Cisco vs Walmart: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Cisco reported $63.3B of revenue in FY2026 and $13.3B of net income. Walmart reported $713.2B of revenue in FY2026 and $21.9B 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.
Walmart
Walmart's FY2026 total revenues rose 4.7% to $713.2 billion and net income attributable to Walmart rose to $21.9 billion from $19.4 billion in FY2025. In Q2 FY27 (quarter ended July 31, 2026), total revenues rose 5.9% to $187.9 billion and adjusted EPS was $0.81 versus $0.68 a year earlier. Adjusted operating income growth of about 17% in constant currency included a benefit from roughly $2.9 billion in IEEPA tariff refunds, much of which Walmart said it reinvested in prices. Walmart raised its full-year sales and operating income growth guidance with the Q2 report.
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 |
Walmart
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $713.2B | $21.9B | 3.1% | +4.7% | Source |
| FY2025 | $681B | $19.4B | 2.9% | +5.1% | Source |
| FY2024 | $648.1B | $15.5B | 2.4% | +6.0% | Source |
| FY2023 | $611.3B | $11.7B | 1.9% | +6.7% | Source |
| FY2022 | $572.8B | $13.7B | 2.4% | +2.4% | Source |
| FY2021 | $559.2B | $13.5B | 2.4% | +6.7% | Source |
| FY2020 | $524B | $14.9B | 2.8% | +1.9% | Source |
| FY2019 | $514.4B | $6.7B | 1.3% | +2.8% | Source |
| FY2018 | $500.3B | $9.9B | 2.0% | +3.0% | Source |
| FY2017 | $485.9B | $13.6B | 2.8% | — | 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.
Walmart
- Walmart U.S.
Largest segment, roughly two-thirds of revenue
U.S. supercenters, discount stores, Neighborhood Markets, Walmart.com, marketplace, and Walmart Connect.
- Walmart International
Second-largest segment
Operations including Walmex in Mexico and Central America, Flipkart in India, Walmart Canada, and Walmart China.
- Sam's Club U.S.
Smallest segment
Membership warehouse club sales, fuel, and membership fees.
- Advertising, Membership, and Marketplace Services
Higher-margin income across segments
Global advertising grew 38% and membership fee revenue 17% in Q2 FY27.
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.
Walmart
How it makes money
Most of Walmart's revenue comes from selling groceries, consumables, general merchandise, health and wellness products, and fuel through stores, clubs, and ecommerce. Walmart U.S. is the largest segment at roughly two-thirds of revenue, followed by Walmart International (including Walmex, Flipkart, Walmart Canada, and Walmart China) and Sam's Club U.S.
Growth strategy
Walmart is pushing store-fulfilled delivery, marketplace assortment, advertising, and membership while keeping its price position. In Q2 FY27 it reported 23% global ecommerce growth, 38% global advertising growth, 17% higher membership fee revenue, and U.S. marketplace sales up 52%.
Competitive advantage
Walmart's edge is purchasing scale, a dense U.S. store network that doubles as a fulfillment network, frequent grocery trips, and first-party purchase data that supports its advertising business.
Questions about Cisco vs Walmart
Which company has higher revenue — Cisco Systems, Inc. or Walmart Inc.?
Cisco Systems, Inc. reported $63.3B (FY2026), while Walmart Inc. reported $713.2B (FY2026). By last reported revenue, Walmart Inc. is the larger business, with Cisco Systems, Inc. reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Cisco Systems, Inc. vs Walmart Inc.?
Cisco Systems, Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $420.7B, while Walmart Inc.'s is $790.0B. Walmart Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Cisco Systems, Inc..
Which is more financially efficient — Cisco Systems, Inc. or Walmart Inc.?
Cisco Systems, Inc. generates $769k / employee in revenue per employee, while Walmart Inc. generates $340k / 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 Walmart Inc. make money?
Cisco Systems, Inc. and Walmart Inc. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Cisco Systems, Inc.: Cisco makes money in two ways: product sales and services. Walmart Inc.: Most of Walmart's revenue comes from selling groceries, consumables, general merchandise, health and wellness products, and fuel through stores, clubs, and ecommerce.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Cisco Systems, Inc. or Walmart Inc.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Cisco Systems, Inc. trades at 6.6x P/S and Walmart Inc. at 1.1x P/S. Cisco Systems, Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Walmart 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 Walmart Inc.?
By last reported revenue, Walmart Inc. ($713.2B (FY2026)) 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 Walmart overview