Form 4: Cisco CFO Sells Shares Under 10b5-1 Plan

Cisco Systems' EVP and CFO, Mark Patterson, sold 68,916 shares of common stock on November 18, 2025, through a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Summary

• Mark Patterson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO), reported the sale of common stock.
• On November 18, 2025, Patterson sold 48,632 shares of Cisco common stock at a weighted average price of $77.1636 per share, with prices ranging from $76.48 to $77.47.
• On the same date, an additional 20,284 shares were sold at a weighted average price of $77.6267 per share, with prices ranging from $77.48 to $78.18.
• These transactions were executed pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan that was adopted by the reporting person on December 11, 2024.
• Following these reported transactions, Mark Patterson beneficially owns 208,896.684 shares of Cisco common stock, which includes 520.165 dividend equivalents accrued on unvested restricted stock units.

Sentiment

Score: 5

Explanation: The sale is a routine insider transaction under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan, which typically has a neutral to slightly negative sentiment. It's not indicative of new negative information, but it is a reduction in insider holdings.

Positives

• The sale was conducted under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, indicating it was not based on new, non-public information and is a routine part of executive financial planning.

Negatives

• An insider, specifically the Chief Financial Officer, selling a significant number of shares could be perceived negatively by some investors, despite being pre-planned.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: May view the sale as a slight negative due to reduced insider ownership, though this is mitigated by the pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan, suggesting it's not based on new, adverse information.

Key Dates

Recommendation

The insider sale by the CFO, while a reduction in personal holdings, was conducted under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. This suggests the transaction was not based on new, material non-public information and is a routine part of executive compensation and financial planning. Therefore, it does not provide a strong signal for a 'buy' or 'sell' recommendation, warranting a 'hold' position based solely on this filing.

Keywords

Cisco Systems, CSCO, Mark Patterson, Insider Trading, Form 4, Stock Sale, 10b5-1 Plan, Executive Compensation