ASML vs. CIEN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 29, 2025

Here’s a clear look at ASML and CIEN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

ASML trades as New York Registered Shares, providing U.S. investors with access to a foreign company, while CIEN is a standard domestic stock.

Symbol	ASML	CIEN
Company Name	ASML Holding N.V.	Ciena Corporation
Country	Netherlands	United States
GICS Sector	Information Technology	Information Technology
GICS Industry	Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment	Communications Equipment
Market Capitalization	302.76 billion USD	13.11 billion USD
Exchange	NasdaqGS	NYSE
Listing Date	March 15, 1995	February 7, 1997
Security Type	NY Reg Shrs	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of ASML and CIEN by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

ASML vs. CIEN: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	ASML	CIEN
5-Day Price Return	1.94%	6.16%
13-Week Price Return	-1.54%	12.62%
26-Week Price Return	-8.38%	10.30%
52-Week Price Return	-19.88%	63.30%
Month-to-Date Return	6.12%	-0.11%
Year-to-Date Return	-4.14%	9.35%
10-Day Avg. Volume	0.43M	1.66M
3-Month Avg. Volume	0.65M	1.97M
3-Month Volatility	34.59%	40.76%
Beta	1.69	1.06

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

ASML

47.13%

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 52.74%
Q3: 23.49%
Median: 11.60%
Q1: 3.23%
Min: -20.69%

In the upper quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, ASML’s Return on Equity of 47.13% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

CIEN

3.72%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 32.05%
Q3: 19.58%
Median: 11.77%
Q1: 2.23%
Min: -11.93%

CIEN’s Return on Equity of 3.72% is on par with the norm for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

ASML

29.31%

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 44.17%
Q3: 22.38%
Median: 11.95%
Q1: 3.21%
Min: -25.16%

A Net Profit Margin of 29.31% places ASML in the upper quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

CIEN

2.46%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 23.65%
Q3: 14.32%
Median: 5.31%
Q1: 1.45%
Min: -12.72%

CIEN’s Net Profit Margin of 2.46% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Communications Equipment industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

ASML

34.90%

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 58.03%
Q3: 27.84%
Median: 12.45%
Q1: 5.15%
Min: -28.61%

An Operating Profit Margin of 34.90% places ASML in the upper quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

CIEN

4.67%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 42.27%
Q3: 18.90%
Median: 6.21%
Q1: 2.97%
Min: -20.72%

CIEN’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.67% is around the midpoint for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	ASML	CIEN
Return on Equity (TTM)	47.13%	3.72%
Return on Assets (TTM)	19.27%	1.87%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	29.31%	2.46%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	34.90%	4.67%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	52.58%	41.94%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

ASML

1.41

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 8.42
Q3: 4.70
Median: 2.75
Q1: 2.07
Min: 1.04

ASML’s Current Ratio of 1.41 falls into the lower quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

CIEN

3.40

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 1.72
Q3: 1.72
Median: 1.46
Q1: 1.18
Min: 0.93

CIEN’s Current Ratio of 3.40 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Communications Equipment industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

ASML

0.22

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 1.09
Q3: 0.45
Median: 0.22
Q1: 0.01
Min: 0.00

ASML’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.22 is typical for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

CIEN

0.55

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 1.55
Q3: 0.92
Median: 0.55
Q1: 0.30
Min: 0.00

CIEN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.55 is typical for the Communications Equipment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

ASML

164.15

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 174.00
Q3: 81.10
Median: 27.22
Q1: 7.28
Min: -4.26

ASML’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 164.15 is in the upper quartile for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.

CIEN

3.66

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 181.73
Q3: 113.63
Median: 7.59
Q1: 3.82
Min: -5.39

In the lower quartile for the Communications Equipment industry, CIEN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.66 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	ASML	CIEN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.41	3.40
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.79	2.27
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.22	0.55
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	164.15	3.66

Growth

Revenue Growth

ASML vs. CIEN: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

ASML vs. CIEN: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

ASML

1.01%

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 4.16%
Q3: 1.78%
Median: 0.74%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ASML’s Dividend Yield of 1.01% is consistent with its peers in the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

CIEN

0.00%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 3.88%
Q3: 2.75%
Median: 0.93%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CIEN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

ASML

26.57%

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 196.12%
Q3: 87.72%
Median: 26.57%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ASML’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 26.57% is within the typical range for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

CIEN

0.00%

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 111.16%
Q3: 55.91%
Median: 28.42%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CIEN has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	ASML	CIEN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.01%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	26.57%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

ASML

26.41

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 109.37
Q3: 57.11
Median: 28.95
Q1: 22.13
Min: 11.14

ASML’s P/E Ratio of 26.41 is within the middle range for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

CIEN

118.08

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 57.30
Q3: 47.92
Median: 27.50
Q1: 17.89
Min: 13.89

At 118.08, CIEN’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Communications Equipment industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

ASML

7.74

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 16.09
Q3: 10.10
Median: 4.82
Q1: 2.60
Min: 0.93

ASML’s P/S Ratio of 7.74 aligns with the market consensus for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

CIEN

2.91

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 11.03
Q3: 5.53
Median: 2.20
Q1: 0.99
Min: 0.40

CIEN’s P/S Ratio of 2.91 aligns with the market consensus for the Communications Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

ASML

12.39

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry

Max: 13.56
Q3: 6.75
Median: 3.68
Q1: 1.89
Min: 0.60

ASML’s P/B Ratio of 12.39 is in the upper tier for the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

CIEN

3.73

Communications Equipment Industry

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.60
Median: 3.73
Q1: 2.67
Min: 0.30

CIEN’s P/B Ratio of 3.73 is within the conventional range for the Communications Equipment industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

ASML vs. CIEN: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and Communications Equipment industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	ASML	CIEN
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	26.41	118.08
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	7.74	2.91
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	12.39	3.73
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	26.67	26.32