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Cisco vs HPE

Cisco vs HPE: which one is bigger, grows faster and keeps more of each dollar of revenue?

Cisco earns 1.8× HPE’s revenue

CiscoHPERevenue growth (1 year)11.8%13.8%Revenue growth (3-year CAGR)3.6%6.4%Operating margin24.3%−1.3%Net margin21.0%0.2%FCF margin20.2%1.8%R&D as % of revenue15.1%7.3%Stock-based compensation as % of revenue6.0%1.9%
Side by side: all values with filing links
MetricCisco FY2026HPE FY2025
Revenue$63.3B10-K · Sep 2, 2026$34.3B10-K · Dec 18, 2025
Revenue growth (1 year)11.8% derived10-K · Sep 2, 202613.8% derived10-K · Dec 18, 2025
Revenue growth (3-year CAGR)3.6% derived10-K · Sep 2, 20266.4% derived10-K · Dec 18, 2025
Gross margin64.5% derived10-K · Sep 2, 2026n/a
Operating margin24.3% derived10-K · Sep 2, 2026−1.3% derived10-K · Dec 18, 2025
Net margin21.0% derived10-K · Sep 2, 20260.2% derived10-K · Dec 18, 2025
Free cash flow$12.8B derived10-K · Sep 2, 2026$627M derived10-K · Dec 18, 2025
FCF margin20.2% derived10-K · Sep 2, 20261.8% derived10-K · Dec 18, 2025
R&D as % of revenue15.1% derived10-K · Sep 2, 20267.3% derived10-K · Dec 18, 2025
Stock-based compensation as % of revenue6.0% derived10-K · Sep 2, 20261.9% derived10-K · Dec 18, 2025

Definitions: Revenue = Total revenue; Revenue growth (1 year) = Revenue FYt ÷ revenue FYt−1 − 1; Revenue growth (3-year CAGR) = (Revenue FYt ÷ revenue FYt−3)^(1/3) − 1; Gross margin = Gross profit ÷ revenue; Operating margin = Operating income ÷ revenue; Net margin = Net income ÷ revenue; Free cash flow = Operating cash flow − capital expenditures (one formula for all companies); FCF margin = Free cash flow ÷ revenue; R&D as % of revenue = Research and development expense ÷ revenue; Stock-based compensation as % of revenue = Stock-based compensation ÷ revenue.

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