Cisco topped revenue estimates and matched earnings expectations on a pro forma basis in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year that ended July 30.

The networking giant (Nasdaq: CSCO) generated $6.6 billion in revenue, some $40 million higher than projected by analysts polled through Thomson Financial Network.

Cisco earned net income of $1.6 billion, or 25 cents a share, on a pro forma basis. Earnings were $1.5 billion, or 24 cents, under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

Earnings were announced immediately after the markets closed. Cisco shares closed up 35 cents at $19.60.

However, Cisco also projected that earnings could be flat in the current quarter.

Also during a conference call, John Chambers, the chief executive officer of Cisco, dismissed talk that the company might buy mobile phone manufacturer Nokia.

“You can argue that the real large [deals], almost without exception, no matter how good the execution was, had been disappointing. And to do one-halfway around the world or even all the way across the country of anywhere near your size is – is not something strategy-wise we know how to do well,” he said, according to MarketWatch. “So while we do not want to get in the habit of commenting on rumors, I was surprised the credibility the market gave to some of the recent rumors that just are completely outside our strategy and outside our thinking process.”

Rumors about a deal were reported Sunday by a London-based business newspaper.

In discussing the quarterly earnings, Chambers was upbeat.

“The close of Cisco’s fourth quarter and 2005 fiscal year marks not only a period of strong operating performance for the company, including record net income and earnings per share, but also further demonstrates that our architectural strategy is working,” he said. “The home run again this quarter was the continued balance we’ve achieved across geographies, architectural evolutions, product families and market segments, with the commercial and enterprise segments bringing in top results.”

Sales jumped 6.4 percent from the previous quarter and were 11 percent higher than the same quarter in 2004.

For the year, Cisco generated $24.8 billion in sales, up 12.5 percent from fiscal 2004. Net income hit $5.7 billion, or 87 cents a share, compared to $4.4 billion, or 62 cents a share, the previous year.

Cisco also wrapped up six acquisitions in the quarter, including FineGround Networks; M.I. Secure Corporation; NetSift; Sipura Technology; Topspin Communications and Vihana.

“Going forward, we will continue to make investments in our growth areas that we believe will provide customers with an intelligent network, one that is designed to allow them to evolve from a transaction-oriented network into an architecture that delivers a robust, interactive experience,” Chambers said.

Cisco: www.cisco.com