1. Cisco stock rose to $80.55, nearing record highs since March 2000. 2. Shares surged 47% this year, marking its best performance since 2009. 3. Current valuation of 19 times earnings is significantly lower than 1999 levels. 4. Concerns about a new tech bubble due to AI investment enthusiasm exist. 5. Strong demand for AI hardware drives growth in Cisco's networking segment.