Cisco Is Up 46% and Oracle Is Down 25% in 2026. The Better Dividend Buy Might Surprise You.

Tech companies don't necessarily have to be high-flying to be worth owning. For example, companies like Cisco and Oracle may not get the same attention as newer AI names, but both are still important in today's AI-driven economy. As businesses spend more on networks, cloud, data, and security, these two companies still have products that matter.

For dividend investors, that makes the comparison that much more interesting. Both Cisco and Oracle offer tech exposure, steady cash returns, and a long record of dividend growth.

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So, which one looks like the better dividend tech stock today? Let's take a closer look.

Cisco Systems (CSCO)

Cisco Systems is one of the biggest networking companies around, building the digital backbone we know today. For decades, businesses have used its software and cybersecurity solutions to manage traffic and protect a broad customer base. And today, its strong positioning is reflected in its size, with a market cap of about $461 billion.

CSCO stock has traded between ~$66 and $130 in the past 52-weeks, and so far this year, it's up ~46%.

Oracle (ORCL)

Next, we have Oracle, a company historically known for its database technology. Today, Oracle's software and cloud infrastructure help businesses store and organize their data as they move more of their workloads to the cloud. Oracle is slightly smaller than Cisco, with a market cap of about ~$410 billion. 

The stock is down about 25% YTD and has traded in a range between ~$135 and $346 over the past 52 weeks.

Now that we have a better understanding of what the companies offer, let's see how the financials compare. 

How Cisco and Oracle stack up on growth and valuation

Now let's compare their latest numbers and current valuations.

The numbers alone suggest Oracle may look better, with sales up 21% YOY to $19.2 billion and net income up 25.6% YOY to $4.3 billion. Cisco's sales, on the other hand, increased 12% from the previous year to $15.8 billion, with net income rising 35% YOY to $3.4 billion.

In terms of valuation, the same trend remains, with Oracle coming out on top. It has a forward P/E ratio of 22.71x, cheaper than Cisco's 33.19x, and far below the sector average of 35.73x. This matters as it gives us an idea which stock is cheaper based on expected earnings, relative to expected profits. Oracle also has a lower price-to-sales ratio at 6.27x, compared to Cisco's 8.17x, meaning investors are paying less per dollar of Oracle's sales.