December 11, 2000

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Chambers: Cisco Still Growing

By John Rendleman

isco Systems Inc. (CSCO-Nasdaq) CEO John Chambers assured investors last week that the company remains on track to continue its growth path and meet projections of a 50% to 60% sales increase this fiscal year.

Chambers, speaking at Cisco's annual financial analyst conference, identified expansion opportunities in equipment for optical networking, Internet telephony, content-delivery networks, and mobile. He also expects new opportunities in software and services, which Cisco will pursue by partnering with application vendors or systems integrators.

Not all analysts share Chambers' confidence. They worry that Cisco is overestimating demand for service-provider equipment from telecom companies and companies providing outsourced or hosted services. "It's interesting that, compared to last year when they talked a lot about service providers, this year they've had to backpedal from that," says Sheila McGee-Smith, director at The Pelorus Group. Chambers, however, says Cisco profits whether corporate customers outsource their networks or build their own.

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