CIEN vs. ZBRA: Ciena vs. Zebra Stock Comparison
How do Ciena (CIEN) and Zebra (ZBRA) 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 Zebra (ZBRA) both fall under the Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group, but CIEN is classified in Communications Equipment while ZBRA is classified in Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components.
| Profile Item | CIEN | ZBRA |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Ciena Corp. | Zebra Technologies Corp. Class A Common Stock |
| 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 | Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Communications Equipment | Electronic Equipment & Instruments |
| Market Capitalization | 34.51 billion USD | 15.16 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | February 7, 1997 | August 15, 1991 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | CIEN | ZBRA |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 36.49% | 26.64% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 84.56% | 17.52% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 35.01% | -11.21% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | CIEN | ZBRA |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 81.12% | 47.91% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.39 | 1.64 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -63.19% | -67.78% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.83M | 596.00K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | CIEN | ZBRA |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.40 | 0.47 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.56 | 0.82 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Ciena (CIEN) at 22.40% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Zebra (ZBRA) at 16.46% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CIEN.
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%
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
16.46%
- Max
- 42.47%
- Q3
- 19.13%
- ZBRA
- 16.46%
- Median
- 11.00%
- Q1
- 1.63%
- Min
- -20.62%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Ciena (CIEN) at 10.87% and Zebra (ZBRA) at 9.80% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.
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%
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
9.80%
- Max
- 27.60%
- Q3
- 11.66%
- ZBRA
- 9.80%
- Median
- 4.08%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- -11.02%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Ciena (CIEN) at 18.08% and Zebra (ZBRA) at 14.75% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.
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%
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
14.75%
- Max
- 36.27%
- Q3
- 18.36%
- ZBRA
- 14.75%
- Median
- 8.84%
- Q1
- 1.46%
- Min
- -21.39%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | CIEN | ZBRA |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 22.40% | 16.46% |
| ROA (TTM) | 7.73% | 7.51% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 10.87% | 9.80% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 18.08% | 14.75% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 44.07% | 48.90% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Ciena (CIEN) at 18.79% and Zebra (ZBRA) at 8.33% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
Ciena (CIEN) at 46.55% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Zebra (ZBRA) at -19.65% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for CIEN.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | CIEN | ZBRA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 18.79% | 8.33% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 9.50% | -2.27% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 46.55% | -19.65% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -5.27% | -2.41% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Ciena (CIEN) at 3.80 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Zebra (ZBRA) at 0.57 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
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
0.57
- Max
- 5.34
- Q3
- 3.02
- Median
- 1.95
- Q1
- 1.32
- ZBRA
- 0.57
- Min
- 0.17
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Zebra (ZBRA) at 0.78 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
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
0.78
- Max
- 1.76
- ZBRA
- 0.78
- Q3
- 0.78
- Median
- 0.24
- Q1
- 0.04
- Min
- 0.01
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | CIEN | ZBRA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 3.80 | 0.57 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 1.07 | 0.78 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 0.64 | 2.09 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Ciena (CIEN) nor Zebra (ZBRA) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 0.73%
- Q3
- 0.31%
- ZBRA
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither Ciena (CIEN) nor Zebra (ZBRA) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 32.27%
- Q3
- 14.48%
- ZBRA
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | CIEN | ZBRA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Zebra (ZBRA) at 26.03 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
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
26.03
- Max
- 69.48
- Q3
- 41.02
- Median
- 26.39
- ZBRA
- 26.03
- Q1
- 19.36
- Min
- 6.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Ciena (CIEN) at 5.73 and Zebra (ZBRA) at 2.47 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
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
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
2.47
- Max
- 11.30
- Q3
- 5.82
- Median
- 2.56
- ZBRA
- 2.47
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.00
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Zebra (ZBRA) at 4.26 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Ciena (CIEN) at 11.30 prices above its benchmark range — CIEN looks rich relative to book.
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
ZBRA
Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group
4.26
- Max
- 10.75
- Q3
- 5.52
- ZBRA
- 4.26
- Median
- 3.17
- Q1
- 1.79
- Min
- 0.33
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CIEN | ZBRA |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 54.45 | 26.03 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 5.73 | 2.47 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 11.30 | 4.26 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.84% | 4.61% |