If You Had Invested in Cisco (CSCO)
Networking-equipment leader of the dot-com era and today. Pick an amount and a starting month above — the result, the chart and the S&P 500 comparison update instantly, with dividends reinvested.
Cisco price history
$1,000 invested in Cisco — what it became
| Invested | Value today | Total return | Per year (CAGR) | S&P 500 same period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start of 2025 (1 year ago) | $1,894 | +89% | 49.7% | $1,294 |
| Start of 2023 (3 years ago) | $2,507 | +151% | 29.2% | $1,970 |
| Start of 2021 (5 years ago) | $2,905 | +191% | 21.0% | $2,228 |
| Start of 2016 (10 years ago) | $6,396 | +540% | 19.2% | $4,689 |
| Start of 2011 (15 years ago) | $8,188 | +719% | 14.4% | $7,820 |
| Start of 2006 (20 years ago) | $9,326 | +833% | 11.5% | $8,746 |
| 1990-02 (36 years, since our data begins) | $2,145,245 | 2145× | 23.4% | — |
Monthly investing in Cisco — projected forward
What if you started investing a fixed amount into Cisco every month from today? This projection applies the stock's own historical average return to your plan — pick which history to assume, or set your own rate. Treat it as a what-if, not a forecast: few assets repeat their past.
Cisco by the numbers
- Best full year: 1991 (+195%)
- Worst full year: 2001 (-53%)
- Deepest fall from a peak (monthly data): -86% — the price of holding any single stock
- Average return since 1990: 23.4% per year
Reading the results
Returns are computed from monthly adjusted prices in US dollars, meaning stock splits and reinvested dividends are included. A euro investor's result would additionally move with the USD/EUR exchange rate. And the obvious but essential caveat: these are the results of one specific stock picked with hindsight — past performance tells you what happened, not what happens next.
If numbers like these tempt you to invest, the boring path usually wins: a diversified index fund bought monthly. See how to start investing in Europe, compare costs in the broker comparison, or project your own plan with the compound interest calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What would $1,000 invested in Cisco 10 years ago be worth today?
About $6,396 in USD with dividends reinvested — a total return of +540% from a $1,000 investment made at the start of 2016.
What is Cisco's average annual return?
Since 1990, Cisco has returned about 23.4% per year with dividends reinvested, and about 19.2% per year over the past 10 years. Averages hide large swings — see the best and worst years above.
Did Cisco beat the S&P 500?
Over the past 10 years, $1,000 in Cisco grew to about $6,396 while the same amount in an S&P 500 fund grew to about $4,689 — so Cisco beat the index over that period. Other periods can tell a different story; use the calculator above to check any timeframe.