Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (Form 4)

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b). Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * DOWNING JOHN 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol NETSCOUT SYSTEMS INC [NTCT] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP, World-Wide Sales (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC., 310 LITTLETON ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/18/2026 (Street) WESTFORD, MA 01886 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/18/2026 S(1) 3,000 D $29.18 132,494 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Performance Stock Unit

(2)

(3)

(3)

Common Stock

43,200

43,200(4)

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
DOWNING JOHN C/O NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC. 310 LITTLETON ROAD WESTFORD, MA 01886			EVP, World-Wide Sales

Signatures

/s/ Jeff Levinson by Power of Attorney		02/20/2026
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The shares of Common Stock were sold pursuant to a 10b5-1 plan adopted by the Reporting Person on February 20, 2025.
(2)	The price is N/A.
(3)	On October 26, 2022, the reporting person was granted 18,000 performance stock units (the "Prior PSUs"), which shall vest in a range of 0% to 100% upon the determination of the Compensation Committee of the Board of the attainment of the required relative total shareholder return over the 36-month period commencing on October 26, 2022, and ending on October 25, 2025. On November 3, 2025, the Compensation Committee of the Board determined that 0% of the Prior PSUs shall vest.
(4)	Reflects the number of performance stock units ("PSUs") held by the Reporting Person after the forfeiture of 25,920 unachieved PSUs.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure. Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.