CIEN vs. AA
CIEN (Ciena Corporation) and AA (Alcoa Corporation) are both stocks. CIEN operates in Communication Equipment (Technology), while AA operates in Aluminum (Basic Materials). Over the past 5 years, CIEN returned 49.92%/yr vs 14.08%/yr for AA. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CIEN vs. AA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CIEN achieves a 90.70% return, which is significantly higher than AA's 29.83% return.
CIEN
- 1D
- 0.17%
- 1M
- -22.83%
- YTD
- 90.70%
- 6M
- 104.17%
- 1Y
- 501.62%
- 3Y*
- 119.10%
- 5Y*
- 49.92%
- 10Y*
- 35.80%
AA
- 1D
- -0.30%
- 1M
- 0.64%
- YTD
- 29.83%
- 6M
- 49.53%
- 1Y
- 140.52%
- 3Y*
- 24.73%
- 5Y*
- 14.08%
- 10Y*
- —
CIEN vs. AA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CIEN Ciena Corporation | 90.70% | 175.76% | 88.42% | -11.71% | -33.77% | 45.64% | 23.80% | 25.89% | 62.02% | -14.26% |
AA Alcoa Corporation | 29.83% | 42.46% | 12.43% | -24.33% | -23.12% | 159.05% | 7.16% | -19.07% | -50.66% | 91.84% |
Correlation
The correlation between CIEN and AA is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 1, 2016 | 0.31 |
Fundamentals
CIEN:
$65.25B
AA:
$18.13B
CIEN:
$3.01
AA:
$3.92
CIEN:
148.07
AA:
17.55
CIEN:
11.65
AA:
1.42
CIEN:
22.56
AA:
2.66
CIEN:
$5.57B
AA:
$12.66B
CIEN:
$2.40B
AA:
$948.00M
CIEN:
$670.55M
AA:
$1.70B
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Return for Risk
CIEN vs. AA — Risk / Return Rank
CIEN
AA
CIEN vs. AA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ciena Corporation (CIEN) and Alcoa Corporation (AA). 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.
| CIEN | AA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +4.99 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.84 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.72 | 1.36 | +0.36 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 16.49 | 6.49 | +10.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 76.44 | 20.55 | +55.89 |
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Drawdowns
CIEN vs. AA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CIEN drawdown since its inception was -99.51%, which is greater than AA's maximum drawdown of -90.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CIEN and AA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CIEN | AA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -99.51% | -90.90% | -8.61% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -30.68% | -21.77% | -8.91% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.51% | -52.25% | +6.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -49.54% | -75.46% | +25.92% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -49.54% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -57.38% | -24.27% | -33.11% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -87.08% | -46.12% | -40.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.61% | 6.87% | -0.26% |
Volatility
CIEN vs. AA - Volatility Comparison
Ciena Corporation (CIEN) has a higher volatility of 24.81% compared to Alcoa Corporation (AA) at 21.35%. This indicates that CIEN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CIEN | AA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 24.81% | 21.35% | +3.46% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 56.12% | 41.11% | +15.01% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 66.74% | 54.44% | +12.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 48.55% | 56.26% | -7.71% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 44.35% | 55.66% | -11.31% |
Dividends
CIEN vs. AA - Dividend Comparison
CIEN has not paid dividends to shareholders, while AA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.58%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AA Alcoa Corporation | 0.58% | 0.75% | 1.06% | 1.18% | 0.88% | 0.17% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.32% |
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% |
Financials
CIEN vs. AA - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Ciena Corporation and Alcoa 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
CIEN vs. AA - Profitability Comparison
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%.
AA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Alcoa Corporation reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 3.19B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
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%.
AA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Alcoa Corporation reported an operating income of 0.00 and revenue of 3.19B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.0%.
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%.
AA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Alcoa Corporation reported a net income of 425.00M and revenue of 3.19B, resulting in a net margin of 13.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CIEN and AA have a correlation of 0.34, 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 AA (21.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CIEN dropped -99.51% vs AA's -90.90%.
CIEN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (7.58 vs 2.60), 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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