Cisco Systems Option Alert: Jan 16 $67.5 Calls Sweep (48) near the Ask: 1500 vs 1487 OI

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Jan 16 $67.5 Calls Sweep (48) near the Ask: 1500 @ $4.75 vs 1487 OI; Ref=$64.43

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (22) near the Ask: 2500 vs 7970 OI

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (22) near the Ask: 2500 @ $2.76 vs 7970 OI; Ref=$64.7999

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (29) above Ask!: 2500 vs 7970 OI

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (29) above Ask!: 2500 @ $2.76 vs 7970 OI; Ref=$64.78

Cisco Systems 株価情報 (NASDAQ: CSCO)

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) 株価情報

CISCO SYSTEMS INC

Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.

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８月３日（水）午前８時３０分（米国東部時間）に公表される消費者物価指数（CPI）速報に先駆け、主要指数先物は神経質な値動きを示している。債券利回りは消費者物価指数発表前に低下している。今回の報告が価格圧力の緩和が続いていることを確認した場合、米連邦準備制度理事会（FRB）は利上げを余儀なくされる可能性がある。経済学者やストラテジストは、FRB総裁のジェローム・パウエル氏が今月末に予定されている＜ジャクソンホール・シンポジウム＞で、利上げ見通しについてさらに明確な見解を示すと予想している。

ウォール・ストリート　主要先物指数が反応

Cisco Systems Inc

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) announced on Tuesday that it has created a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/quantum-computing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new quantum chip</a> in collaboration with UC Santa Barbara that enables quantum networks to scale and connect quantum processors for practical applications. The company also said it <a href="https://blogs.cisco.com/news/quantum-networking-how-cisco-is-accelerating-practical-quantum-computing">opened</a> a quantum lab in Santa Monica, CA, where quantum scientists and engineers are building quantum networking technologies.
The quantum network entanglement chip operates at standard telecom wavelengths and can leverage existing fiber optic infrastructure. The new chip is also energy efficient, consuming less than 1 megawatt of power.
Cisco also said it has opened its Cisco Quantum Labs facility in Santa Monica, CA.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44991419/nvidia-powers-next-gen-adaptive-digital-ai-agents-for-cisco-nasdaq-and-meta" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nvidia Powers Next-Gen Adaptive Digital AI Agents For Cisco, Nasdaq, And Meta</a>
The lab&#8217;s researchers will work on the new entanglement chip and advance other research prototypes, such as entanglement-distribution protocols, a distributed quantum-computing compiler, a Quantum Network Development Kit, and a&nbsp;Quantum Random Number Generator&nbsp;(QRNG).
Cisco also implemented&nbsp;Post-Quantum Cryptography&nbsp;(PQC) NIST standards across its portfolio, ensuring classical networks remain secure in a post-quantum world.
In February, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/44019698/amazon-unveils-ocelot-quantum-chip-after-microsoft-aims-to-slash-error-correction-costs-by-90">Ocelot</a>, its new quantum computing chip, which is expected to reduce the costs of implementing quantum error correction by up to 90%. The AWS Center for Quantum Computing team developed the chip at the California Institute of Technology.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) debuted the Majorana 1 quantum chip to scale to 1 million qubits for industrial-scale problem-solving.
Last December,&nbsp;Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google&nbsp;announced its&nbsp;quantum chip&nbsp;Willow that could reduce errors exponentially as it scaled up&nbsp;using&nbsp;more&nbsp;qubits.
In November, NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) tapped Quantum AI to drive the development of quantum computing devices.
Price Action: CSCO is trading flat at $59.33 on Wednesday.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/05/45235394/nvidia-broadcom-lead-fund-manager-buys-even-as-semiconductor-sector-cools-analysts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nvidia, Broadcom Lead Fund Manager Buys Even As Semiconductor Sector Cools: Analysts</a></li>
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Cisco Unveils Quantum Chip And Lab To Push Next-Gen Networking

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in CSCO usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 8 extraordinary options activities for Cisco Systems. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 12% leaning bullish and 62% bearish. Among these notable options, 6 are puts, totaling $389,340, and 2 are calls, amounting to $58,525.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $54.0 to $67.5 for Cisco Systems over the recent three months. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Cisco Systems's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Cisco Systems's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $54.0 to $67.5 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>Cisco Systems Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1746543656_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/30/25</td>
<td>$0.55</td>
<td>$0.51</td>
<td>$0.52</td>
<td>$54.00</td>
<td>$104.0K</td>
<td>5.1K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$5.8</td>
<td>$5.65</td>
<td>$5.8</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$93.3K</td>
<td>519</td>
<td>163</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$5.8</td>
<td>$5.7</td>
<td>$5.8</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$68.4K</td>
<td>519</td>
<td>282</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$1.07</td>
<td>$1.04</td>
<td>$1.07</td>
<td>$57.50</td>
<td>$42.8K</td>
<td>10.2K</td>
<td>401</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/09/25</td>
<td>$0.37</td>
<td>$0.33</td>
<td>$0.37</td>
<td>$58.00</td>
<td>$40.7K</td>
<td>681</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Cisco Systems</h3>
Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Cisco Systems, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Current Position of Cisco Systems</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 1,769,952, the price of CSCO is down -0.29% at $59.15. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 8 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About Cisco Systems</h3>
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $65.6.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Evercore ISI Group keeps a Outperform rating on Cisco Systems with a target price of $67. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Rosenblatt persists with their Buy rating on Cisco Systems, maintaining a target price of $63. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from JP Morgan continues to hold a Overweight rating for Cisco Systems, targeting a price of $70. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Piper Sandler has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on Cisco Systems, which currently sits at a price target of $60. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Citigroup keeps a Buy rating on Cisco Systems with a target price of $68. 
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Cisco Systems options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Options

Cisco Systems Unusual Options Activity

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/02/25</td>
<td>$108.00</td>
<td>$54.4K</td>
<td>11.5K</td>
<td>44.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$13.00</td>
<td>$56.0K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>9.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/02/25</td>
<td>$210.00</td>
<td>$25.4K</td>
<td>9.9K</td>
<td>6.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/02/25</td>
<td>$96.00</td>
<td>$412.0K</td>
<td>3.7K</td>
<td>4.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/09/25</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$38.0K</td>
<td>5.8K</td>
<td>2.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/02/25</td>
<td>$36.00</td>
<td>$28.2K</td>
<td>4.7K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMTC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$28.00</td>
<td>$215.4K</td>
<td>979</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AVGO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/02/25</td>
<td>$190.00</td>
<td>$28.2K</td>
<td>4.9K</td>
<td>871</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$420.00</td>
<td>$38.3K</td>
<td>14.4K</td>
<td>716</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$65.00</td>
<td>$46.4K</td>
<td>17.5K</td>
<td>518</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on May 2, 2025. Parties traded 288 contract(s) at a $108.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $54.4K, with a price of $189.0 per contract. There were 11526 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 44971 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 325 day(s) on March 20, 2026. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $13.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $56.0K, with a price of $560.0 per contract. There were 1261 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 9310 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 3 day(s) on May 2, 2025. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $210.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.4K, with a price of $510.0 per contract. There were 9903 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6925 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 3 day(s) on May 2, 2025. This event was a transfer of 2000 contract(s) at a $96.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $412.0K, with a price of $206.0 per contract. There were 3768 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4916 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 10 day(s) on May 9, 2025. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $130.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 12 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.0K, with a price of $380.0 per contract. There were 5813 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2763 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 3 day(s) on May 2, 2025. This event was a transfer of 188 contract(s) at a $36.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.2K, with a price of $150.0 per contract. There were 4702 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2437 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SMTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMTC#NASDAQ">SMTC</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 52 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 399 contract(s) at a $28.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $215.4K, with a price of $540.0 per contract. There were 979 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1600 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AVGO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 3 day(s) on May 2, 2025. This event was a transfer of 56 contract(s) at a $190.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.2K, with a price of $505.0 per contract. There were 4922 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 871 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 52 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 60 contract(s) at a $420.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.3K, with a price of $639.0 per contract. There were 14400 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 716 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CSCO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 262 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 211 contract(s) at a $65.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $46.4K, with a price of $220.0 per contract. There were 17574 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 518 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

AAPL

AVGO

MARA

PLTR

SMCI

SMTC

10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

Cisco Systems's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NYSE">CSCO</a>) short percent of float has fallen 3.9% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 58.95 million shares sold short, which is 1.48% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 1.9 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Cisco Systems Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1745859619_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Cisco Systems has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Cisco Systems's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Cisco Systems's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 6.72%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

How Do Investors Really Feel About Cisco Systems?

Evercore ISI Group analyst Amit Daryanani maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Outperform and lowers the price target from $75 to $67.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Evercore ISI Group Maintains Outperform on Cisco Systems, Lowers Price Target to $67

President Donald Trump&#8216;s ongoing tariff policy changes have resulted in persistent market volatility and uncertainty. This has increased investors' appetite for stable, defensive stocks paying steady dividends. Dividend stocks have <a href="https://www.hartfordfunds.com/dam/en/docs/pub/whitepapers/WP106.pdf">contributed</a> significantly to overall market returns during the 1940s, 1960s, and 1970s, when average annual total returns were lower.
About seven months ago, a dividend investor <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/dividends/comments/1fldncg/finally_hit_300k_goal/">shared</a> his monthly dividend income details and portfolio on r/Dividends — a Reddit discussion board with over 700,000 followers. The income report shared by the investor showed his monthly dividend income was $23,800, with a projected annual dividend income of just over $300,000.
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<li>Can you guess how many retire with a $5,000,000 nest egg? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/5mil-nest-egg-adv">The percentage may shock you</a>.</li>
</ul>
The investor, in his mid-50s, said he had about 150 holdings in his portfolio worth roughly $4.4 million. Asked how he was able to accumulate wealth to build such a large portfolio, he said it took him years to reach this milestone:
"Started at $3.50 per hour. Went back to school in my early 30s as did my wife. Definitely no inheritance and student loans to boot. Just 35 years of investing."
The investor said over $2 million of his wealth came from "decades of trading" biotech company Immunomedics, which was <a href="https://www.gilead.com/news/news-details/2020/gilead-sciences-to-acquire-immunomedics">bought</a> by Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GILD#NASDAQ">GILD</a>) in 2020 for $88 per share.&nbsp;
Trending: The secret weapon in billionaire investor portfolios that you almost certainly don't own yet. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/masterworks">See which asset class has outpaced the S&amp;P 500 (1995-2024) – and with near-zero correlation.</a>
Let's take a look at some of the biggest holdings of the investor.
BlackRock Science and Technolgy Term Trust
BlackRock Science and Technology Term Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BSTZ#NYSE">BSTZ</a>) was the biggest holding of the investor. The closed-end equity fund invests in science and technology companies and also generates income by selling call options on stocks in its portfolio. It has a dividend yield of about 9%.&nbsp;
Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund
The Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JRI#NYSE">JRI</a>) invests in companies related to infrastructure projects, facilities, and services, as well as REITs. Among the top holdings of the fund are Enbridge (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ENB#NYSE">ENB</a>), Energy Transfer (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ET#NYSE">ET</a>), Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLPI#NASDAQ">GLPI</a>), Simon Property (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPG#NYSE">SPG</a>) and Omega Healthcare Investors (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OHI#NYSE">OHI</a>).
DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund
DoubleLine Income Solutions (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DSL#NYSE">DSL</a>) is a closed-end fund focusing on income-generating fixed-income securities. It yields about 12% and pays monthly.
See Also: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/rad-intel">invest pre-IPO from $0.60 per share now</a>.
Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund&nbsp;
The Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KYN#NYSE">KYN</a>) invests in midstream, natural gas &amp; LNG infrastructure, and power infrastructure companies. The fund has a dividend yield of over 8%.
Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund
Another closed-end fund in the portfolio, Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIO#NYSE">HIO</a>) primarily invests in high-yield corporate debt securities and preferred stocks for income generation and capital appreciation. The fund has a distribution rate of over 10%.&nbsp;
Voya Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund
The Voya Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IDE#NYSE">IDE</a>) invests in companies in the infrastructure, industrials and materials sectors. Cisco (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), Verizon (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>), Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHW#NYSE">SHW</a>), Uber (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) and T-Mobile US (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMUS#NASDAQ">TMUS</a>) are among the fund's biggest holdings.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/gbr-savings-by-age">If You're Age 35, 50, or 60: Here&#8217;s How Much You Should Have Saved Vs. Invested By Now</a></li>
<li>Inspired by Uber and Airbnb &#8211; Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets &#8211; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">with $1,000 you can invest at just $0.26/share!</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Personal Finance

BSTZ

GILD

GLPI

TMUS

UBER

Dividend Investor in Mid-50s Making $23,800 A Month Shares Portfolio, Says He Started with $3.50/hour  —  'Just 35 Years of Investing'

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/25/25</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$26.8K</td>
<td>96.0K</td>
<td>292.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/25/25</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$47.4K</td>
<td>14.3K</td>
<td>55.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/25/25</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$119.0K</td>
<td>24.7K</td>
<td>24.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$62.1K</td>
<td>27.7K</td>
<td>4.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$36.3K</td>
<td>7.4K</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WOLF</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/25/25</td>
<td>$2.50</td>
<td>$28.4K</td>
<td>4.9K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$440.00</td>
<td>$60.7K</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>QCOM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$30.0K</td>
<td>599</td>
<td>700</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ARM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$40.4K</td>
<td>438</td>
<td>579</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TXN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$198.0K</td>
<td>842</td>
<td>550</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• For NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, is expiring today. Parties traded 149 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.8K, with a price of $179.0 per contract. There were 96004 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 292713 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, is expiring today. Parties traded 375 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $47.4K, with a price of $126.0 per contract. There were 14352 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 55761 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, is expiring today. Parties traded 64 contract(s) at a $350.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 32 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $119.0K, with a price of $1860.0 per contract. There were 24752 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 24768 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 21 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 269 contract(s) at a $85.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 49 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $62.1K, with a price of $231.0 per contract. There were 27775 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4767 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CSCO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 21 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 606 contract(s) at a $60.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.3K, with a price of $60.0 per contract. There were 7491 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4050 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For WOLF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WOLF#NYSE">WOLF</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, is expiring today. Parties traded 400 contract(s) at a $2.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.4K, with a price of $71.0 per contract. There were 4995 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1669 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 266 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 32 contract(s) at a $440.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $60.7K, with a price of $1898.0 per contract. There were 3058 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1213 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding QCOM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 329 day(s) on March 20, 2026. Parties traded 31 contract(s) at a $125.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.0K, with a price of $970.0 per contract. There were 599 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 700 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ARM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 419 day(s) on June 18, 2026. This event was a transfer of 46 contract(s) at a $200.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $40.4K, with a price of $880.0 per contract. There were 438 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 579 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TXN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 147 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 550 contract(s) at a $130.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $198.0K, with a price of $360.0 per contract. There were 842 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 550 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

MSTR

QCOM

WOLF

Despite growing skepticism on Wall Street, CNBC&#8217;s Jim Cramer remains optimistic about the future of artificial intelligence infrastructure and data center stocks.
What Happened: Cramer acknowledged the turbulence in AI stocks, especially following revelations from DeepSeek, a Chinese startup. On top of that, there&#8217;s anxiety about Donald Trump's tariff policies <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/44780349/trumps-tariff-policies-fuel-economic-concerns-economists-expect-slower-growth-ahead">potentially hurting the broader economy</a>.
However, he thinks the data center boom isn't slowing down, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/24/jim-cramer-explains-why-hes-still-optimistic-on-data-center-buildout-.html">reported</a> CNBC on Thursday.
The Mad Money host mentioned that executives at Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)&nbsp; have said <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/44914250/amazon-follows-microsofts-lead-halts-some-data-center-deals-executive-says-routine-capacity-management">they're still spending big</a> on data centers.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) may be building <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44733013/microsoft-shelves-1-billion-ohio-data-center-plans-amid-global-project-withdrawals-we-are-slowing-or-pausing-some-early-stage-projects">fewer data centers</a> for OpenAI, but Cramer said that's likely because ChatGPT-parent is now raising its own money to do it independently.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44778464/trump-administration-grants-tariff-reprieve-to-tech-industry-apple-and-nvidia-among-beneficiaries" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Grants Tariff Reprieve to Tech – Including From China – In Surprise Move</a>
He believes that if trade tensions ease and AI enthusiasm resurges, several sectors are poised for significant growth, including:
<ul>
<li>Semiconductors: Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>)</li>
<li>Server and networking gear: Arista Networks (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANET#NYSE">ANET</a>), Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>)</li>
<li>Data center builders and power suppliers: CoreWeave Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWV#NASDAQ">CRWV</a>), Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CEG#NASDAQ">CEG</a>), Vistra (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VST#NYSE">VST</a>)</li>
<li>Cooling and climate control: Carrier Global (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARR#NYSE">CARR</a>), Trane Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TT#NYSE">TT</a>)</li>
<li>Industrial manufacturers: Cummins (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMI#NYSE">CMI</a>), Dover Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOV#NYSE">DOV</a>)</li>
</ul>
"These are very much cyclical companies, so you can't just buy them if you think we're headed into a recession," he stated, adding, "But if we get a reprieve on some of…these tariff issues and investors return to the AI trade, I just gave you everything that's going to fly again."
Why It's Important: In January, DeepSeek's assertion that its AI model was built at a fraction of the cost of its U.S. competitors led to Nvidia losing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43876025/nvidia-ceo-attributed-the-deepseek-led-sell-off-to-investor-misconception-on-ai-spending-obviously-that-paradigm-is-wrong">$600 billion in market cap</a> in just one day.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44926902/imf-slashes-us-growth-outlook-as-trump-tariffs-bite-raises-recession-odds-to-40">significantly revised down its 2025 growth</a> forecast for the U.S., attributing the downgrade to President Trump&#8217;s broad tariffs and increasing economic uncertainty.
Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings gives the company a strong growth score of 94.78%. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here to see how it stacks up against other top tech giants</a> such as Microsoft, Amazon, Broadcom, Arm, and more.
Image Via Shutterstock
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44652222/trumps-tariffs-may-shift-us-spending-from-goods-to-services-creating-uncertainty-for-ecommerce-and-advertising-industries-analyst-warns" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tariffs To Impact End Demand: Goldman Sachs Analyst Expects Drag On Corporate Spending, Hiring</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Media

ANET

CARR

CRWV

Jim Cramer Stays Bullish On Data Centers, Says If Trump Tariffs Eases, These AI Stocks 'Will Fly Again' Despite Wall Street Doubts

Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)&nbsp;announced NeMo microservices&nbsp;Wednesday, which helped enterprise IT quickly build <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/nvidia" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI teammates that</a> tap into&nbsp;data flywheels&nbsp;to scale employee productivity. The microservices provide an end-to-end developer platform for creating state-of-the-art&nbsp;agentic AI&nbsp;systems and continually optimizing them with data flywheels informed by inference, business data, <a target="_blank" href="https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/nemo-enterprises-ai-teammates-employee-productivity/" rel="noreferrer noopener">and user preferences</a>.
With a data flywheel, enterprise IT can onboard AI agents as digital teammates.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/04/44934100/analyst-sticks-with-nvidia-despite-fallout-from-china-curbs" rel="noreferrer noopener">Analyst Sticks With Nvidia Despite Fallout From China Curbs</a>
These agents can tap into user interactions and data generated during AI inference to continuously improve model performance, turning usage into insight and insight into action.
NeMo microservices clients included AT&amp;T Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>), BlackRock Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLK#NYSE">BLK</a>), Cisco Systems, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), and Nasdaq, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NDAQ#NASDAQ">NDAQ</a>).
NeMo microservices support a wide range of popular open models, including Llama, the&nbsp;Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) Phi&nbsp;family of small language models,&nbsp;Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google Gemma, Mistral, and&nbsp;Llama Nemotron&nbsp;Ultra, currently&nbsp;the top open model&nbsp;on scientific reasoning, coding, and complex math benchmarks.
Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) has tapped Nvidia NeMo microservices through new connectors for Meta&nbsp;Llamastack. Users can access the same capabilities, including Customizer, Evaluator, and Guardrails, via APIs, enabling them to run the full suite of agent-building workflows within their environment.
BofA Securities analyst Vivek Arya chose Nvidia as the top AI pick, citing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44963215/nvidia-and-broadcom-chosen-as-top-semiconductor-picks-for-ai-leadership-and-custom-silicon-dominance-analyst" rel="noreferrer noopener">healthy demand for AI</a> computing with the ongoing shift toward compute-hungry test-time computing and reasoning models as additional catalysts.
Price Actions: NVDA stock is up 3.35% at $106.16 at the last check on Thursday.&nbsp;
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44990084/taiwan-semiconductor-to-begin-production-of-14-nm-chips-in-2028-enhancing-ai-and-smartphone-performance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Taiwan Semiconductor To Begin Production Of Advanced 1.4nm Chips In 2028</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Hepha1st0s via Shutterstock

NDAQ

Nvidia Powers Next-Gen Adaptive Digital AI Agents For Cisco, Nasdaq, And Meta

Rosenblatt analyst Mike Genovese maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $80 to $63.

Rosenblatt Maintains Buy on Cisco Systems, Lowers Price Target to $63

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) co-founder Jack Ma once expressed that trade wars, such as the one brewing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/44831287/trump-administration-imposes-up-to-245-tariff-on-chinese-imports-amid-intensifying-trade-battle">between the U.S. and China,</a> are obscuring deeper issues of resource allocation and wealth concentration, while posing a risk to global stability.
What Happened: In an old interview, Jack Ma acknowledged that in the past 30 years, top U.S. companies like IBM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NASDAQ">IBM</a>), Cisco (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) earned a lot of profit which are much more than the four largest banks in China put together, however, after the financial crisis of 2008, the country lost trillions of money and lots of white and blue collar jobs. The Chinese billionaire asks, &#8220;Where (did) the money go?&#8221;
He suggests that the narrative of other countries &#8220;stealing&#8221; American jobs oversimplifies a more complex&nbsp;issue: strategic missteps in resource&nbsp;allocation. Ma feels that wealth has been disproportionately distributed, favoring&nbsp;short-term gains over long-term stability.&nbsp;The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have depleted&nbsp;resources that could have been&nbsp;used to support America&#8217;s industrial base and its people.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
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<iframe loading="lazy" title="(THROWBACK): &quot;Beware the Trade War Disaster!&quot; — Jack Ma&#039;s Dire Prediction." width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bzlXBn9inG0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
</figure>
The Alibaba co-founder went on to say that the trade war between the world&#8217;s two largest economies, the U.S. and China, could have catastrophic consequences not only for these nations but also for the global economy. &#8220;It&#8217;s going to be a disaster,&#8221; said the Alibaba co-founder. He believes, &#8220;When trade stops, the war starts.&#8221;
He opined that the potential for collaboration over confrontation, even if it disrupts established business models, could yield long-term benefits of peace and mutual prosperity that would far outweigh the costs.
&#8220;I will (be) happy if China and USA agree on something&#8230;I would destroy Alibaba model by stopping the war,&#8221; stated Ma.
The Chinese tech titan also stated that it is hard to imagine that the first largest economy of the world and the second largest economy have a trade war. &#8220;If we can anybody can do something to stop it do anything to stop,&#8221; Jack Ma stated. 
SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/news/25/04/44869983/a-small-business-owner-asks-whats-your-plan-now-that-a-20-product-from-china-costs-50-before-it-even-hits-th" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A Small Business Owner Asks, &#8216;What&#8217;s Your Plan,&#8217; Now That A $20 Product From China Costs $50 Before It Even Hits The Warehouse?</a>
Why It Matters: The escalating trade tensions are not only threatening global stability but also posing serious liquidity risks for investors holding U.S.-listed Chinese stocks like Alibaba Group and JD.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>). According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44868280/us-listed-chinese-stocks-face-250-billion-forced-selling-risk-as-delisting-fears-emerge-what-investors-need-to-know">note</a>&nbsp;shared by Goldman Sachs analyst Kinger Lau, the fears of delisting for Chinese American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are rising, driven by escalating trade tensions and new policy guidance from U.S. officials.
Moreover, amid these tensions, Alibaba Group is betting big on AI with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44745275/alibaba-bets-big-on-ai-with-new-cloud-tools-as-jack-ma-reemerges-in-company-comeback">new cloud tools</a>. The company&#8217;s co-founder, Jack Ma, reemerged to celebrate its 15th anniversary and showcased its Blossom project, which aims to accelerate AI adoption. This move indicates a strategic shift towards technological advancements, potentially reshaping the global trade dynamics.
The ADR of Alibaba Group climbed 1.99% to close at $108.87 on Thursday, as per <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">BenzingaPro</a>. Year-to-date, the company&#8217;s ADR surged 28.16%.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/news/25/04/44859725/cbps-latest-tariff-figures-reveal-500-million-in-collections-dwarfing-trumps-2-billion-daily-estimate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CBP&#8217;s Latest Tariff Figures Reveal $500 Million In Collections, Dwarfing Trump&#8217;s $2 Billion Daily Estimate</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

General

BABA

Jack Ma Was Once Ready To 'Destroy' Alibaba To End US-China Trade War: 'I Would Be Happy If China And USA Agree On Something'

In the preceding three months, 12 analysts have released ratings for Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), presenting a wide array of perspectives from bullish to bearish.
The table below provides a concise overview of recent ratings by analysts, offering insights into the changing sentiments over the past 30 days and drawing comparisons with the preceding months for a holistic perspective.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts have recently evaluated Cisco Systems and provided 12-month price targets. The average target is $69.42, accompanied by a high estimate of $80.00 and a low estimate of $60.00. This upward trend is evident, with the current average reflecting a 6.39% increase from the previous average price target of $65.25.
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1744912819_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Analyzing Analyst Ratings: A Detailed Breakdown</h2>
In examining recent analyst actions, we gain insights into how financial experts perceive Cisco Systems. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
&#x7C; Analyst &#x7C; Analyst Firm &#x7C; Action Taken &#x7C; Rating &#x7C;Current Price Target&#x7C; Prior Price Target &#x7C; 
&#x7C;--------------------&#x7C;--------------------&#x7C;---------------&#x7C;---------------&#x7C;--------------------&#x7C;--------------------&#x7C; 
&#x7C;Samik Chatterjee &#x7C;JP Morgan &#x7C;Lowers &#x7C;Overweight &#x7C; $70.00&#x7C;$73.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;Atif Malik &#x7C;Citigroup &#x7C;Lowers &#x7C;Buy &#x7C; $68.00&#x7C;$73.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;James Fish &#x7C;Piper Sandler &#x7C;Lowers &#x7C;Neutral &#x7C; $60.00&#x7C;$72.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;Atif Malik &#x7C;Citigroup &#x7C;Raises &#x7C;Buy &#x7C; $73.00&#x7C;$71.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;Atif Malik &#x7C;Citigroup &#x7C;Raises &#x7C;Buy &#x7C; $71.00&#x7C;$68.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;Mike Genovese &#x7C;Rosenblatt &#x7C;Raises &#x7C;Buy &#x7C; $80.00&#x7C;$66.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;Michael Ng &#x7C;Goldman Sachs &#x7C;Raises &#x7C;Neutral &#x7C; $63.00&#x7C;$56.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;Samik Chatterjee &#x7C;JP Morgan &#x7C;Raises &#x7C;Overweight &#x7C; $73.00&#x7C;$69.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;James Fish &#x7C;Piper Sandler &#x7C;Raises &#x7C;Neutral &#x7C; $72.00&#x7C;$57.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;Aaron Rakers &#x7C;Wells Fargo &#x7C;Raises &#x7C;Equal-Weight &#x7C; $72.00&#x7C;$60.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;David Vogt &#x7C;UBS &#x7C;Raises &#x7C;Neutral &#x7C; $70.00&#x7C;$62.00 &#x7C; 
&#x7C;Tim Long &#x7C;Barclays &#x7C;Raises &#x7C;Equal-Weight &#x7C; $61.00&#x7C;$56.00 &#x7C;
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts respond to changes in market conditions and company performance, frequently updating their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to Cisco Systems. This information offers a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Unveiling insights, analysts deliver qualitative insights into stock performance, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Cisco Systems compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts provide insights into price targets, offering estimates for the future value of Cisco Systems's stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
Capture valuable insights into Cisco Systems's market standing by understanding these analyst evaluations alongside pertinent financial indicators. Stay informed and make strategic decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CSCO/analyst-ratings?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=analyst-ratings&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Stay up to date on Cisco Systems analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Unveiling the Story Behind Cisco Systems</h2>
Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.
<h3>Understanding the Numbers: Cisco Systems's Finances</h3>
Market Capitalization: Boasting an elevated market capitalization, the company surpasses industry averages. This signals substantial size and strong market recognition.
Positive Revenue Trend: Examining Cisco Systems's financials over 3M reveals a positive narrative. The company achieved a noteworthy revenue growth rate of 9.38% as of 31 January, 2025, showcasing a substantial increase in top-line earnings. In comparison to its industry peers, the company trails behind with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Information Technology sector.
Net Margin: Cisco Systems's financial strength is reflected in its exceptional net margin, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable net margin of 17.35%, the company showcases strong profitability and effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): The company's ROE is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive ROE of 5.35%, the company showcases effective utilization of equity capital.
Return on Assets (ROA): Cisco Systems's ROA excels beyond industry benchmarks, reaching 1.98%. This signifies efficient management of assets and strong financial health.
Debt Management: Cisco Systems's debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average. With a ratio of 0.68, the company relies less on debt financing, maintaining a healthier balance between debt and equity, which can be viewed positively by investors.
<h2>What Are Analyst Ratings?</h2>
Analysts work in banking and financial systems and typically specialize in reporting for stocks or defined sectors. Analysts may attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish "analyst ratings" for stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter.
Analysts may enhance their evaluations by incorporating forecasts for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue, delivering additional guidance to investors. It is vital to acknowledge that, although experts in stocks and sectors, analysts are human and express their opinions when providing insights.
Which Stocks Are Analysts Recommending Now?
Benzinga Edge gives you instant access to all major analyst upgrades, downgrades, and price targets. Sort by accuracy, upside potential, and more. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=be8be9arja3be22bz21&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=analyst-ratings&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here to stay ahead of the market</a>.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Expert Outlook: Cisco Systems Through The Eyes Of 12 Analysts

The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/cybersecurity">cybersecurity sector</a> may be breathing a sigh of relief after a deal was reached to continue funding for the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures database, commonly known as the CVE program.
What Happened: The 25-year-old CVE program is used to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities and has been considered a vital part of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/03/44501515/cybersecurity-stocks-to-outperform-its-the-one-line-item-that-no-company-in-the-world-is-cutting-josh-brown">the cybersecurity sector.</a>
News spread this week that funding for the CVE program expired on April 16 and a contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had not been renewed. However, in a last-minute turnaround, the program was reinstated, according to a Forbes <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2025/04/16/cve-program-funding-cut-what-it-means-and-what-to-do-next/">report</a>.
"The CVE Program is invaluable to cyber community and a priority of CISA. Last night, CISA executed the option period on the contract to ensure there will be no lapse in critical CVE services," a CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) spokesperson told Forbes.
The report said the CISA's extension of funding will last 11 months.
A new body, which includes a subset of the CVE Board, will break off and maintain the CVE Program, according to the report. 
"The CVE Foundation has been formally established to ensure the long-term viability, stability, and independence of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures Program, a critical pillar of the global cybersecurity infrastructure for 25 years," the new CVE governing body said.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/25/03/44241995/cybersecurity-report-flags-7-major-threats-against-governments-corporations-stocks-and-etfs-to-watch">Cybersecurity Report Flags 7 Major Threats Against Governments, Corporations: Stocks And ETFs To Watch</a>
Why It's Important: Experts warned that the end of the CVE Program could lead to increased vulnerabilities in the cybersecurity sector.
"Without CVE, defenders are at a massive disadvantage against global cyber threats," CVE Board Member Kent Landfield said. "CVE, as a cornerstone of the global cybersecurity ecosystem, is too important to be vulnerable itself."
If the CVE had not been able to continue its funding, the list of logged vulnerabilities would have ended, and organizations could have been more vulnerable to attacks.
The funding extension eases worries temporarily but leaves questions about the future of the CVE, which comes as cybersecurity attacks have increased and remain a key concern for large companies.
Investors seeking exposure to the cybersecurity sector have several options, including individual stocks and ETFs. These are the largest ETFs covering the sector:
<ul>
<li>First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIBR#NASDAQ">CIBR</a>)</li>
<li>Amplify Cybersecurity ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HACK#NYSE">HACK</a>)</li>
<li>Global X Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BUG#NASDAQ">BUG</a>)</li>
<li>iShares Cybersecurity And Tech ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IHAK#NYSE">IHAK</a>)</li>
</ul>
In the ETFs, some of the top holdings include CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWD#NASDAQ">CRWD</a>), Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), Check Point Software (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHKP#NASDAQ">CHKP</a>) and Okta Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OKTA#NASDAQ">OKTA</a>).
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44859945/whistleblower-alleges-doge-involved-in-major-cybersecurity-breach-at-us-labor-agency">Whistleblower Says DOGE May Have Caused Major Cybersecurity Breach At US Labor Agency</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Sector ETFs

ETFs

CHKP

CIBR

CRWD

HACK

IHAK

OKTA

Pillar Of America's Cyber Security Lost Funding Temporarily: What Investors Should Know About CVE Program, Funding Extension

JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Overweight and lowers the price target from $73 to $70.

JP Morgan Maintains Overweight on Cisco Systems, Lowers Price Target to $70

Citigroup analyst Atif Malik maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $73 to $68.

Citigroup Maintains Buy on Cisco Systems, Lowers Price Target to $68

Stocks staged a ferocious <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44720903/nasdaq-100-eyes-strongest-day-since-2008-as-magnificent-seven-add-15-trillion-in-historic-market-rally">rally</a> on Wednesday after President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44729384/trump-pauses-tariffs-after-yields-surge-bond-vigilantes-hit-another-homerun-experts-point-to-bond-market-panic-for-reversal">reversed his ‘reciprocal' tariff policy</a> in response to plummeting markets and alarming bond market activity. 
While most countries are now exempt from the steepest import taxes, a 10% flat tariff remains in effect, and the tariffs on China have increased to 145%.
However, bond yields remain high, and stocks remain significantly below the all-time highs set in February, then fell again on Wednesday. Uncertainty continues to dominate the markets, and the risk of recession remains elevated.
It&#8217;s a great time to invest in dividends rather than capital gains. You can do that while still investing in tech stocks.
Here are five great tech stocks paying huge dividends.
Now, tech stocks aren't usually considered dividend payers, but there are a few with relatively sturdy payouts that investors can use to ride out this storm of uncertainty.
Today, we've compiled a list of four tech companies that have been raising their dividend payouts for at least 10 years. Each company has a dividend yield of at least 2%, a manageable payout rate, fair valuation, and a path to avoiding the most stringent tariffs currently being levied on China.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Avnet Inc.&nbsp;</h2>
Avnet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVT#NASDAQ">AVT</a>) is a distributor of electronic components, including semiconductors, active and passive components, and other electromechanical parts, as well as design solutions and technical training. The company operates on every continent except Antarctica and is the largest chip distributor in Europe. Avnet's vast market reach should help it avoid the worst of the tariffs, and its valuation looks appealing following a rough showing in 2024.
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcmcfLl3ZsWWHoGtw6seHhwWx95e7BOQptusKU6TvTEPpdOGv-20E1IHbachpysrHEXFOZ-p49dyxIX1H8kAmlmUaMxLnRWNPylAaClRBflOb2ddtsMzixfSGXQB60-0pBxMRyz?key=2e8fRf9pKK3lM-HifJLKLjPq" alt="" /></figure>
AVT shares are still underwater for 2025, but the stock trades at just 8.3 times forward earnings with a 0.18 Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio. The dividend yield is currently 3.17%, and the payout rate is just 37%. Avnet has raised its annual dividend payout for 12 consecutive years and the 12% annualized growth rate over the last three years. The stock also has a 91.81 Value score from Benzinga Edge ratings, indicating a potentially undervalued company with a steady dividend.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cisco Systems</h2>
Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) was the poster child of the dot-com bubble excess as its market cap rose above $500 billion by the turn of the millennium &#8211; a number it's never come close to reaching in the two-plus decades since. It's also been 25 years since the stock made a new all-time high over $77 per share (split-adjusted), although it came close in January this year when shares topped $66. Cisco will never dominate the tech landscape like it did during the dot-com years, but that doesn't mean it&#8217;s still an uninvestable company.
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXe5fyzjG6ZB1JA5EMH2BVYHKTjMKC4q4JXlzZ3QaOcIdU6E-qoe_28yCwg-P_QCmTOtPBSwPtFXGwUhEgSqtP_SwP43WBoa5sUMgEQbFuuLowQNwHAyiQ_PRzm95261khbqW2tIXA?key=2e8fRf9pKK3lM-HifJLKLjPq" alt="" /></figure>
Cisco currently yields 3.08% with a 12-year history of raising annual payouts. The dividend payout rate (DPR) is relatively high at 71%, but it&#8217;s still sustainable for a company that sells as much high-margin software as Cisco. The company posted more than $54 billion in sales in the last 12 months but still trades at just 14.6 times forward earnings.
With a focus on cybersecurity software over hardware, the company should be minimally impacted by the China tariffs. Analysts have a consensus Buy rating on the stock with an average price target of $63.43, including an $80 price target from Rosenblatt issued on February 13.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Qualcomm Inc.&nbsp;</h2>
Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>) is an example of a remarkable turnaround story in the market. Like Cisco, Qualcomm was a dot-com darling that rose to unsustainable heights during the bubble. Once the bubble popped in late 2000, Qualcomm shares plummeted and continued making new lows until the great financial crisis in November 2008. However, the stock rallied in the decade following the GFC and finally topped its dot-com bubble high in early 2019.
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXc8M0O3izmpY0oKP52vW_Zmz8ljLYJGnyPblxrxL1wCSPo-UmEhwolQsyR5FlAdJehJ9CtZ7sYl7wEhwv_aha7Z66xu_7XO7ioj7rRMJejhIhXA_223nVSvzV5Jz4NyCJCRd6Kp?key=2e8fRf9pKK3lM-HifJLKLjPq" alt="" /></figure>
Qualcomm's focus is on the development and licensing of wireless tech and chips for smartphones. Qualcomm products can be found in nearly every wireless device, and it does more than $40 billion in annual sales. QCOM shares also have a strong and steady dividend, yielding 2.73% with a manageable 36% payout rate. The company has a 22-year history of dividend increases, including a 7% annualized growth rate over the last three years. An affordable valuation backs the dividend; the stock trades at just 11.7 times forward earnings with impressive margins (26% profit margin in the most recent quarter).
Analysts are also bullish, with a $195 average price target indicating an upside potential of 35%. Benzinga Edge also gives Qualcomm a 91.82 Value score, the highest of today's selections.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CSG Systems International Inc.&nbsp;</h2>
Our smallest and least known company of the day might hold the most promise. CSG Systems International Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSGS#NASDAQ">CSGS</a>) runs a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform specializing in financial management and customer experience solutions. The company aims to help firms in the communications sector optimize their digital footprint while effectively managing revenue, licensing, and infrastructure. CSG Systems has been publicly traded for nearly 30 years but has just a $1.73 billion market cap and does $1.2 billion in annual sales. The company has solid margins (47% gross margin last quarter) and trades at just 12 times forward earnings.
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfO3fvRSZ0Hspa09BnDdqv3XMwLZ__tfsZtMRv6E7cFzlwqla3nOJqjUrmNjceyHCfBqEhPmcDw2OWeps75UEMUXpE9neBnEOgRE-rwnrElVSw2TmcZhBezalvDUEZLlz3NJE8Axg?key=2e8fRf9pKK3lM-HifJLKLjPq" alt="" /></figure>
Small and mid-cap companies are usually known for substantial dividends, but CSG Systems is an exception. The stock currently yields 2.13% and has a healthy 42% dividend payout rate. Despite its relatively small stature, CSGS has raised its annual payout for 12 consecutive years with a 6.3% annualized growth rate over the last three.
Unlike the rest of the market, CSGS shares are still positive year-to-date, including an impressive 17% gain over the last three months. Even during the worst of the tariff tantrum, the stock only dropped from $61 to $56 before rebounding back above $60 when the tariffs were withdrawn. This stability during the madness is likely why CSGS scored a 90.51 Momentum ranking from Benzinga Edge &#8211; shareholders barely noticed the disturbance!
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3 New Trade Ideas For Monday</h2>
You can get special access to a deep-dive analysis into the upcoming week and events that could drive the markets and three trade ideas you can take advantage of as early as opening bell. Click <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2">HERE</a> now to ensure you don't miss another round of trades.
Photo: Shutterstock

Opinion

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4 Tech Stocks With Surprisingly Strong Dividends

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Shares of tech and software stocks are trading lower amid an overall market reversal as stocks pull back after surging Wednesday following President Trump's tariff pause announcement.

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in CSCO usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 21 extraordinary options activities for Cisco Systems. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 52% leaning bullish and 38% bearish. Among these notable options, 9 are puts, totaling $1,022,334, and 12 are calls, amounting to $463,843.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $46.0 to $65.0 for Cisco Systems over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Cisco Systems stands at 2100.61, with a total volume reaching 4,767.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Cisco Systems, situated within the strike price corridor from $46.0 to $65.0, throughout the last 30 days.
<h3>Cisco Systems 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1744308043_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$4.2</td>
<td>$4.1</td>
<td>$4.15</td>
<td>$57.50</td>
<td>$332.0K</td>
<td>4.1K</td>
<td>860</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$2.6</td>
<td>$2.29</td>
<td>$2.32</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$232.0K</td>
<td>7.9K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$7.7</td>
<td>$7.6</td>
<td>$7.7</td>
<td>$62.50</td>
<td>$147.8K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
<td>192</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$2.99</td>
<td>$2.87</td>
<td>$2.99</td>
<td>$52.50</td>
<td>$133.9K</td>
<td>7.0K</td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/25/25</td>
<td>$2.99</td>
<td>$2.61</td>
<td>$2.83</td>
<td>$55.00</td>
<td>$59.7K</td>
<td>285</td>
<td>213</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Cisco Systems</h3>
Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.
<h3>Cisco Systems's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 16,065,103, the price of CSCO is down by -0.41%, reaching $57.89.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 34 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Cisco Systems</h3>
Over the past month, 1 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $60.0.
Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days?
20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/options-moneyline-2/?t=Moop1arja3be22op14&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Piper Sandler continues to hold a Neutral rating for Cisco Systems, targeting a price of $60. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Cisco Systems, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Spotlight on Cisco Systems: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Looking into the current session, Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) shares are trading at $57.47, after a 1.14% decrease. Over the past month, the stock decreased by 3.74%, but over the past year, it actually increased by 18.45%. With questionable short-term performance like this, and great long-term performance, long-term shareholders might want to start looking into the company's price-to-earnings ratio. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1744297244_0.png" alt="Past Year Chart" />

<h3>A Look at Cisco Systems P/E Relative to Its Competitors</h3>
The P/E ratio measures the current share price to the company's EPS. It is used by long-term investors to analyze the company's current performance against it's past earnings, historical data and aggregate market data for the industry or the indices, such as S&amp;P 500. A higher P/E indicates that investors expect the company to perform better in the future, and the stock is probably overvalued, but not necessarily. It also could indicate that investors are willing to pay a higher share price currently, because they expect the company to perform better in the upcoming quarters. This leads investors to also remain optimistic about rising dividends in the future. 
Cisco Systems has a lower P/E than the aggregate P/E of 701.27 of the Communications Equipment industry. Ideally, one might believe that the stock might perform worse than its peers, but it's also probable that the stock is undervalued. 

<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1744297244_1.png" alt="Guage" />

In conclusion, the price-to-earnings ratio is a useful metric for analyzing a company's market performance, but it has its limitations. While a lower P/E can indicate that a company is undervalued, it can also suggest that shareholders do not expect future growth. Additionally, the P/E ratio should not be used in isolation, as other factors such as industry trends and business cycles can also impact a company's stock price. Therefore, investors should use the P/E ratio in conjunction with other financial metrics and qualitative analysis to make informed investment decisions.

Intraday Update

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Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
03:46 PMFeb 20, 2025	CALL	$67.50	Jan 16, 2026	251	1532	1500	103	1487	SWEEP	BULLISH
03:24 PMFeb 14, 2025	CALL	$70.00	Sep 19, 2025	132	5416	2500	68	7970	SWEEP	BULLISH
03:24 PMFeb 14, 2025	CALL	$70.00	Sep 19, 2025	132	2916	2500	37	7970	SWEEP	BULLISH