the company’s position.

v) Approach towards dealings with tax authorities

Cisco acts with integrity at all times. We place great importance on preserving our positive reputation with governments, regulatory bodies, customers, and other stakeholders globally. Accordingly, Cisco interacts with the tax authorities in a transparent and honest manner. This includes compliance, audit defense, Advance Pricing Agreements, disclosures, and documentation. In addition, Cisco proactively engages with tax authorities on areas of uncertainty and acts in good faith throughout these discussions.

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What charities has Cisco committed to for the fight against racism and discrimination?

Supporting social justice causes and the community at-large is intrinsic to who we are at Cisco. We are honored to support a number of organizations who work to eradicate racism, inequality, and injustice. With our recently announced $5M donation, we are pleased to be able to pledge funds to these organizations:

  • Equal Justice Initiative – a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails and prisons.
  • The NAACP Legal Defense Fund – A premier civil rights law organization fighting for racial justice through litigation, advocacy, & public education.
  • Color Of Change – America’s largest online racial justice organization.

In addition, we have established our own fund for fighting racism and discrimination. To this end, we will be providing donations to Out & Equal, Anti-Defamation League, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Southern Poverty Law Center, Council on American Islamic Relations California and Public Allies.

Chairman and CEO Chuck Robbins on Cisco Live 2020 and recent charity donations

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