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Side-by-side financial comparison of Ameren (AEE) and CIENA CORP (CIEN). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Ameren is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.2B vs $1.2B, roughly 1.8× CIENA CORP). Ameren runs the higher net margin — 16.5% vs 4.1%, a 12.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. Over the past eight quarters, Ameren's revenue compounded faster (13.4% CAGR vs 3.9%).

Ameren Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. It operates through four segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. The company engages in the rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution activities; and rate-regulated natural gas distribution and transmission businesses. It primarily generates electricity through coal, nucle...

Ciena Corporation is an American optical networking systems and software company based in Hanover, Maryland. The company has been described as a vital player in optical connectivity. The company reported revenues of $4.8 billion and more than 9,000 employees, as of November 2025. Gary Smith serves as president and chief executive officer (CEO).

AEE vs CIEN — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AEE
AEE
1.8× larger
AEE
$2.2B
$1.2B
CIEN
Higher net margin
AEE
AEE
12.3% more per $
AEE
16.5%
4.1%
CIEN
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AEE
AEE
Annualised
AEE
13.4%
3.9%
CIEN

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Revenue
$2.2B
$1.2B
Net Profit
$358.0M
$50.3M
Gross Margin
41.3%
Operating Margin
24.4%
6.0%
Net Margin
16.5%
4.1%
Revenue YoY
3.8%
Net Profit YoY
23.4%
EPS (diluted)
$1.28
$0.35

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
$2.2B
Q4 25
$1.8B
Q3 25
$2.7B
$1.2B
Q2 25
$2.2B
$1.1B
Q1 25
$2.1B
$1.1B
Q4 24
$1.9B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$942.3M
Q2 24
$1.7B
$910.8M
Net Profit
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
$358.0M
Q4 25
$253.0M
Q3 25
$641.0M
$50.3M
Q2 25
$277.0M
$9.0M
Q1 25
$290.0M
$44.6M
Q4 24
$208.0M
$37.0M
Q3 24
$457.0M
$14.2M
Q2 24
$260.0M
$-16.8M
Gross Margin
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
Q4 25
Q3 25
41.3%
Q2 25
40.2%
Q1 25
44.0%
Q4 24
40.9%
Q3 24
42.9%
Q2 24
42.7%
Operating Margin
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
24.4%
Q4 25
20.2%
Q3 25
30.6%
6.0%
Q2 25
18.5%
2.9%
Q1 25
20.5%
7.5%
Q4 24
10.2%
5.3%
Q3 24
27.0%
2.8%
Q2 24
21.3%
-0.4%
Net Margin
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
16.5%
Q4 25
14.2%
Q3 25
23.7%
4.1%
Q2 25
12.5%
0.8%
Q1 25
13.8%
4.2%
Q4 24
10.7%
3.3%
Q3 24
21.0%
1.5%
Q2 24
15.4%
-1.8%
EPS (diluted)
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
$1.28
Q4 25
$0.92
Q3 25
$2.35
$0.35
Q2 25
$1.01
$0.06
Q1 25
$1.07
$0.31
Q4 24
$0.77
$0.26
Q3 24
$1.70
$0.10
Q2 24
$0.97
$-0.12

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$13.0M
$1.3B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.1B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$13.6B
$2.8B
Total Assets
$49.8B
$5.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.08×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
$13.0M
Q4 25
$13.0M
Q3 25
$9.0M
$1.3B
Q2 25
$11.0M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$23.0M
$1.2B
Q4 24
$7.0M
$1.3B
Q3 24
$17.0M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$19.0M
$1.3B
Total Debt
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
$1.1B
Q4 25
$19.4B
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$17.8B
Q3 24
Q2 24
Stockholders' Equity
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
$13.6B
Q4 25
$13.4B
Q3 25
$12.8B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$12.3B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$12.2B
$2.8B
Q4 24
$12.1B
$2.8B
Q3 24
$11.8B
$2.9B
Q2 24
$11.5B
$2.9B
Total Assets
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
$49.8B
Q4 25
$48.5B
Q3 25
$47.4B
$5.7B
Q2 25
$46.6B
$5.7B
Q1 25
$45.7B
$5.6B
Q4 24
$44.6B
$5.6B
Q3 24
$43.3B
$5.6B
Q2 24
$42.3B
$5.6B
Debt / Equity
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
0.08×
Q4 25
1.45×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
1.47×
Q3 24
Q2 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$421.0M
$174.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$134.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
11.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
72.3%
3.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.18×
3.47×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$605.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
$421.0M
Q4 25
$956.0M
Q3 25
$1.1B
$174.3M
Q2 25
$862.0M
$156.9M
Q1 25
$431.0M
$103.7M
Q4 24
$817.0M
$349.4M
Q3 24
$897.0M
$-159.4M
Q2 24
$557.0M
$58.5M
Free Cash Flow
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-54.0M
Q3 25
$116.0M
$134.6M
Q2 25
$-204.0M
$128.2M
Q1 25
$-633.0M
$76.8M
Q4 24
$-473.0M
$265.8M
Q3 24
$-240.0M
$-179.0M
Q2 24
$-445.0M
$41.6M
FCF Margin
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
Q4 25
-3.0%
Q3 25
4.3%
11.0%
Q2 25
-9.2%
11.4%
Q1 25
-30.2%
7.2%
Q4 24
-24.4%
23.6%
Q3 24
-11.0%
-19.0%
Q2 24
-26.3%
4.6%
Capex Intensity
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
72.3%
Q4 25
56.7%
Q3 25
36.6%
3.3%
Q2 25
48.0%
2.6%
Q1 25
50.7%
2.5%
Q4 24
66.5%
7.4%
Q3 24
52.3%
2.1%
Q2 24
59.2%
1.9%
Cash Conversion
AEE
AEE
CIEN
CIEN
Q1 26
1.18×
Q4 25
3.78×
Q3 25
1.72×
3.47×
Q2 25
3.11×
17.50×
Q1 25
1.49×
2.33×
Q4 24
3.93×
9.44×
Q3 24
1.96×
-11.20×
Q2 24
2.14×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AEE
AEE

Electric$1.7B76%
Natural gas$515.0M24%

CIEN
CIEN

Optical Networking$815.5M67%
Routing And Switching$125.9M10%
Platform Softwareand Services Segment$90.0M7%
Maintenance Support And Training$80.7M7%
Installation And Deployment$65.9M5%
Blue Planet Automation Softwareand Services Segment$27.8M2%
Consulting And Network Design$13.6M1%

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