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Side-by-side financial comparison of CIENA CORP (CIEN) and Interpublic Group of Companies (The) (IPG). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Interpublic Group of Companies (The) is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.1B vs $1.2B, roughly 1.8× CIENA CORP). Interpublic Group of Companies (The) runs the higher net margin — 5.8% vs 4.1%, a 1.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. Interpublic Group of Companies (The) produced more free cash flow last quarter ($153.6M vs $134.6M). Over the past eight quarters, CIENA CORP's revenue compounded faster (3.9% CAGR vs -9.1%).

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).

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG) was an American advertising company based in New York City. It consisted of the five major networks FCB, IPG Mediabrands, McCann Worldgroup, MullenLowe Group and Marketing Specialists, as well as several independent specialty agencies in the areas of public relations, sports marketing, talent representation and healthcare. Prior to the Omnicom acquisition, it was one of the "Big Four" agency companies, alongside WPP, Publicis, and Omnicom. The co...

CIEN vs IPG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
IPG
IPG
1.8× larger
IPG
$2.1B
$1.2B
CIEN
Higher net margin
IPG
IPG
1.7% more per $
IPG
5.8%
4.1%
CIEN
More free cash flow
IPG
IPG
$19.0M more FCF
IPG
$153.6M
$134.6M
CIEN
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CIEN
CIEN
Annualised
CIEN
3.9%
-9.1%
IPG

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Revenue
$1.2B
$2.1B
Net Profit
$50.3M
$124.2M
Gross Margin
41.3%
Operating Margin
6.0%
10.3%
Net Margin
4.1%
5.8%
Revenue YoY
-4.8%
Net Profit YoY
517.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.35
$0.34

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
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
$1.2B
$2.1B
Q2 25
$1.1B
$2.2B
Q1 25
$1.1B
$2.0B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$2.4B
Q3 24
$942.3M
$2.2B
Q2 24
$910.8M
$2.3B
Q1 24
$1.0B
$2.2B
Q4 23
$1.1B
$2.6B
Net Profit
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
$50.3M
$124.2M
Q2 25
$9.0M
$162.5M
Q1 25
$44.6M
$-85.4M
Q4 24
$37.0M
$344.5M
Q3 24
$14.2M
$20.1M
Q2 24
$-16.8M
$214.5M
Q1 24
$49.5M
$110.4M
Q4 23
$91.2M
$463.2M
Gross Margin
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
41.3%
Q2 25
40.2%
Q1 25
44.0%
-3.2%
Q4 24
40.9%
10.1%
Q3 24
42.9%
2.9%
Q2 24
42.7%
1.2%
Q1 24
45.0%
-1.1%
Q4 23
43.1%
10.0%
Operating Margin
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
6.0%
10.3%
Q2 25
2.9%
11.2%
Q1 25
7.5%
-2.1%
Q4 24
5.3%
23.3%
Q3 24
2.8%
5.9%
Q2 24
-0.4%
13.7%
Q1 24
8.2%
8.4%
Q4 23
8.1%
23.5%
Net Margin
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
4.1%
5.8%
Q2 25
0.8%
7.5%
Q1 25
4.2%
-4.3%
Q4 24
3.3%
14.1%
Q3 24
1.5%
0.9%
Q2 24
-1.8%
9.2%
Q1 24
4.8%
5.1%
Q4 23
8.1%
17.9%
EPS (diluted)
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
$0.35
$0.34
Q2 25
$0.06
$0.44
Q1 25
$0.31
$-0.23
Q4 24
$0.26
$0.92
Q3 24
$0.10
$0.05
Q2 24
$-0.12
$0.57
Q1 24
$0.34
$0.29
Q4 23
$0.62
$1.21

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.3B
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.8B
$3.7B
Total Assets
$5.7B
$17.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
$1.3B
$1.5B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$1.6B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$1.9B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$1.1B
$1.5B
Q2 24
$1.3B
$1.5B
Q1 24
$1.4B
$1.9B
Q4 23
$1.1B
$2.4B
Stockholders' Equity
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
$2.8B
$3.7B
Q2 25
$2.8B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$2.8B
$3.6B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$3.8B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$3.7B
Q2 24
$2.9B
$3.8B
Q1 24
$2.9B
$3.8B
Q4 23
$2.8B
$3.9B
Total Assets
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
$5.7B
$17.0B
Q2 25
$5.7B
$17.0B
Q1 25
$5.6B
$17.1B
Q4 24
$5.6B
$18.3B
Q3 24
$5.6B
$17.1B
Q2 24
$5.6B
$17.0B
Q1 24
$5.6B
$17.3B
Q4 23
$5.6B
$19.3B

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
IPG
IPG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$174.3M
$180.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$134.6M
$153.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
11.0%
7.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.3%
1.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.47×
1.45×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$605.5M
$806.8M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
$174.3M
$180.1M
Q2 25
$156.9M
$-96.0M
Q1 25
$103.7M
$-37.0M
Q4 24
$349.4M
$868.1M
Q3 24
$-159.4M
$223.8M
Q2 24
$58.5M
$120.7M
Q1 24
$266.1M
$-157.4M
Q4 23
$195.5M
$894.8M
Free Cash Flow
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
$134.6M
$153.6M
Q2 25
$128.2M
$-121.8M
Q1 25
$76.8M
$-58.5M
Q4 24
$265.8M
$833.5M
Q3 24
$-179.0M
$186.5M
Q2 24
$41.6M
$85.9M
Q1 24
$249.5M
$-192.5M
Q4 23
$172.7M
$842.6M
FCF Margin
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
11.0%
7.2%
Q2 25
11.4%
-5.6%
Q1 25
7.2%
-2.9%
Q4 24
23.6%
34.2%
Q3 24
-19.0%
8.3%
Q2 24
4.6%
3.7%
Q1 24
24.0%
-8.8%
Q4 23
15.3%
32.6%
Capex Intensity
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
3.3%
1.2%
Q2 25
2.6%
1.2%
Q1 25
2.5%
1.1%
Q4 24
7.4%
1.4%
Q3 24
2.1%
1.7%
Q2 24
1.9%
1.5%
Q1 24
1.6%
1.6%
Q4 23
2.0%
2.0%
Cash Conversion
CIEN
CIEN
IPG
IPG
Q3 25
3.47×
1.45×
Q2 25
17.50×
-0.59×
Q1 25
2.33×
Q4 24
9.44×
2.52×
Q3 24
-11.20×
11.13×
Q2 24
0.56×
Q1 24
5.37×
-1.43×
Q4 23
2.14×
1.93×

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%

IPG
IPG

MDE$619.0M29%
IAC$574.9M27%
Other$527.9M25%
SCE$413.8M19%

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