Cisco vs Disney: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Cisco reported $63.3B of revenue in FY2026 and $13.3B of net income. Disney reported $94.4B of revenue in FY2025 and $12.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Cisco
Cisco's revenue fell 5.6% to $53.8 billion in FY2024 as customers worked through excess inventory, then recovered to $56.7 billion in FY2025 and a record $63.3 billion in FY2026 (up 12%). FY2026 GAAP net income was about $13.3 billion, GAAP EPS was $3.33 (up 31%), and non-GAAP EPS was $4.33. Growth accelerated through the year: Q4 FY2026 revenue was $17.3 billion, up 18%, with product revenue up 24% and total product orders up 35%. Cisco said it recognized about $4 billion of AI infrastructure revenue from hyperscalers in FY2026 and expects about $7.5 billion in FY2027, within total FY2027 revenue guidance of $72.2-73.4 billion. The company also pays a quarterly dividend and buys back stock.
Disney
Disney's fiscal 2025 (ended September 27, 2025) revenue rose 3% to $94.4 billion, net income was $12.4 billion and adjusted EPS increased 19% to $5.93. Total segment operating income rose 12% to $17.6 billion, led by a record $10.0 billion from Experiences. Streaming became a reliable profit contributor after years of losses. In fiscal Q3 2026 (ended June 27, 2026), revenue grew 7% to $25.25 billion, Experiences revenue rose 10% to $9.97 billion, entertainment streaming revenue rose 11% to $5.53 billion, and adjusted EPS climbed to $2.06 from $1.61. Management guided to $9 billion of fiscal 2026 capital spending, about $24 billion of content investment and at least $9 billion of share repurchases.
Revenue and profit by year
Cisco
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $63.3B | $13.3B | 21.0% | +11.8% | Source |
| FY2025 | $56.7B | $10.2B | 18.0% | +5.3% | Source |
| FY2024 | $53.8B | $10.3B | 19.2% | -5.6% | Source |
| FY2023 | $57B | $12.6B | 22.1% | +10.6% | Source |
| FY2022 | $51.6B | $11.8B | 22.9% | +3.5% | Source |
| FY2021 | $49.8B | $10.6B | 21.3% | +1.0% | Source |
| FY2020 | $49.3B | $11.2B | 22.7% | -5.0% | Source |
| FY2019 | $51.9B | $11.6B | 22.4% | +5.2% | Source |
| FY2018 | $49.3B | $110M | 0.2% | +2.8% | Source |
| FY2017 | $48B | $9.6B | 20.0% | — | Source |
Disney
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $94.4B | $12.4B | 13.1% | +3.4% | Source |
| FY2024 | $91.4B | — | 0.0% | +2.8% | Source |
| FY2023 | $88.9B | — | 0.0% | +7.5% | Source |
| FY2022 | $82.7B | — | 0.0% | +22.7% | Source |
| FY2021 | $67.4B | — | 0.0% | +3.1% | Source |
| FY2020 | $65.4B | — | 0.0% | -6.1% | Source |
| FY2019 | $69.6B | — | 0.0% | +17.1% | Source |
| FY2018 | $59.4B | — | 0.0% | +7.8% | Source |
| FY2017 | $55.1B | — | 0.0% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Cisco
- Secure, Agile Networks (Networking)~49%
Enterprise switching, routing, and wireless products including Catalyst, Nexus, and Meraki platforms. Cisco's largest and most established segment.
- Security~11%
Cybersecurity products including firewalls, zero-trust solutions, XDR, and the Splunk observability platform acquired in 2024 for $28 billion.
- Collaboration~9%
Webex video conferencing, unified communications, contact center solutions, and collaboration devices for hybrid work environments.
- Observability~8%
Full-stack observability including AppDynamics, ThousandEyes, and Splunk's SIEM/observability capabilities for monitoring application and network performance.
- Services~23%
Technical support, advisory services, and implementation services tied to Cisco's hardware and software portfolio. High-margin recurring revenue stream.
Disney
- Entertainment~44%
Disney+, Hulu, theatrical films, content licensing, ABC and cable networks: $42.5B FY2025 revenue.
- Experiences~38%
Theme parks, resorts, Disney Cruise Line and consumer products: $36.2B FY2025 revenue.
- Sports~18%
ESPN affiliate fees, advertising and direct-to-consumer subscriptions: $17.7B FY2025 revenue.
Business model and strategy
Cisco
How it makes money
Cisco makes money in two ways: product sales and services. Products (switches, routers, wireless, Silicon One-based data center and AI networking gear, firewalls, Splunk and other security and observability software, and Webex) made up about $13.5 billion of the $17.3 billion Q4 FY2026 revenue, while services (technical support, advisory, and maintenance contracts) contributed about $3.8 billion.
Growth strategy
Cisco's growth plan rests on three areas. First, AI infrastructure: Silicon One chips, Nexus and Cisco 8000 systems, and optics sold to hyperscalers and, increasingly, to neoclouds, sovereign AI projects, and enterprises building their own AI clusters. Second, campus and branch refresh, as enterprises upgrade switching and Wi-Fi for AI workloads.
Competitive advantage
Cisco's advantage is how deeply its equipment is built into corporate networks. The saying in IT is that 'nobody ever got fired for buying Cisco': large banks and other enterprises choose it for reliability. Replacing an integrated Cisco network with cheaper hardware is a multi-year project with real risk, so most CIOs stay, which gives Cisco a durable installed base.
Disney
How it makes money
Disney reports three segments. Entertainment ($42.5B FY2025 revenue, $4.7B segment operating income) sells Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions and advertising, releases films theatrically, licenses content and runs ABC and cable networks. Sports ($17.7B revenue, $2.9B operating income) is mainly ESPN, which earns affiliate fees from pay-TV distributors, advertising and direct-to-consumer subscriptions.
Growth strategy
Under CEO Josh D'Amaro, Disney's plan centers on a 'One Disney' push to align its divisions around franchises, plus three investment priorities. First, streaming margins: Disney targeted a 10% operating margin for Entertainment DTC in fiscal 2026 through price increases, advertising tiers, password-sharing limits and the integrated Disney+ and Hulu app.
Competitive advantage
Disney owns a franchise library that few rivals can match, including Mickey Mouse, Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar and The Simpsons, and it can monetize the same story through box office, Disney+, parks, cruises and licensing. Its parks are hard to copy because they need decades of land, capital and Imagineering know-how; Walt Disney World alone spans about 25,000 acres.
Questions about Cisco vs Disney
Which company has higher revenue — Cisco Systems, Inc. or The Walt Disney Company?
Cisco Systems, Inc. reported $63.3B (FY2026), while The Walt Disney Company reported $94.4B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, The Walt Disney Company is the larger business, with Cisco Systems, Inc. reporting a smaller revenue base. Note: these are from different fiscal years and are not a direct like-for-like comparison.
What is the market cap of Cisco Systems, Inc. vs The Walt Disney Company?
Cisco Systems, Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $420.7B, while The Walt Disney Company's is $180.0B. Cisco Systems, Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to The Walt Disney Company.
Which is more financially efficient — Cisco Systems, Inc. or The Walt Disney Company?
Cisco Systems, Inc. generates $769k / employee in revenue per employee, while The Walt Disney Company generates $409k / employee. Cisco Systems, Inc. shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.
How do Cisco Systems, Inc. and The Walt Disney Company make money?
Cisco Systems, Inc. and The Walt Disney Company generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Cisco Systems, Inc.: Cisco makes money in two ways: product sales and services. The Walt Disney Company: Disney reports three segments.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Cisco Systems, Inc. or The Walt Disney Company?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Cisco Systems, Inc. trades at 6.6x P/S and The Walt Disney Company at 1.9x P/S. Cisco Systems, Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to The Walt Disney Company. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Cisco Systems, Inc. bigger than The Walt Disney Company?
By last reported revenue, The Walt Disney Company ($94.4B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Cisco Systems, Inc. ($63.3B (FY2026)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Cisco vs Disney overview