← CSCO forward model

CSCO · Forward model · Services · Bull case

What has to happen in Services

Model as of

This page changes Services inside the complete CSCO model. Every other vertical, corporate programme and valuation assumption stays in the selected portfolio case.

CSCO forward model
Horizon
Consolidated fair value $127.01 all other verticals held in this portfolio case
Final-quarter revenue $5.37B 20% of company revenue
Explicit segment contribution $29.25B EBITDA less segment capex, before corporate items

The order book is the leading indicator and it keeps leading. AI infrastructure revenue runs past the guided $7.5bn, Services finally converts its +6% RPO into revenue growth, and Security compounds on Splunk, holding 6x exit sales. What this case does NOT reach is Arista's 23x sales: even a very good Cisco is a $70-100bn revenue business earning a low-30s operating margin, and it keeps a large-cap multiple.

Services

Basis quarter$3.79B
Final quarter$5.37B
Implied CAGR+7%
Final revenue mix20%

Technical support, software maintenance and advanced services: $3,793M in the basis quarter and $15,030M for FY2026, against $15,046M in FY2025 — exactly flat while the company grew 12%. Services RPO is $23,298M, +6%, so the book is growing faster than recognised revenue. There is no ARR and no renewal rate, so this is a growth line anchored to a backlog observation rather than a subscription driver.

Last four quarters
2026 Q1 $3.81B Reported
2026 Q2 $3.71B Reported
2026 Q3 $3.72B Reported
2026 Q4 $3.79B Reported
Technical support and software maintenanceAdvanced and professional servicesSplunk support
Sequential growth +1.0%/qtr decaying toward +1.0% 1.0% a quarter, about 4% a year: below the +6% services RPO, above the 0% Cisco just delivered.
Services

Latest: $5.37B (2031Q4E)

Period Value
2024Q1 $3.53B
2024Q2 $3.56B
2024Q3 $3.68B
2024Q4 $3.78B
2025Q1 $3.73B
2025Q2 $3.76B
2025Q3 $3.77B
2025Q4 $3.79B
2026Q1 $3.81B
2026Q2 $3.71B
2026Q3 $3.72B
2026Q4 $3.79B
2027Q1E $3.86B
2027Q2E $3.93B
2027Q3E $4.00B
2027Q4E $4.07B
2028Q1E $4.14B
2028Q2E $4.21B
2028Q3E $4.28B
2028Q4E $4.36B
2029Q1E $4.44B
2029Q2E $4.51B
2029Q3E $4.59B
2029Q4E $4.67B
2030Q1E $4.76B
2030Q2E $4.84B
2030Q3E $4.93B
2030Q4E $5.01B
2031Q1E $5.10B
2031Q2E $5.19B
2031Q3E $5.28B
2031Q4E $5.37B

Assumptions & reasoning

  • The single largest judgement in this model. Services was flat to the dollar in FY2026 while its RPO grew 6%, and the release does not say whether that is recognition timing or price erosion in support renewals. The base takes a partial catch-up at 4% a year; the bear case takes none.
  • Half of the recurring base sits here and it contributed nothing to a +12% year, which is why hardware mix, not services, is what moves the margin line in every scenario below.
  • Margin 40% flat is assumed from non-GAAP services gross margin of 71.2% less consolidated operating expense. It is the most stable line Cisco has and no visible margin lever attaches to it.
  • Every vertical margin here is assumed. Cisco discloses gross margin by geography (Americas 64.5%, EMEA 70.1%, APJC 67.3% in the basis quarter) and product-versus-services gross margin, and never operating profit, capex or headcount by product category.
  • The two July quarters are derived, not printed: FY2024 Q4 and FY2025 Q4 are the fiscal-year column of the 10-K less the nine-month column of that year's Q3 10-Q, and both reconcile to the quarterly totals Cisco printed later, so they carry estimated: true.
  • Capex intensity is the consolidated rate applied to every line: FY2026 property and equipment $1,410M on $63,325M of revenue is 2.2%, and Cisco publishes no capex by product category to split it with.
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