Cisco Systems Inc reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results as a recovering global economy and growing Internet use prompted companies to upgrade their networks.

The world's biggest maker of routers and switches said on Wednesday its revenue in the fiscal third quarter through May 1 rose 27 percent to $10.4 billion from $8.2 billion a year ago.

Analysts on average had expected $10.2 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The company in February had forecast a 23-26 percent year-on-year rise.

Quarterly profit rose to $2.2 billion, or 37 cents per share, compared with $1.3 billion, or 23 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding items, it earned 42 cents per share -- higher than Wall Street's forecast for 39 cents per share.

(Reporting by Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Richard Chang)

Cisco Systems