WallStSmart

Ciena Corp (CIEN)vsHarmonic Inc (HLIT)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Ciena Corp generates 1190% more annual revenue ($5.12B vs $397.34M). CIEN leads profitability with a 4.5% profit margin vs -10.6%. HLIT appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.84. HLIT earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 54/100 (C-).

CIEN

Buy

52

out of 100

Grade: C-

Growth: 8.7Profit: 6.0Value: 3.7Quality: 6.0
Piotroski: 5/9Altman Z: 1.18

HLIT

Buy

54

out of 100

Grade: C-

Growth: 7.3Profit: 4.0Value: 3.7Quality: 6.0
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: -2.28

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

CIEN3 strengths · Avg: 9.7/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
33.1%10/10

Revenue surging 33.1% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
232.3%10/10

Earnings expanding 232.3% YoY

Market CapQuality
$88.66B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

HLIT2 strengths · Avg: 9.0/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
43.4%10/10

Revenue surging 43.4% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
31.9%8/10

Earnings expanding 31.9% YoY

Areas to Watch

CIEN4 concerns · Avg: 2.8/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.384/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Profit MarginProfitability
4.5%3/10

4.5% margin — thin

P/E RatioValuation
399.4x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Price/BookValuation
24.7x2/10

Trading at 24.7x book value

HLIT4 concerns · Avg: 2.8/10
PEG RatioValuation
1.844/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Market CapQuality
$1.72B3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

P/E RatioValuation
197.6x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Return on EquityProfitability
-11.8%2/10

ROE of -11.8% — below average capital efficiency

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : CIEN

The strongest argument for CIEN centers on Revenue Growth, EPS Growth, Market Cap. Revenue growth of 33.1% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bull Case : HLIT

The strongest argument for HLIT centers on Revenue Growth, EPS Growth. Revenue growth of 43.4% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : CIEN

The primary concerns for CIEN are PEG Ratio, Profit Margin, P/E Ratio. A P/E of 399.4x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 4.5% margins leave little buffer for downturns.

Bear Case : HLIT

The primary concerns for HLIT are PEG Ratio, Market Cap, P/E Ratio. A P/E of 197.6x leaves little room for execution misses.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

CIEN carries more volatility with a beta of 1.25 — expect wider price swings.

HLIT is growing revenue faster at 43.4% — sustainability is the question.

CIEN generates stronger free cash flow (219M), providing more financial flexibility.

Monitor COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.

Bottom Line

HLIT scores higher overall (54/100 vs 52/100) and 43.4% revenue growth. Both earn "Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

Ciena Corp

TECHNOLOGY · COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT · USA

Ciena Corporation provides hardware, software, and network services that support the transport, routing, switching, aggregation, service delivery, and management of video, data, and voice traffic on communications networks worldwide. The company is headquartered in Hanover, Maryland.

Visit Website →

Harmonic Inc

TECHNOLOGY · COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT · USA

Harmonic Inc. provides global video delivery software, products, system solutions and services. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California.

Visit Website →

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?