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CIEN vs. CSCO: Ciena vs. Cisco Systems Stock Comparison

How do Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO) 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

Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO) 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 Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO)
Profile ItemCIENCSCO
NameCiena Corp.Cisco Systems, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupTechnology Hardware & EquipmentTechnology Hardware & Equipment
GICS IndustryCommunications EquipmentCommunications Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustryCommunications EquipmentCommunications Equipment
Market Capitalization34.51 billion USD370.01 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 7, 1997February 16, 1990
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CIEN
CSCO
GSPC
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO), 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 Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO)
MetricCIENCSCO
Total Return (1Y)36.49%40.88%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)84.56%26.81%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)35.01%14.44%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CIEN
CSCO
GSPC
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO), 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 Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO)
MetricCIENCSCO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)81.12%36.83%
Beta (5Y)1.391.02
Max Drawdown (5Y)-63.19%-36.68%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.83M18.52M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CIEN and CSCO 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 Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO)
MetricCIENCSCO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.400.99
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.561.44

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Ciena (CIEN) at 22.40% and Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 27.32% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

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%

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

27.32%

Max
42.47%
CSCO
27.32%
Q3
19.13%
Median
11.00%
Q1
1.63%
Min
-20.62%
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their ROE against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 20.95% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Ciena (CIEN) at 10.87%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

20.95%

Max
27.60%
CSCO
20.95%
Q3
11.66%
Median
4.08%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-11.02%
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their net margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 27.72% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Ciena (CIEN) at 18.08%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

27.72%

Max
36.27%
CSCO
27.72%
Q3
18.36%
Median
8.84%
Q1
1.46%
Min
-21.39%
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO)
MetricCIENCSCO
ROE (TTM)22.40%27.32%
ROA (TTM)7.73%7.98%
Net Margin (TTM)10.87%20.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)18.08%27.72%
Gross Margin (TTM)44.07%64.52%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ciena (CIEN) at 18.79% and Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 11.78% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Ciena (CIEN) reports EPS growth of 46.55%, ranked against its industry; Cisco Systems (CSCO) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO)
MetricCIENCSCO
Revenue Growth (YoY)18.79%11.78%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.50%3.57%
EPS Growth (YoY)46.55%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-5.27%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Ciena (CIEN) at 3.80 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 0.93 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

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

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.93

Max
5.34
Q3
3.02
Median
1.95
Q1
1.32
CSCO
0.93
Min
0.17
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 0.62 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Ciena (CIEN) at 1.07 uses more debt funding than most peers.

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

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.62

Max
1.76
Q3
0.78
CSCO
0.62
Median
0.24
Q1
0.04
Min
0.01
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO)
MetricCIENCSCO
Current Ratio (MRQ)3.800.93
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.070.62
Net Debt / EBITDA0.640.82

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 Cisco Systems (CSCO) reports a yield of 1.73%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.73%

CSCO
1.73%
Max
0.73%
Q3
0.31%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): 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 Cisco Systems (CSCO) reports a payout of 49.85%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

49.85%

CSCO
49.85%
Max
32.27%
Q3
14.48%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO)
MetricCIENCSCO
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.73%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%49.85%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 28.18 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.

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

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

28.18

Max
69.48
Q3
41.02
CSCO
28.18
Median
26.39
Q1
19.36
Min
6.07
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): 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 Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 5.84 sits in the pricier quartile — CSCO costs more per dollar of sales.

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

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

5.84

Max
11.30
CSCO
5.84
Q3
5.82
Median
2.56
Q1
1.05
Min
0.00
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Cisco Systems (CSCO) at 7.36 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Ciena (CIEN) at 11.30 prices even higher, above its industry range.

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

CSCO

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

7.36

Max
10.75
CSCO
7.36
Q3
5.52
Median
3.17
Q1
1.79
Min
0.33
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Ciena (CIEN) vs. Cisco Systems (CSCO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ciena (CIEN) and Cisco Systems (CSCO)
MetricCIENCSCO
P/E Ratio (TTM)54.4528.18
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.735.84
P/B Ratio (MRQ)11.307.36
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.84%3.02%