Cisco vs Twilio: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Cisco reported $63.3B of revenue in FY2026 and $13.3B of net income. Twilio reported $5.1B of revenue in FY2025 and $33.8M 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.
Twilio
Twilio moved from heavy losses to profit in three years. Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $1.256 billion in 2022 and $1.015 billion in 2023, narrowed to $109.4 million in 2024, and turned into net income of $33.8 million in 2025 on revenue of $5.067 billion. In Q2 2026 Twilio reported revenue of $1.499 billion, GAAP income from operations of $84.5 million, non-GAAP income from operations of $284.6 million, and record free cash flow of $352.6 million. Q2 2026 GAAP net income of $1.067 billion was inflated by a one-time, non-cash release of a valuation allowance on U.S. deferred tax assets worth $5.91 per diluted share. Dollar-based net expansion improved to 116% from 108% a year earlier. A $2.0 billion buyback authorized in January 2025 continues the capital-return program that followed a $3.0 billion repurchase plan.
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 |
Twilio
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $5.1B | $33.8M | 0.7% | +13.7% | Source |
| FY2024 | $4.5B | -$109.4M | -2.5% | +7.3% | Source |
| FY2023 | $4.2B | -$1B | -24.4% | +8.6% | Source |
| FY2022 | $3.8B | -$1.3B | -32.8% | +34.6% | Source |
| FY2021 | $2.8B | -$949.9M | -33.4% | +61.3% | Source |
| FY2020 | $1.8B | -$491M | -27.9% | +55.3% | Source |
| FY2019 | $1.1B | -$307.1M | -27.1% | +74.5% | Source |
| FY2018 | $650.1M | -$121.9M | -18.8% | +62.9% | Source |
| FY2017 | $399M | -$63.7M | -16.0% | +43.9% | Source |
| FY2016 | $277.3M | -$41.3M | -14.9% | — | 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.
Twilio
- Core Communications (Messaging, Voice, Video)
Majority of revenue
High-volume, usage-based revenue from programmable messaging, voice, email, verification, and contact-center APIs. Messaging generated $2.878 billion in FY2025, while voice, email, Verify, Flex, and related products diversify Twilio beyond raw SMS routing.
- Customer Data and Engagement (Segment, CustomerAI)
Not separately disclosed
Subscription and consumption-hybrid revenue from Segment, CustomerAI, data activation, and engagement workflows. Twilio does not break this stream out as a standalone FY2025 revenue total in the headline financial profile.
- Email and Other (SendGrid, Verify, Flex)
Not separately disclosed
Revenue from SendGrid email, Verify, Flex, and adjacent engagement products that complement the core communications API platform.
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.
Twilio
How it makes money
Twilio makes most of its money from usage-based fees: customers pay per message, per voice minute, per email, or per verification sent through its APIs, so revenue rises with their traffic. Messaging alone generated $2.878 billion of FY2025 revenue.
Growth strategy
Twilio is positioning itself as communications and identity infrastructure for AI agents. Its plan combines usage growth in messaging and voice, cross-selling Segment customer data, Flex, and Verify to existing accounts, adding agent identity through the November 2025 Stytch acquisition, and keeping operating costs in check while returning cash through buybacks.
Competitive advantage
Twilio's advantage comes from developer mindshare, API breadth, carrier relationships, global routing, customer integrations, data products, and mission-critical communications workflows.
Questions about Cisco vs Twilio
Which company has higher revenue — Cisco Systems, Inc. or Twilio Inc.?
Cisco Systems, Inc. reported $63.3B (FY2026), while Twilio Inc. reported $5.1B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Cisco Systems, Inc. is the larger business, with Twilio 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 Twilio Inc.?
Cisco Systems, Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $420.7B, while Twilio Inc.'s is $37.8B. Cisco Systems, Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Twilio Inc..
Which is more financially efficient — Cisco Systems, Inc. or Twilio Inc.?
Cisco Systems, Inc. generates $769k / employee in revenue per employee, while Twilio Inc. generates $923k / employee. Twilio 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 Twilio Inc. make money?
Cisco Systems, Inc. and Twilio Inc. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Cisco Systems, Inc.: Cisco makes money in two ways: product sales and services. Twilio Inc.: Twilio makes most of its money from usage-based fees: customers pay per message, per voice minute, per email, or per verification sent through its APIs, so revenue rises with their traffic.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Cisco Systems, Inc. or Twilio Inc.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Cisco Systems, Inc. trades at 6.6x P/S and Twilio Inc. at 7.5x P/S. Twilio Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Cisco Systems, Inc.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Cisco Systems, Inc. bigger than Twilio Inc.?
By last reported revenue, Cisco Systems, Inc. ($63.3B (FY2026)) is the larger company compared to Twilio Inc. ($5.1B (FY2025)). 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 Twilio overview