Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) vs Belden (BDC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) has outperformed Belden (BDC) over the past year, gaining 291.1% versus a loss of 5.2%. Over five years, AAOI leads with a +1597.2% price change compared with +80.6% for BDC. Applied Optoelectronics is the larger company by market cap ($9.39 billion vs $4.22 billion), about 2.2 times the size.
On valuation, Belden trades at a lower forward P/E (10.7x vs 24.0x for Applied Optoelectronics). Belden pays a dividend yielding 0.19%, while Applied Optoelectronics does not currently pay one. Belden converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 8.7% versus -8.4%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | AAOI | BDC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $110.63 | $107.88 |
| Market cap | $9.39B | $4.22B |
| 1-day change | -9.72% | -1.40% |
| YTD return | +251.52% | -6.13% |
| 1-year return | +291.06% | -5.20% |
| 5-year return | +1597.23% | +80.57% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 17.54 |
| Forward P/E | 24.04 | 10.75 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.75 | $6.15 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.19% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.20 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $455.71M | $2.72B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +82.75% | +10.33% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $-38.23M | $237.52M |
| Gross margin | 30.04% | 37.98% |
| Operating margin | -11.98% | 11.63% |
| Net margin | -8.39% | 8.75% |
| 52-week high | $233.67 | $159.99 |
| 52-week low | $18.50 | $98.00 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -52.66% | -32.57% |
| Analyst consensus | none | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +47.70% | +42.02% |
| Average volume | 9.46M | 452.11K |
| Shares outstanding | 84.91M | 39.08M |
| Employees | 4,691 | 8,000 |
| Sector | Technology | Industrials |
| Industry | Semiconductors | Telecommunications Equipment |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Applied Optoelectronics is about 2.2 times larger than Belden by market value ($9.39B vs $4.22B).
- AAOI has outperformed BDC by 296.3 percentage points over the past year.
- Belden is more profitable, keeping 8.7 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus -8.4 cents for Applied Optoelectronics.
- Applied Optoelectronics grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+82.75% vs +10.33%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Applied Optoelectronics in Technology and Belden in Industrials.
About Applied Optoelectronics
AAOI stock →Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of fiber-optic networking products in the United States, Taiwan, and China.
Technology · Semiconductors · 4,691 employees
About Belden
BDC stock →Belden Inc. provides connection solutions to bring data infrastructure into alignment to unlock new possibilities for its customers.
Industrials · Telecommunications Equipment · 8,000 employees
AAOI vs BDC FAQ
Which is bigger, Applied Optoelectronics or Belden?
Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) is larger, with a market capitalization of $9.39B compared with $4.22B for Belden (BDC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, AAOI or BDC?
AAOI returned +291.06% over the past 12 months, compared with -5.20% for BDC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Applied Optoelectronics or Belden?
Belden pays a dividend yielding 0.19%, while Applied Optoelectronics does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Applied Optoelectronics and Belden in the same industry?
No. Applied Optoelectronics is in the Technology sector, while Belden is in Industrials.