Ciena (CIEN) vs Ericsson (ERIC)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Ciena (CIEN) has outperformed Ericsson (ERIC) over the past year, gaining 194.7% versus a gain of 12.2%. Over five years, CIEN leads with a +754.4% price change compared with -22.3% for ERIC. Ciena is the larger company by market cap ($63.31 billion vs $30.78 billion), about 2.1 times the size.
On valuation, Ericsson trades at a lower forward P/E (15.4x vs 37.7x for Ciena).
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 | CIEN | ERIC |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $446.45 | $9.46 |
| Market cap | $63.31B | $30.78B |
| 1-day change | +0.63% | +0.32% |
| YTD return | +90.90% | -1.97% |
| 1-year return | +194.73% | +12.22% |
| 5-year return | +754.45% | -22.33% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 99.88 | 11.97 |
| Forward P/E | 37.74 | 15.44 |
| EPS (TTM) | $4.47 | $0.79 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 3.39% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $4.77B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +18.79% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $123.34M | — |
| Gross margin | 42.04% | — |
| Operating margin | 4.14% | — |
| Net margin | 2.59% | — |
| 52-week high | $637.51 | $13.77 |
| 52-week low | $152.54 | $8.12 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -29.97% | -31.30% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | underperform |
| Avg. price target upside | +14.90% | -1.37% |
| Average volume | 2.35M | 11.03M |
| Shares outstanding | 141.81M | 2.99B |
| Employees | 8,898 | 86,536 |
| Sector | Utilities | Technology |
| Industry | Telecommunications Equipment | Radio And Television Broadcasting And Communications 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
- Ciena is about 2.1 times larger than Ericsson by market value ($63.31B vs $30.78B).
- CIEN has outperformed ERIC by 182.5 percentage points over the past year.
- Ciena trades at a higher earnings multiple (99.9x vs 12.0x trailing P/E).
- Ericsson offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.39% vs 0.00%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Ciena in Utilities and Ericsson in Technology.
About Ciena
CIEN stock →Ciena Corporation, a network technology company, provides hardware, software, and services for various network operators in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, Japan, and India. It operates through Networking Platforms, Platform Software and Services, Blue Planet Automation Software and Services, and Global Services segments.
Utilities · Telecommunications Equipment · 8,898 employees
About Ericsson
ERIC stock →Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ), together with its subsidiaries, provides mobile connectivity solutions to communications service providers, enterprises, and the public sector in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and India. It operates through Networks; Cloud Software and Services; Enterprise; and Other segments.
Technology · Radio And Television Broadcasting And Communications Equipment · 86,536 employees
CIEN vs ERIC FAQ
Which is bigger, Ciena or Ericsson?
Ciena (CIEN) is larger, with a market capitalization of $63.31B compared with $30.78B for Ericsson (ERIC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CIEN or ERIC?
CIEN returned +194.73% over the past 12 months, compared with +12.22% for ERIC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CIEN or ERIC?
ERIC has the lower trailing P/E at 12.0, versus 99.9 for CIEN. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Ciena or Ericsson?
Ericsson pays a dividend yielding 3.39%, while Ciena does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Ciena and Ericsson in the same industry?
No. Ciena is in the Utilities sector, while Ericsson is in Technology.