CF vs. CIEN
CF (CF Industries Holdings, Inc.) and CIEN (Ciena Corporation) are both stocks. CF operates in Agricultural Inputs (Basic Materials), while CIEN operates in Communication Equipment (Technology). Over the past 10 years, CF returned 17.90%/yr vs 35.80%/yr for CIEN. At a 0.26 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CF vs. CIEN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CF achieves a 42.89% return, which is significantly lower than CIEN's 90.70% return. Over the past 10 years, CF has underperformed CIEN with an annualized return of 17.90%, while CIEN has yielded a comparatively higher 35.80% annualized return.
CF
- 1D
- 2.74%
- 1M
- -12.58%
- YTD
- 42.89%
- 6M
- 39.56%
- 1Y
- 11.91%
- 3Y*
- 19.07%
- 5Y*
- 17.73%
- 10Y*
- 17.90%
CIEN
- 1D
- 0.17%
- 1M
- -19.56%
- YTD
- 90.70%
- 6M
- 104.17%
- 1Y
- 518.04%
- 3Y*
- 119.10%
- 5Y*
- 49.92%
- 10Y*
- 35.80%
CF vs. CIEN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CF CF Industries Holdings, Inc. | 42.89% | -7.17% | 10.08% | -4.75% | 22.29% | 87.18% | -15.76% | 12.73% | 5.13% | 40.24% |
CIEN Ciena Corporation | 90.70% | 175.76% | 88.42% | -11.71% | -33.77% | 45.64% | 23.80% | 25.89% | 62.02% | -14.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between CF and CIEN is -0.14, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 11, 2005 | 0.26 |
The correlation between CF and CIEN shifts across timeframes, from -0.14 (1 year) to 0.26 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
CF:
$16.91B
CIEN:
$65.25B
CF:
$11.08
CIEN:
$3.01
CF:
9.88
CIEN:
148.07
CF:
2.35
CIEN:
11.65
CF:
2.05
CIEN:
22.56
CF:
$7.41B
CIEN:
$5.57B
CF:
$2.99B
CIEN:
$2.40B
CF:
$2.60B
CIEN:
$670.55M
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Return for Risk
CF vs. CIEN — Risk / Return Rank
CF
CIEN
CF vs. CIEN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) and Ciena Corporation (CIEN). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CF | CIEN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -7.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.95 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.72 | -0.61 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.77 | 16.49 | -15.72 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.35 | 76.44 | -75.10 |
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Drawdowns
CF vs. CIEN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CF drawdown since its inception was -76.73%, smaller than the maximum CIEN drawdown of -99.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CF and CIEN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CF | CIEN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.73% | -99.51% | +22.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.87% | -30.68% | +5.81% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.16% | -45.51% | +16.35% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -48.36% | -49.54% | +1.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -60.74% | -49.54% | -11.20% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -20.11% | -57.38% | +37.27% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -24.92% | -87.08% | +62.16% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 14.29% | 6.61% | +7.68% |
Volatility
CF vs. CIEN - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) is 9.83%, while Ciena Corporation (CIEN) has a volatility of 24.81%. This indicates that CF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CIEN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CF | CIEN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.83% | 24.81% | -14.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 35.49% | 56.12% | -20.63% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 42.20% | 66.74% | -24.54% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 38.23% | 48.55% | -10.32% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 40.30% | 44.35% | -4.05% |
Dividends
CF vs. CIEN - Dividend Comparison
CF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.83%, while CIEN has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CF CF Industries Holdings, Inc. | 1.83% | 2.59% | 2.34% | 2.01% | 1.76% | 1.70% | 3.10% | 2.51% | 2.76% | 2.82% | 3.81% | 2.94% |
CIEN Ciena Corporation | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
CF vs. CIEN - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between CF Industries Holdings, Inc. and Ciena Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CF vs. CIEN - Profitability Comparison
CF - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. reported a gross profit of 746.00M and revenue of 1.99B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 37.6%.
CIEN - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ciena Corporation reported a gross profit of 691.55M and revenue of 1.57B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 44.0%.
CF - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. reported an operating income of 6.00M and revenue of 1.99B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.3%.
CIEN - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ciena Corporation reported an operating income of 237.87M and revenue of 1.57B, resulting in an operating margin of 15.1%.
CF - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. reported a net income of 615.00M and revenue of 1.99B, resulting in a net margin of 31.0%.
CIEN - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ciena Corporation reported a net income of 218.22M and revenue of 1.57B, resulting in a net margin of 13.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CF and CIEN have a correlation of -0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CIEN has higher volatility (24.81%) compared to CF (9.83%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CF dropped -76.73% vs CIEN's -99.51%.
CIEN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (7.58 vs 0.46), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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