ERIC vs CIEN vs AAOI Stock Comparison

Ericsson Lm Telephone, Ciena and Applied Optoelectronics Prices as of Oct 26, 2026 Peers: Industry group
ERIC Ericsson Lm Telephone Co
$10.89 +14.3% 1M +15.2% 1Y
Market cap
$36.98B
P/E
18.1x
Revenue (TTM)
$24.56B
Div. yield
-0.03%
Networking Equipment Technology
6 wins
CIEN Ciena Corp
$336.09 -5.8% 1M +87.7% 1Y
Market cap
$49.85B
P/E
76.2x
Revenue (TTM)
$6.02B
Div. yield
–
Networking Equipment Technology
2 wins

Head to Head

11 decided of 12

Ericsson Lm Telephone leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Ericsson Lm Telephone 6, Applied Optoelectronics 3, Ciena 2). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionERICCIENAAOILeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $36.98B $49.85B $6.28B CIEN
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 18.1x 76.2x -110.1x ERIC
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 16.8x 44.2x 101.3x ERIC
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months -38.5% +32.6% +61.8% AAOI
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 8.3% 10.9% -9.6% CIEN
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 20.0% 12.4% -4.2% ERIC
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA -0.6x 0.7x 13.8x ERIC
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield -0.03% 0.00% 0.00% –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +15.2% +87.7% +111.5% AAOI
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years -0.2%/yr +44.4%/yr +56.4%/yr AAOI
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 36.5% 77.9% 138.9% ERIC
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 59/100 55/100 33/100 ERIC

Percentile Scorecard

ERICCIENAAOI

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisERICCIENAAOI
Valuation 88 #14 of 111 19 #90 of 111 12 #98 of 111
Growth 46 #59 of 108 95 #6 of 108 55 #49 of 108
Profitability 86 #15 of 104 83 #19 of 104 16 #88 of 104
Financial Health 40 #70 of 115 43 #66 of 115 72 #33 of 115
Shareholder Returns 38 #51 of 81 34 #54 of 81 9 #74 of 81
Overall 59 55 33
  • ERIC ranked among 121 companies in Computer Hardware
  • CIEN ranked among 121 companies in Computer Hardware
  • AAOI ranked among 121 companies in Computer Hardware

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodERICCIENAAOISPY
1 month +14.3%-5.8%-29.1% -0.8%
3 months +12.6%-10.9%-26.5% +3.5%
6 months -1.5%-33.6%-50.7% +7.0%
Year to date +12.8%+43.7%+106.4% +12.2%
1 year +15.2%+87.7%+111.5% +13.0%
3 years +149.8%+719.3%+921.9% +86.3%
3 years, per year +35.7%+101.7%+117.1% +23.1%
5 years -1.0%+526.3%+835.5% +68.6%
5 years, per year -0.2%+44.4%+56.4% +11.0%
10 years +116.1%+1,548.3%+236.3% +258.0%
10 years, per year +8.0%+32.3%+12.9% +13.6%

Risk

MeasureERICCIENAAOISPY
Volatility, 1Y 36.5%77.9%138.9% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 36.7%82.8%126.6% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 1.032.784.29 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 0.421.130.80 1.02
Max drawdown, 5Y -65.8%-49.7%-82.6% -25.4%
From 52-week high -20.7%-46.4%-67.8% -1.8%
52-week high $13.74$627.00$223.10 $779.14
52-week low $9.15$176.45$19.49 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleERICCIENAAOI
P/E now vs peer median 17.8xmedian 32.0x 73.0xmedian 32.0x -102.9xmedian 32.0x
P/S now vs peer median 1.5xmedian 2.8x 7.9xmedian 2.8x 10.2xmedian 2.8x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 9.1xmedian 19.4x 53.8xmedian 19.4x -175.3xmedian 19.4x
P/FCF now vs peer median 9.8xmedian 29.0x 58.6xmedian 29.0x -10.1xmedian 29.0x
P/B now vs peer median 3.3xmedian 2.9x 15.6xmedian 2.9x 3.6xmedian 2.9x
PEG now vs peer median 0.41median 1.13 1.63median 1.13 -3.10median 1.13

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsERICCIENAAOI
Revenue $24.56B $6.02B $595.97M
Gross profit $11.51B $2.65B $172.33M
Operating income $2.90B $738.95M -$67.41M
Net income $2.04B $654.41M -$57.02M
Free cash flow $3.76B $814.36M -$600.81M
R&D $5.22B $924.94M $107.61M
EPS (diluted) $0.61 $4.48 $-0.70
Cash & equivalents $5.11B $2.45B $499.74M
Total debt $3.73B $3.23B $57.26M
Shares (diluted) 3.34B 145.97M 81.57M
Enterprise value $14.59B $43.41B $4.99B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricERICCIENAAOI
P/E 17.8x 73.0x -102.9x
P/FCF 9.8x 58.6x -10.1x
P/Operating cash flow 10.7x 45.2x -46.1x
P/S 1.5x 7.9x 10.2x
P/B 3.3x 15.6x 3.6x
P/Tangible book 3.3x 16.6x 3.6x
EV/EBITDA 9.1x 53.8x -175.3x
EV/EBIT 11.9x 65.3x -83.5x
EV/Revenue 1.4x 8.0x 9.4x
EV/FCF 9.2x 59.3x -9.4x
EV/Operating cash flow 10.0x 45.8x -42.7x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.41 1.63 -3.10

Growth

14 metrics
MetricERICCIENAAOI
Revenue growth (1Y) -38.5% 32.6% 61.8%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) -2.0% 12.5% 40.9%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 3.7% 40.6% 62.0%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) 4.0% 13.3% 73.3%
Operating income growth (1Y) -18.4% 200.1% -40.6%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 55.0% 29.1% -2.8%
Net income growth (1Y) -18.7% 364.5% 63.4%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 43.4% 43.5% 6.2%
EPS growth (1Y) -17.7% 359.9% 74.5%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 43.1% 44.8% 33.2%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 4.3% 34.5% 15.2%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 44.0% 201.2% -168.6%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 6.1% 34.5% -146.3%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 34.7% 95.4% -294.2%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricERICCIENAAOI
Gross margin 46.8% 44.1% 28.9%
EBITDA margin 15.4% 14.9% -5.4%
Operating margin 11.8% 12.3% -11.3%
Pretax margin 11.2% 12.1% -10.6%
Net margin 8.3% 10.9% -9.6%
FCF margin 15.3% 13.5% -100.8%
Operating cash flow margin 14.0% 17.5% -22.1%
Return on equity 18.7% 22.0% -4.1%
Return on assets 6.8% 9.3% -2.9%
Return on invested capital 20.0% 12.4% -4.2%
Return on capital employed 17.8% 13.1% -4.5%
Asset turnover 0.8x 0.9x 0.3x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 1.7x 1.6x 2.3x
Stock comp / revenue – 3.5% 2.6%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricERICCIENAAOI
Debt / assets 12.4% 40.4% 2.5%
Debt / equity 0.3x 1.1x 0.0x
Net debt / EBITDA -0.6x 0.7x 13.8x
Debt / FCF 1.0x 4.0x -0.1x
Liabilities / assets 63.1% 61.8% 27.5%
Equity / assets 36.9% 38.2% 72.5%
Interest coverage – 10.6x -19.1x
Current ratio 1.2x 3.8x 2.8x
Quick ratio 0.8x 2.8x 1.9x
Cash ratio 0.4x 1.9x 1.2x
Altman Z-score – 6.99 5.99

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricERICCIENAAOI
Dividend yield 2.8% – –
Net buyback yield -2.2% -1.0% -22.3%
Shareholder yield 0.6% -1.0% -22.3%
Payout ratio (earnings) 50.9% – –
Payout ratio (FCF) 27.7% – –
Dividend growth (1Y) -13.4% – –
Dividend CAGR (3Y) -7.7% – –

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusERICCIENAAOI
Forward P/E 16.8xFY2026 44.2xFY2026 101.3xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $0.65FY2026 $7.60FY2026 $0.71FY2026
EPS growth, next FY -30.9%FY2026 +187.9%FY2026 –
EPS growth, the year after -3.1% +64.7% +646.5%
Revenue, next fiscal year $24.16BFY2026 $6.86BFY2026 $994.70MFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY -8.1%FY2026 +43.8%FY2026 +118.3%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +1.0% +18.0% +185.6%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersERICCIENAAOI
Held by institutions 9.5% 92.9% 60.5%
Institutions holding 388 1,220 481
Change in shares held, QoQ +0.4% -1.7% -3.5%
Institutions buying 219 729 313
Institutions selling 110 379 143
Buyers to sellers 1.99 1.92 2.19

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

ERICCIENAAOI
ERIC 1.00 0.31 0.23
CIEN 0.31 1.00 0.59
AAOI 0.23 0.59 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, ERIC, CIEN and AAOI?

Ciena (CIEN) is the largest by market capitalisation: Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) $36.98B, Ciena (CIEN) $49.85B, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) $6.28B.

Which stock is cheaper, ERIC, CIEN and AAOI?

Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) 18.1x, Ciena (CIEN) 76.2x, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) -110.1x). On next year's consensus earnings, Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) is cheapest (Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) 16.8x, Ciena (CIEN) 44.2x, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) 101.3x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) -38.5%, Ciena (CIEN) +32.6%, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) +61.8%.

Which company is more profitable?

Ciena (CIEN) has the highest net margin (Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) 8.3%, Ciena (CIEN) 10.9%, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) -9.6%). On return on invested capital, Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) leads (Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) 20.0%, Ciena (CIEN) 12.4%, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) -4.2%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) returned the most: Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) +15.2%, Ciena (CIEN) +87.7%, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) +111.5%. Over five years, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) compounded fastest (Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) -0.2%/yr, Ciena (CIEN) +44.4%/yr, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) +56.4%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) has been the steadiest (Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) 36.5%, Ciena (CIEN) 77.9%, Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) 138.9%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, ERIC, CIEN and AAOI?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Ericsson Lm Telephone (ERIC) leads on 6. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.