Latest news with #Splunk
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What Makes Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) One of the Best Dividend Picks This Year
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is one of the Best Stocks to Buy for Dividends. Engineers using the latest Cisco TelePresence technology to collaborate with colleagues around the world. The company's business remains on solid footing. In March, it introduced its Webex AI agent designed for customer service applications, marking progress in its innovation efforts. Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is also effectively managing expenses, with operating costs in fiscal Q3 of 2025 remaining flat compared to the previous year. A slight improvement in gross margin led to a healthy rise in operating income. While the company still generates much of its revenue from established areas like routing and switching, these segments provide a steady cash flow that supports its ongoing business transformation. Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) continues to return significant capital to shareholders, backed by strong free cash flow. The stock offers a 2.4% dividend yield and benefits from a newly approved $15 billion share buyback program. In the most recent quarter, the company generated $4.1 billion in operating cash flow, up 2% from the same period last year, and returned $3.1 billion to shareholders through dividends and repurchases. Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO)'s acquisition strategy also supports its dividend outlook, especially when deals boost cash flow. A notable example is the company's 2024 acquisition of Splunk, which added about $1.4 billion to fiscal 2024 revenue. It currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share. While we acknowledge the potential of CSCO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure. None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
C-suite overconfidence in AI could prove bad for business, says survey
In an ever-changing geo-political and economic climate, the key to business success appears to be the ability to adapt. Add into that the fast-paced world of tech and AI, and if you're not ready for change, you'll get left behind. 'AI is [such] an evolving ecosystem that companies are thinking through introducing a level of agility in their decision-making to give them the capacity to take on what AI is going to bring our way over the next while, without really, completely knowing what the answer is,' Jad Shimaly, global managing partner of client service at EY, told Euronews. But as companies prepare for increased AI adoption and innovation, are their consumers happy with the risks they're taking? The true definition of responsible AI appears to be somewhat up for debate, and that could have serious business consequences, according to EY's latest Responsible AI Pulse survey. 'There seems to be a decent gap between C-suite expectations and understanding of what responsible AI and what the risk of AI is and what customer and consumer's expectations are,' Jad explained. The survey highlighted that, in organisations that have already fully integrated AI, many C-suite leaders 'have misplaced confidence in the strength of their responsible AI practices and their alignment with consumer concerns'. This could lead to a reduction in consumer trust and a reduced competitive edge for the company, which is only set to increase as things like agentic AI become more prevalent. 'CEOs stand out as an exception — showing greater concern around responsible AI, a viewpoint that's more closely aligned with consumer sentiment,' the report noted, however. 'One in five CEOs think that they have AI risk under control, while a third of their C-suite think that they have AI risks under control,' Jad told Euronews. 'So the CEOs seem to be a bit less comfortable that AI risk is being fully understood and mitigated than their C-suite.' This difference in perception between CEOs and their senior colleagues is potentially linked to lower awareness levels or lower perceived accountability. 'It may also exhibit an imperfect understanding of the true potential of AI,' the survey added. Jad was confident, however, that as regulations around responsible AI become clearer and more harmonised across the world, consumers will feel more assured that risks are being sufficiently mitigated. Related Businesses set to fail if cyber resilience not most important thing says Splunk strategy head Air Astana: How can Kazakhstan's flag carrier boost its dwindling share price? Topics that incited different levels of concern between C-suite individuals and consumers included AI-generated misinformation, the use of AI to manipulate individuals, and AI's impact on vulnerable segments of society. Both sides weren't hugely concerned by the idea of job losses, the topic where they aligned most. The survey also found that companies still in the process of integrating AI were much more closely aligned with the level of concern of their consumers, compared to those who had already fully integrated AI. 'Just over half (51%) of [C-suite] in this group believe they're well aligned — compared with 71% of [C-suite] in organisations where AI is already fully integrated across the business,' the survey stated. Watch the video above to see more from the interview with EY's Jad Shimaly.
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
AQUSENSE AND SPLUNK PARTNER TO REVOLUTIONIZE WI-FI POWERED HUMAN PRESENCE AND MOTION DETECTION
TORONTO, June 26, 2025 /CNW/ - Aqusense, a pioneer in Wi-Fi based AI sensor technology, has partnered with Splunk, a Cisco subsidiary and leader in data analytics and security solutions, to integrate cutting-edge human presence and motion detection into Splunk's Edge Hub and Operational Technology Intelligence (OTI) platforms. This collaboration will initially focus on smart data centers and factories using non-invasive Wi-Fi. This partnership enables Splunk to incorporate Aqusense's state-of-the-art solution with the Splunk Edge Hub sensor gateway, enhancing real-time monitoring and analytics. Using existing Wi-Fi networks, Aqusense's Human Presence Detection (HPD) and Human Motion Detection (HMD) deliver precise, non-invasive monitoring. Aqusense data integrates seamlessly into Splunk dashboards, delivering real-time insights into human movement and interactions. This enables: Dynamic Collaboration: Create adaptive, human-centric spaces that seamlessly adjust to occupancy patterns, fostering smarter teamwork and engagement. Robust Security: Instantly detect unauthorized access or suspicious activity in any lighting condition, ensuring airtight protection for critical environments. Maximized Efficiency: Slash energy costs and optimize space utilization with real-time insights, empowering hybrid workplaces and smart facilities to thrive. The Aqusense and Splunk partnership revolutionizes space management by leveraging existing Wi-Fi infrastructure for non-invasive, privacy-first monitoring. This cutting-edge solution delivers unmatched security, efficiency, and adaptability, empowering modern workplaces, industrial facilities, and data centers to operate smarter and safer. "Our partnership with Splunk turns ubiquitous Wi-Fi deployments into a powerful tool for smarter, safer workplaces; unlocking insights that redefine how organizations operate. As a Splunk Partnerverse member, Aqusense joins a select group of innovators enhancing Splunk's ecosystem, delivering unmatched value for smart space management." Tom Mathai, CEO of Aqusense "Integrating Aqusense's advanced sensing technologies into Splunk Edge Hub solutions allows us to continue to expand a rich data signal so that you can draw more intelligence out of your physical environments. I'm excited that Aqusense has joined Splunk Partnerverse to further our joint ambitions for intelligent physical spaces." Joel Jacob, OTI Product Management Lead at Splunk. Discover the future of smart spaces! Book your demo to experience Aqusense and Splunk's Wi-Fi-powered solution today. About Aqusense Aqusense is a leading Wi-Fi sensor technology that utilizes AI to passively sense, acquire and deliver actionable data. Aqusense's foundational patents and methods had been cited over 270 times by Fortune 100 companies including Google and Samsung. Led by a highly experienced and qualified team, our proven technology unlocks advanced motion intelligence in any IoT product to identify presence and human physiology in real-world environments. To learn more visit
Techday NZ
3 days ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
Salesforce unveils Agentforce 3 to accelerate enterprise AI adoption
Salesforce has released Agentforce 3, an upgrade to its enterprise AI agent platform designed to address key challenges faced by organisations scaling artificial intelligence implementation. The latest version introduces features that enhance visibility and control for enterprise users, moving AI agents from experimental use to full-scale deployment. More than 100 prebuilt actions, expanded interoperability options, and a centralised suite of tools for managing hybrid workforces are among the major enhancements. Agentforce Command Centre Agentforce 3 introduces the Command Centre, marketed as the first real-time observability suite specifically for hybrid workforces. It provides business leaders with a unified interface to monitor performance metrics across both AI agents and human team members. This monitoring is integrated into business key performance indicators (KPIs), aimed at supporting data-driven management and optimisation of workflow processes. The Command Centre includes dashboards detailing agent adoption, feedback, success rates, costs, and specific topic performance, enabling teams to analyse usage trends and identify areas for improvement. The system records all agent activity in a session-tracing data model leveraging Data Cloud and is compatible with monitoring tools such as Datadog, Splunk, and Wayfound through the OpenTelemetry standard. Teams and supervisors can also receive live analytics on latency, escalation frequency, and error rates with real-time alerts for anomalies, enabling prompt interventions to maintain service levels. For contact centres, agent activity can be monitored in real time, permitting quick performance escalations. Interoperability and Prebuilt Integrations Agentforce 3 expands interoperability with native support for open standards like Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent Protocol (A2A). The platform also integrates with more than 30 partners, including services such as Stripe, Box, Atlassian, AWS, Cisco, Google Cloud, IBM, Notion, PayPal, Teradata, and WRITER via its expanded AgentExchange. Built-in interoperability is intended to allow AI agents not only to communicate with one another, but with broader enterprise applications, creating a more connected digital workplace. Deployment and Usability The update aims to reduce deployment times, with over 100 new prebuilt industry actions and flexible pricing designed to enable companies to deploy agents within days rather than months. The new architecture underlying Agentforce 3 promises improvements in accuracy, latency, resiliency, and model control, the latter of which addresses the requirements of regulated industries. Agentforce Studio is a central space for building, testing, and optimising agents with the assistance of real-time analytics. It provides tools to simulate agent behaviour at scale and generate topics or test cases using natural language, with the goal of assisting teams in developing and deploying agents more efficiently. Customer Adoption Several organisations have already adopted Agentforce, including New Zealand-based companies such as Fisher & Paykel, Urban Rest, and Farm Focus, which cite benefits including task automation, enhanced customer engagement, and the ability for staff to focus on complex, people-centred work. According to Salesforce, Engine, Grupo Globo, PepsiCo, UChicago Medicine, and 1-800Accountant have reported measurable improvements: Engine reduced its average customer case handling time by 15%, 1-800Accountant autonomously resolved 70% of administrative chat engagements during the peak tax season, and Grupo Globo saw a 22% increase in subscriber retention. Adam Evans, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Salesforce AI, commented on the platform's development trajectory: "With Agentforce, we've unified agents, data, apps, and metadata to create a digital labour platform, helping thousands of companies realise the promise of agentic AI today," said Adam Evans, EVP & GM of Salesforce AI. Evans added: "Over the past several months we've listened deeply to our customers and continued our rapid pace of technology innovation. The result is Agentforce 3, a major leap forward for our platform that brings greater intelligence, higher performance, and more trust and accountability to every Agentforce deployment. Agentforce 3 will redefine how humans and AI agents work together — driving breakthrough levels of productivity, efficiency, and business transformation." Ryan Teeples, Chief Technology Officer at 1-800Accountant, described their experience with the system: "Agentforce autonomously resolved 70% of 1-800Accountant's administrative chat engagements during the peak this past tax season, an incredible lift during one of our busiest periods. But that early success was just the beginning. We've established a strong deployment foundation and weekly are focused on launching new agentic experiences and AI automations through Agentforce's newest capabilities. With a high level of observability, we can see what's working, optimize in real time, and scale support with confidence," said Ryan Teeples, Chief Technology Officer at 1-800Accountant. AI Agent Adoption Trends Salesforce cited a soon-to-be-released Slack Workflow Index showing a 233% increase in AI agent usage in six months, with 8,000 customers signing up for Agentforce deployment during the same period. The platform is presented as a response to enterprise demands for improved governance, tooling, and observability in large-scale AI agent operations. Agentforce 3 is now available globally, with tools and integrations focused on supporting enterprise clients as they expand AI adoption within their organisations.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on Cisco Systems, Inc. on Kroker Equity Research's Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on CSCO. Cisco Systems, Inc.'s share was trading at $67.38 as of June 23rd. CSCO's trailing and forward P/E ratios were 27.50 and 16.84, respectively, according to Yahoo Finance. Engineers using the latest Cisco TelePresence technology to collaborate with colleagues around the world. Cisco Systems (CSCO) is undergoing a strategic transformation from a legacy hardware-centric firm to a modern software-driven, AI-enabled platform company. Its pivot is centered around high-margin, recurring-revenue streams in observability, cybersecurity, and AI infrastructure, accelerated by its $28 billion acquisition of Splunk. Splunk positions Cisco as a key player in full-stack observability and security, expanding its relevance in hybrid-cloud environments. AI momentum is also strong, with FY25 infrastructure orders surpassing $1 billion ahead of schedule, validating Cisco's role in powering the data center backbone for AI workloads through its Nexus switches, Silicon One chips, and partnerships with NVIDIA. Though Cisco still derives significant revenue from mature markets like routing and switching, these segments serve as a stable cash engine, funding its pivot. The company maintains a robust capital return profile, supported by strong free cash flow, with a 3% dividend yield and a newly authorized $15 billion buyback program. While Cisco is financially strong, the investment case is not without risk. Execution around Splunk integration, navigating macro headwinds, and staying competitive against cloud-native and hyperscaler threats will be crucial. Valuation-wise, Cisco trades around 15.6× forward earnings, above historical averages but still discounted compared to high-growth tech peers. A DCF implies fair value in the low $50s, modestly below current levels, suggesting shares are fully valued unless growth meaningfully surprises. Still, with its shift toward software, strategic alignment with AI and security megatrends, and shareholder-friendly policies, Cisco offers an attractive long-term profile for investors seeking durable, cash-rich tech exposure with upside optionality if execution stays on track. Previously, we covered a on Cisco Systems, Inc. by Kroker Equity Research in May 2025, which highlighted its AI-led transformation, growing software revenues, and the Splunk acquisition. The stock appreciated by approximately 5.4% since. The thesis still stands as execution remains on track. Kroker Equity Research shares an identical view but emphasizes stronger AI traction and integration risks. Cisco Systems, Inc. is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 82 hedge fund portfolios held CSCO at the end of the first quarter, which was 84 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of CSCO as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
