AES Corp vs Cisco Systems Inc — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.72 (market cap $10.49B), while Cisco Systems Inc trades at $124.31 (market cap $474.67B). The key difference: Cisco Systems Inc is far larger — about 45.2× AES Corp's market cap, and AES Corp pays the higher dividend (4.79%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | CSCO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.49B | $474.67B |
Sector | Utilities | Technology |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $130.00 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $66.20 |
Enterprise Value | $40.75B | $489.33B |
Dividend Yield | 4.79% | 1.4% |
Volume | — | 22,887,319 |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AES trades at $14.73, down slightly by 0.03%, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The company shows strong profitability with a 14.34% net income margin and 45.05% ROE, supported by recent earnings beats. A pending $33.4 billion acquisition by a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT, approved by stockholders in June 2026, dominates recent news, alongside a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per share.
The outlook is heavily influenced by the acquisition, offering a near-term upside to the $15 buyout price, but regulatory and shareholder approval risks remain. Long-term fundamentals are solid with projected revenue growth to $13.1 billion in 2026, though high debt levels and integration challenges post-acquisition pose risks. Analyst sentiment is mixed with a buy consensus of 43%.
Cisco Systems (CSCO) trades at $122.57, up 0.94% today, near its recent highs driven by strong AI cybersecurity momentum. The stock shows bullish technical signals with moving averages supporting the uptrend, while RSI levels indicate potential overbought conditions. Fundamentally, CSCO reported revenue of $56.65B in 2025 with a net income margin of 19.69%, and has beaten EPS estimates for three consecutive quarters. Recent news highlights partnerships and product launches in AI security, fueling investor optimism.
CSCO's outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $133.25, implying ~9% upside, supported by 52% analyst buy ratings. Key opportunities include growth in AI-driven networking and security demand, but risks involve high valuation multiples (P/E 40.14) and competitive pressures in the tech sector. Investors should weigh strong cash flow generation against execution risks in a dynamic market.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
AES is a global power company operating across 14 countries and 4 continents. Its current generation portfolio as of year-end 2021 consists of over 31 gigawatts of generation, with the generation mix composed of renewables (43%), gas (32%), coal (23%), and oil (2%). The company has 3.5 gigawatts of generation under construction. AES has majority ownership and operates six electric utilities distributing power to 2.6 million customers.
Read more on AES →Cisco Systems, Inc. provides information technology and networking services. The Company offers enterprise network security, software development, data collaboration, cloud computing, and other related services. Cisco Systems serves customers in the United States.
Read more on CSCO →