Ciena Corporation (CIEN) vs Workday, Inc. (WDAY)
A side-by-side comparison of Ciena Corporation and Workday, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 29, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
CIEN
Ciena Corporation
$339.32TechnologyDelayed quote: Jul 29, 2026, 2:40 PM EDT
WDAY
Workday, Inc.
$169.75TechnologyDelayed quote: Jul 29, 2026, 2:40 PM EDT
Total return — CIEN vs WDAY
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 14yCIEN +2146.9%WDAY +210.1%CIEN compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CIEN WDAY
CIEN vs WDAY: by the numbers
- •CIEN is the larger company ($48.03B vs $44.46B market cap).
- •WDAY trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (49.90 vs 116.84 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •WDAY converts more revenue to profit (8.60% vs 7.87% net margin).
- •WDAY grew revenue faster over the past five years (17.11% vs 10.39% CAGR).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CIEN | WDAY |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 116.84 | 49.90 |
| Forward P/E | 53.65 | 17.58 |
| P/S ratio | 9.21 | 4.12 |
| P/B ratio | 17.73 | 6.08 |
| PEG ratio | 4.37 | 2.16 |
| EV / EBITDA | 64.23 | 29.16 |
| FCF yield | 1.62% | 7.32% |
Profitability
| Metric | CIEN | WDAY |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 43.05% | 75.77% |
| Operating margin | 11.18% | 11.66% |
| Net margin | 7.87% | 8.60% |
| ROE | 15.15% | 12.67% |
| ROIC | 5.35% | 5.95% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CIEN | WDAY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 10.39% | 17.11% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -17.95% | N/A |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 11.11% | 20.07% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 43.92% | -7.39% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, CIEN or WDAY?
- WDAY has the lower trailing P/E: CIEN trades at 116.84 and WDAY at 49.90. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, CIEN or WDAY?
- Over the past five years, WDAY grew revenue faster — CIEN at a 10.39% CAGR versus WDAY at 17.11%.
- Is CIEN or WDAY more profitable?
- WDAY runs the higher net margin — CIEN at 7.87% versus WDAY at 8.60%.
- How have CIEN and WDAY total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, CIEN delivered 33.58% and WDAY delivered 6.75% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Ciena P/E ratioWorkday P/E ratioCiena dividend yieldWorkday dividend yieldCiena ROEWorkday ROECiena operating marginWorkday operating marginCiena revenue growthWorkday revenue growthCiena free cash flowWorkday free cash flow
Ciena & Workday appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified July 29, 2026.