Amid the sharp pullback of the market, top analyst Collin Gillis on Wednesday recommended investors buy shares of Cisco Systems, but not for any conventional reason.
Gillis thinks the stock will soon turnaround, as CEO John Chambers seeks to preserve his legacy by returning the former tech bellwether to prominence before he retires.
"He's out there trying to protect his legacy before he goes," Gillis said. "So he's going to push hard to get this turnaround and to cut these costs out in a relatively timely manner and we're seeing that happen right now."
Veracruz founder Steve Cortes said he would only buy the stock if Chambers left. It seems he's not alone. After several botched quarters, Chambers' leadership has come into question, even though he was the very person people had long looked to for a read on the tech space.
Investors will look to see what Chambers says when Cisco reports earnings after Wednesday's closing bell. Gillis thinks its results will be the same as last quarter with revenues flat and some earnings-per-share upside because the company is controlling costs.
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Don't expect Cisco to reset its long-term goals, though, Gillis said. He expects guidance for October to likely be a flat revenue quarter.
Gillis is a technology analyst with BGC Partners LP in New York. He regularly appears on "Fast Money."