CEO John Chambers

Cisco Systems Inc., the world's largest maker of computer networking equipment, said Monday it will sell three series of senior unsecured notes worth a total of $5 billion. The offering is expected to close on Nov. 17. Of these notes, $500 million will mature in November 2014 and will bear interest at an annual rate of 2.9 percent, $2.5 billion will mature in January 2020 and will bear interest at an annual rate of 4.45 percent, and $2 billion will mature in January 2040 and will bear interest at an annual rate of 5.5 percent. Cisco intends to use the net proceeds from this ... Read Full Story

Cisco Systems Inc.'s latest results show that the world's No. 1 maker of computer-networking equipment is still being hurt by the downturn, but sees things turning up. The company is forecasting its first year-over-year revenue increase since the financial crisis erupted a year ago. Cisco's CEO, John Chambers, talked with analysts on a conference call about why he thinks large companies are ready to spend again, and how much predictability there will be in customers' order patterns, and thus Cisco's results. One key driver of that is how much traffic those customers are shuttling across their computer networks. Things like Internet video and other ... Read Full Story

Cisco Systems Inc. said Monday that it was extending by nine days its offer to buy shares of Tandberg SA, a Norwegian maker of videoconferencing equipment. Tandberg's board has agreed to the deal, but minority shareholders said last week that Cisco's $3 billion cash offer was too low. The offer period was set to expire Monday. Cisco extended it until Nov. 18. Tandberg shares closed Monday at 151.80 Norwegian kroner on the Oslo stock exchange, just below Cisco's offer for 153.50 kroner, indicating that investors don't expect Cisco to sweeten its deal. Tandberg is the leading global maker of videoconferencing equipment for business users, ... Read Full Story

Cisco Systems Inc. says its quarterly income dropped 19 percent but that recession-dampened orders are improving. CEO John Chambers says the latest results reinforce that things are getting better after the "clear tipping point" Cisco saw this summer. Cisco says it earned $1.8 billion, or 30 cents per share, down 19 percent from $2.2 billion, or 37 cents per share, a year ago. Excluding one-time charges, the world's biggest maker of computer networking equipment earned 36 cents per share. Analysts expected 31 cents per share in net income. Revenue dropped 13 percent to $9 billion but topped analysts' forecasts for $8.7 billion for the ... Read Full Story

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc <CSCO.O> said it would buy wireless networking gear maker Starent Networks <STAR.O> for $2.9 billion as it sees strong growth in demand for high-speed wireless service. The top U.S. network equipment maker, Cisco said on Tuesday that it would pay $35 for each share of Starent Networks in a deal the companies expect to close during the first half of calendar 2010. Starent shares had closed at $29.03 on Monday. Cisco said the acquisition would probably hurt earnings excluding items in its fiscal years 2010 and 2011, but add to profit in fiscal 2012. (Reporting by Ritsuko ... Read Full Story