Ciena (CIEN Quick QuoteCIEN - Free Report) reported $942.31 million in revenue for the quarter ended July 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 11.8%. EPS of $0.35 for the same period compares to $0.59 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.44% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $928.91 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.26, the EPS surprise was +34.62%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Ciena performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Revenue- Total Networking Platforms

  : $699.50 million compared to the $695.88 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -17.4% year over year.

• Revenue- Total Global Services

  : $133.80 million compared to the $133.39 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +3.5% year over year.

• Revenue- Software and Services- Total (Platform+Blue Planet Automation)

  : $109 million compared to the $103.75 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +18.5% year over year.

• Revenue- Platform Software and Services

  : $83.20 million versus $83.49 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +5.5% change.

• Revenue- Networking Platforms- Optical Networking

  : $606.80 million versus $583.63 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -15.6% change.

• Revenue- Networking Platforms- Routing and Switching

  : $92.70 million versus $115.80 million estimated by four analysts on average.

• Revenue- Blue Planet Automation Software and Services

  : $25.80 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $21.38 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +97%.

• Revenue- Products

  : $729.50 million versus $728.24 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -15.7% change.

• Revenue- Services

  : $212.81 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $192.95 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +5%.

• Revenue- Global Services- Maintenance Support and Training

  : $74.40 million compared to the $76.47 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +2.1% year over year.

• Revenue- Global Services- Installation and Deployment

  : $46.50 million compared to the $48.56 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -0.6% year over year.

• Revenue- Global Services- Consulting and Network Design

  : $12.90 million versus $11.13 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +34.4% change.

View all Key Company Metrics for Ciena here>>>

Shares of Ciena have returned +18.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.