AAPL vs. CIEN: Apple vs. Ciena Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN) both fall under the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group, but AAPL is classified in Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals while CIEN is classified in Communications Equipment.

Company profile comparison for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN)
Profile Item	AAPL	CIEN
Name	Apple Inc.	Ciena Corp.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Information Technology	Information Technology
GICS Industry Group	Technology Hardware & Equipment	Technology Hardware & Equipment
GICS Industry	Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals	Communications Equipment
GICS Sub-Industry	Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals	Communications Equipment
Market Capitalization	4,975.38 billion USD	34.51 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	December 12, 1980	February 7, 1997
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AAPL

CIEN

GSPC

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	AAPL	CIEN
Total Return (1Y)	31.02%	36.49%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	24.87%	84.56%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	18.93%	35.01%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AAPL

CIEN

GSPC

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	AAPL	CIEN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	24.99%	81.12%
Beta (5Y)	1.08	1.39
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-33.36%	-63.19%
Avg. Volume (3M)	42.44M	2.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AAPL and CIEN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	AAPL	CIEN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.07	0.40
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.58	0.56

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Apple (AAPL) at 142.26% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Ciena (CIEN) at 22.40% also sits in the top quartile.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

142.26%

AAPL: 142.26%
Max: 42.47%
Q3: 19.13%
Median: 11.00%
Q1: 1.63%
Min: -20.62%

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

22.40%

Max: 42.47%
CIEN: 22.40%
Q3: 19.13%
Median: 11.00%
Q1: 1.63%
Min: -20.62%

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their ROE against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Apple (AAPL) at 27.60% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Ciena (CIEN) at 10.87%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

27.60%

AAPL: 27.60%
Max: 27.60%
Q3: 11.66%
Median: 4.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -11.02%

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

10.87%

Max: 27.60%
Q3: 11.66%
CIEN: 10.87%
Median: 4.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -11.02%

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their net margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Apple (AAPL) at 31.13% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Ciena (CIEN) at 18.08%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

31.13%

Max: 36.27%
AAPL: 31.13%
Q3: 18.36%
Median: 8.84%
Q1: 1.46%
Min: -21.39%

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

18.08%

Max: 36.27%
Q3: 18.36%
CIEN: 18.08%
Median: 8.84%
Q1: 1.46%
Min: -21.39%

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	AAPL	CIEN
ROE (TTM)	142.26%	22.40%
ROA (TTM)	25.87%	7.73%
Net Margin (TTM)	27.60%	10.87%
Operating Margin (TTM)	31.13%	18.08%
Gross Margin (TTM)	48.79%	44.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Apple (AAPL) at 15.06% and Ciena (CIEN) at 18.79% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Ciena (CIEN) at 46.55% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Apple (AAPL) at 20.38% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for CIEN.

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	AAPL	CIEN
Revenue Growth (YoY)	15.06%	18.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	7.70%	9.50%
EPS Growth (YoY)	20.38%	46.55%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	13.57%	-5.27%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Ciena (CIEN) at 3.80 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Apple (AAPL) at 1.02 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.02

Max: 5.34
Q3: 3.02
Median: 1.95
Q1: 1.32
AAPL: 1.02
Min: 0.17

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

3.80

Max: 5.34
CIEN: 3.80
Q3: 3.02
Median: 1.95
Q1: 1.32
Min: 0.17

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 0.84 and Ciena (CIEN) at 1.07 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.84

Max: 1.76
AAPL: 0.84
Q3: 0.78
Median: 0.24
Q1: 0.04
Min: 0.01

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.07

Max: 1.76
CIEN: 1.07
Q3: 0.78
Median: 0.24
Q1: 0.04
Min: 0.01

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	AAPL	CIEN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.02	3.80
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.84	1.07
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.22	0.64

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Ciena (CIEN) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Apple (AAPL) reports a yield of 0.31%, ranking against industry peers normally.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.31%

Max: 0.73%
Q3: 0.31%
AAPL: 0.31%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max: 0.73%
Q3: 0.31%
CIEN: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Ciena (CIEN) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Apple (AAPL) reports a payout of 11.80%, ranking against industry peers normally.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

11.80%

Max: 32.27%
Q3: 14.48%
AAPL: 11.80%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max: 32.27%
Q3: 14.48%
CIEN: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	AAPL	CIEN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.31%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	11.80%	0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Apple (AAPL) at 38.13 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Ciena (CIEN) at 54.45 sits in the richer quartile — CIEN needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

38.13

Max: 69.48
Q3: 41.02
AAPL: 38.13
Median: 26.39
Q1: 19.36
Min: 6.07

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

54.45

Max: 69.48
CIEN: 54.45
Q3: 41.02
Median: 26.39
Q1: 19.36
Min: 6.07

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Ciena (CIEN) at 5.73 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Apple (AAPL) at 10.39 sits in the pricier quartile — AAPL costs more per dollar of sales.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

10.39

Max: 11.30
AAPL: 10.39
Q3: 5.82
Median: 2.56
Q1: 1.05
Min: 0.00

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

5.73

Max: 11.30
Q3: 5.82
CIEN: 5.73
Median: 2.56
Q1: 1.05
Min: 0.00

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both Apple (AAPL) at 44.39 and Ciena (CIEN) at 11.30 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

44.39

AAPL: 44.39
Max: 10.75
Q3: 5.52
Median: 3.17
Q1: 1.79
Min: 0.33

CIEN

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

11.30

CIEN: 11.30
Max: 10.75
Q3: 5.52
Median: 3.17
Q1: 1.79
Min: 0.33

Apple (AAPL) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	AAPL	CIEN
P/E Ratio (TTM)	38.13	54.45
P/S Ratio (TTM)	10.39	5.73
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	44.39	11.30
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.12%	1.84%