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

Globe Life is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.6B vs $1.2B, roughly 1.3× CIENA CORP). Globe Life runs the higher net margin — 17.3% vs 4.1%, a 13.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. Over the past eight quarters, Globe Life's revenue compounded faster (4.1% CAGR vs 3.9%).

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).

Globe Life Inc. (GL) is an American financial services holding company listed on the New York Stock Exchange which operates through its wholly owned subsidiaries providing life insurance, annuity, and supplemental health insurance products. The company is based in McKinney, Texas.

CIEN vs GL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
GL
GL
1.3× larger
GL
$1.6B
$1.2B
CIEN
Higher net margin
GL
GL
13.2% more per $
GL
17.3%
4.1%
CIEN
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
GL
GL
Annualised
GL
4.1%
3.9%
CIEN

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Revenue
$1.2B
$1.6B
Net Profit
$50.3M
$270.5M
Gross Margin
41.3%
Operating Margin
6.0%
Net Margin
4.1%
17.3%
Revenue YoY
5.3%
Net Profit YoY
EPS (diluted)
$0.35
$3.39

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
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
$1.6B
Q4 25
$1.5B
Q3 25
$1.2B
$1.5B
Q2 25
$1.1B
$1.5B
Q1 25
$1.1B
$1.5B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$1.5B
Q3 24
$942.3M
$1.5B
Q2 24
$910.8M
$1.4B
Net Profit
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
$270.5M
Q4 25
$266.1M
Q3 25
$50.3M
$387.8M
Q2 25
$9.0M
$252.7M
Q1 25
$44.6M
$254.6M
Q4 24
$37.0M
$255.2M
Q3 24
$14.2M
$303.0M
Q2 24
$-16.8M
$258.4M
Gross Margin
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
Q4 25
Q3 25
41.3%
Q2 25
40.2%
Q1 25
44.0%
Q4 24
40.9%
Q3 24
42.9%
26.1%
Q2 24
42.7%
23.3%
Operating Margin
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
Q4 25
21.7%
Q3 25
6.0%
31.5%
Q2 25
2.9%
21.2%
Q1 25
7.5%
21.4%
Q4 24
5.3%
21.3%
Q3 24
2.8%
26.3%
Q2 24
-0.4%
23.5%
Net Margin
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
17.3%
Q4 25
17.5%
Q3 25
4.1%
25.6%
Q2 25
0.8%
17.1%
Q1 25
4.2%
17.2%
Q4 24
3.3%
17.4%
Q3 24
1.5%
20.8%
Q2 24
-1.8%
17.9%
EPS (diluted)
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
$3.39
Q4 25
$3.28
Q3 25
$0.35
$4.73
Q2 25
$0.06
$3.05
Q1 25
$0.31
$3.01
Q4 24
$0.26
$3.00
Q3 24
$0.10
$3.44
Q2 24
$-0.12
$2.83

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.3B
$183.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.8B
$6.1B
Total Assets
$5.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
$183.8M
Q4 25
$314.7M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$62.8M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$116.7M
Q1 25
$1.2B
$134.1M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$85.0M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$100.5M
Q2 24
$1.3B
$100.6M
Stockholders' Equity
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
$6.1B
Q4 25
$6.0B
Q3 25
$2.8B
$5.7B
Q2 25
$2.8B
$5.4B
Q1 25
$2.8B
$5.4B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$5.3B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$4.6B
Q2 24
$2.9B
$5.2B
Total Assets
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$30.8B
Q3 25
$5.7B
$30.5B
Q2 25
$5.7B
$29.8B
Q1 25
$5.6B
$29.7B
Q4 24
$5.6B
$29.1B
Q3 24
$5.6B
$29.6B
Q2 24
$5.6B
$28.3B

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

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

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$350.6M
Q3 25
$174.3M
$306.0M
Q2 25
$156.9M
$307.9M
Q1 25
$103.7M
$431.9M
Q4 24
$349.4M
$336.9M
Q3 24
$-159.4M
$340.6M
Q2 24
$58.5M
$374.1M
Free Cash Flow
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
Q4 25
$330.1M
Q3 25
$134.6M
$208.7M
Q2 25
$128.2M
$295.0M
Q1 25
$76.8M
$420.1M
Q4 24
$265.8M
$321.9M
Q3 24
$-179.0M
$311.3M
Q2 24
$41.6M
$356.5M
FCF Margin
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
Q4 25
21.7%
Q3 25
11.0%
13.8%
Q2 25
11.4%
19.9%
Q1 25
7.2%
28.4%
Q4 24
23.6%
22.0%
Q3 24
-19.0%
21.4%
Q2 24
4.6%
24.8%
Capex Intensity
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.3%
Q3 25
3.3%
6.4%
Q2 25
2.6%
0.9%
Q1 25
2.5%
0.8%
Q4 24
7.4%
1.0%
Q3 24
2.1%
2.0%
Q2 24
1.9%
1.2%
Cash Conversion
CIEN
CIEN
GL
GL
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.32×
Q3 25
3.47×
0.79×
Q2 25
17.50×
1.22×
Q1 25
2.33×
1.70×
Q4 24
9.44×
1.32×
Q3 24
-11.20×
1.12×
Q2 24
1.45×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

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%

GL
GL

Life premium$853.2M55%
Health premium$416.9M27%
Other$289.5M19%

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