ANET vs. CIEN: Arista Networks vs. Ciena Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Arista Networks (ANET) 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

Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN) are both classified in the Communications Equipment sub-industry within the broader Communications Equipment industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN)
Profile Item	ANET	CIEN
Name	Arista Networks 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	Communications Equipment	Communications Equipment
GICS Sub-Industry	Communications Equipment	Communications Equipment
Market Capitalization	215.79 billion USD	34.51 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	June 6, 2014	February 7, 1997
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ANET

CIEN

GSPC

Arista Networks (ANET) 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 Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	ANET	CIEN
Total Return (1Y)	38.40%	36.49%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	52.15%	84.56%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	41.19%	35.01%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ANET

CIEN

GSPC

Arista Networks (ANET) 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 Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	ANET	CIEN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	56.66%	81.12%
Beta (5Y)	1.60	1.39
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-50.42%	-63.19%
Avg. Volume (3M)	6.09M	2.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ANET 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 Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	ANET	CIEN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.60	0.40
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.87	0.56

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Arista Networks (ANET) at 33.52% and Ciena (CIEN) at 22.40% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

33.52%

Max: 42.47%
ANET: 33.52%
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%

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

Net Margin (TTM)

Arista Networks (ANET) at 39.97% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Ciena (CIEN) at 10.87% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

39.97%

ANET: 39.97%
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%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Arista Networks (ANET) at 44.90% turns sales into operating profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Ciena (CIEN) at 18.08% operates around its industry’s norm.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

44.90%

ANET: 44.90%
Max: 36.27%
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%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	ANET	CIEN
ROE (TTM)	33.52%	22.40%
ROA (TTM)	15.04%	7.73%
Net Margin (TTM)	39.97%	10.87%
Operating Margin (TTM)	44.90%	18.08%
Gross Margin (TTM)	62.88%	44.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Arista Networks (ANET) at 28.60% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Ciena (CIEN) at 18.79% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for ANET.

Arista Networks (ANET) 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 Arista Networks (ANET) at 23.32% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for CIEN.

Arista Networks (ANET) vs. Ciena (CIEN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	ANET	CIEN
Revenue Growth (YoY)	28.60%	18.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	27.15%	9.50%
EPS Growth (YoY)	23.32%	46.55%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	37.08%	-5.27%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Arista Networks (ANET) at 3.29 and Ciena (CIEN) at 3.80 post current ratio above their industries’ typical mid-ranges — short-term liquidity appears comfortable, though unusually high readings can point to idle current assets.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

3.29

Max: 5.34
ANET: 3.29
Q3: 3.02
Median: 1.95
Q1: 1.32
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

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Ciena (CIEN) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07 against its industry range, while Arista Networks (ANET) reports no figure this period.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

Max: 1.76
Q3: 0.78
Median: 0.24
Q1: 0.04
Min: 0.01
ANET: --

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

Arista Networks (ANET) vs. Ciena (CIEN): ANET does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; CIEN is benchmarked against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	ANET	CIEN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	3.29	3.80
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	--	1.07
Net Debt / EBITDA	-2.71	0.64

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Neither Arista Networks (ANET) nor Ciena (CIEN) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max: 0.73%
Q3: 0.31%
ANET: 0.00%
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%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Neither Arista Networks (ANET) nor Ciena (CIEN) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max: 32.27%
Q3: 14.48%
ANET: 0.00%
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%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	ANET	CIEN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Arista Networks (ANET) at 45.79 and Ciena (CIEN) at 54.45 sit in the richer earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, so investors are paying more for TTM earnings than they pay for typical peers.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

45.79

Max: 69.48
ANET: 45.79
Q3: 41.02
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

Arista Networks (ANET) 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 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Arista Networks (ANET) at 18.15 clears its benchmark range — ANET looks notably rich on sales.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

18.15

ANET: 18.15
Max: 11.30
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

Arista Networks (ANET) 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 Arista Networks (ANET) at 13.12 and Ciena (CIEN) at 11.30 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

ANET

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

13.12

ANET: 13.12
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

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Arista Networks (ANET) and Ciena (CIEN)
Metric	ANET	CIEN
P/E Ratio (TTM)	45.79	54.45
P/S Ratio (TTM)	18.15	5.73
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	13.12	11.30
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.39%	1.84%