CienaHAM:CIE1 +0.87%72 Operating Margin % is 15.20% as of Apr. 2026, which is 82% above its 10-year median of 8.35. GuruFocus rates HAM:CIE1 with a GF Score™ of 72/100 and a GF Value™ of €78.94 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 2,472 Hardware companies, Ciena ranks better than 78.92% on this metric.
Operating Margin % is calculated as Operating Income divided by its Revenue. Ciena's Operating Income for the
three
months ended in Apr. 2026 was €204 Mil. Ciena's Revenue for the
three
months ended in Apr. 2026 was €1,343 Mil. Therefore, Ciena's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 was 15.20%.
Warning Sign:
Ciena Corp operating margin has been in a 5-year decline. The average rate of decline per year is -18.5%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Ciena's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
HAM:CIE1'
s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 4.76 Med: 8.35 Max: 14.57
Current: 11.2
HAM:CIE1's Operating Margin % is ranked better than 78.92% of 2472
companies
in the Hardware industry
Industry Median: 3.81
vs HAM:CIE1: 11.20
Ciena's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was -18.50% per year.
Ciena's Operating Income for the
three
months ended in Apr. 2026 was €204 Mil.
Its Operating Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was €533 Mil.
Ciena (HAM:CIE1) Operating Margin % Explanation
Just like Gross Margin %, it is important to see a company maintains its operating margin over time. Among the same industry, a company with higher operating margin is more efficient in its operation. It is also more stable during industry slowdown or recessions. Peter Lynch prefers those with higher margins than those with lower margins.
Be Aware
Operating Margin % can be manipulated by adjusting the rate of depreciation, depletion and amortization (DDA).
If a company is facing competition, its Operating Margin % may decline. Often the Operating Margin % declines well before the company's Revenue or even profit decline. Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important indicator of whether the company is facing problems.
For instance, by 2012, Nokia (NOK)'s problems were well known and its stock had lost more than 90% of its market value since 2007. But Nokias Operating Margin % had already been in decline since 2002, although its Earnings per Share (Diluted) were still rising. Investors who paid attention to Operating Margin % would have avoided this huge loss. The same can be said for Research-in-Motion (RIMM).
Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important screening filter for GuruFocus. GuruFocus's Buffett-Munger screener requires that the profit margin is either consistent or expanding. The Model Portfolio of the Buffett-Munger screener has outperformed the market every year since inception in 2009.
Ciena Operating Margin % Related Terms
Ciena Operating Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Ciena's Operating Margin % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
HAM:CIE1 vs MSI, LITE, HPE: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Communication Equipment subindustry, Ciena's Operating Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Operating Margin % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Ciena Operating Margin % vs Hardware Industry
For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, Ciena's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Ciena's Operating Margin % falls into.
Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.
Ciena's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Oct. 2025 is calculated as
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Ciena (HAM:CIE1) has a Operating Margin % of 15.20% as of Apr. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Ciena and its competitors. This is 82% above median its historical median of 8.35. Over the past decade, Ciena's Operating Margin % has ranged from 4.76 to 14.57. According to the industry distribution chart, Ciena ranks #521 out of 2472 companies in the Hardware industry, placing it in the top 21.1%.
Is Ciena's Operating Margin % too high?
Ciena's current Operating Margin % of 15.20% is 82% above median its 10-year median of 8.35. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 4.76 to a high of 14.57. The Hardware industry median Operating Margin % is 3.81. Ciena's value of 15.20% is 299% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Ciena ranks #521 out of 2472 companies in the Hardware industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Ciena has a GF Score™ of 72/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ciena's Operating Margin % compare to MSI and LITE?
According to the Hardware industry distribution chart, Ciena ranks #521 out of 2472 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Ciena in the top 21% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Operating Margin % is 3.81. Ciena's value of 15.20% is 299% above this benchmark. Historically, Ciena's own Operating Margin % has ranged from 4.76 to 14.57 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 8.35 vs. the industry median of 3.81, Ciena has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Operating Margin % for a Hardware company?
The median Operating Margin % among Hardware companies is 3.81, based on 2,472 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Operating Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Operating Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Ciena's current Operating Margin % of 15.20% is 299% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Operating Margin % mean?
A high Operating Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Ciena and its competitors. For the Hardware industry, the median Operating Margin % is 3.81 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Ciena's current Operating Margin % is 15.20%, which is 82% above median its own 10-year median of 8.35. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Ciena stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ciena (HAM:CIE1) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €78.94, compared to a current price of €417.60 — trading 429% above its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is 15.20%, which is 82% above median its 10-year median of 8.35 and 299% above the Hardware industry median of 3.81. Ciena's overall GF Score™ is 72/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Operating Margin % calculated?
Operating Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Ciena (HAM:CIE1), the current Operating Margin % is 15.20% as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Ciena (HAM:CIE1) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ciena stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €417.60 is trading 429% above its estimated GF Value™ of €78.94.
GuruFocus considers Ciena to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for HAM:CIE1:
Operating Margin %: 15.20% (82% above median its 10-year median of 8.35)
GF Value™: €78.94 vs. price of €417.60 (429% above fair value)
Industry Position: 299% above the Hardware median (#521 of 2472)
No single metric tells the full story. See the HAM:CIE1 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Ciena is a leader in high-speed optical connectivity, providing systems, components, and automation software for telecom providers and enterprises, such as data centers, to enable long-distance connectivity. The company operates through four primary business segments: networking platforms, platform software and services, Blue Planet automation software, and global services. While telecom carriers remain important customers, cloud providers and hyperscalers now drive a significant portion of the business. To meet the demands of AI data centers, customers are adopting Ciena's WaveLogic 6 platform, the first to support 1.6 terabits-per-second capacity.
72GF Score
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