Ceragon Networks Ltd. CRNT shares have witnessed a sharp decline of 28% in the past month, underperforming the Wireless-Non U.S. industry’s decrease of 0.5%. 

Peers like Ciena Corporation CIEN, Extreme Networks, Inc. EXTR and Cisco Systems CSCO have also registered declines of 26%, 12.6% and 6.8%, respectively, over the same time frame. 

Price Performance

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Shares have been southbound since the company announced results on Feb. 11. While the company achieved record quarterly revenues in India, it highlighted a slowdown in the Communications Service Provider (“CSP”) business. CRNT’s commentary surrounding the increased forex volatility may have sparked investors’ concerns. Rising geopolitical tensions, and volatile macroeconomic backdrop remain additional concerns.

Investors are now likely contemplating whether to maintain their positions or make an exit. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of CRNT and ascertain the best course of action for your portfolio.

CRNT’s Tailwinds

Healthy demand for its solutions in India is a big plus. Revenues from India were $55.6 million, accounting for nearly half of the overall revenues in the fourth quarter of 2024. This growth reflects Ceragon's solid position in the Indian telecommunications market, which is expanding rapidly as it upgrades to 4G and 5G infrastructure. Visibility in the region is improving as commercial terms for 2025 are being finalized with two major customers. Demand for high-capacity wireless products, particularly microwave and E-Band solutions, is expected to rise significantly in 2025 in India.

Ceragon is making significant strides in capturing market share in high-growth areas such as millimeter-wave products and private networks. CRNT announced the launch of its latest innovative products — IP-100E, IP-50GP and EtherHaul 8020FX — at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025.

The newly introduced IP-100E is a cutting-edge, dual-carrier E-band solution powered by Ceragon's proprietary system-on-a-chip. This groundbreaking technology delivers an impressive 25 Gbps from a single unit and up to 40 Gbps in a 4+0 all-outdoor link, making it a game-changer in high-speed connectivity.

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It is also focused on driving recurring revenues. In the last reported quarter, Ceragon secured $7 million in annual recurring revenue from managed services. This move toward managed services and software-based business models positions Ceragon for steady, ongoing revenue growth.

The company is diversifying its business into private network business. It reported a 50% increase in bookings from private networks in 2024. CRNT’s recent acquisitions of Siklu and End 2 End Technologies, LLC are expected to boost the competitive edge in the private network business. End 2 End Technologies is a leading systems integration and software development company in the United States, while Siklu provides “multi-gigabit wireless fiber” connectivity in urban, suburban and rural areas of North America.

Improving top-line performance is positively impacting profitability. Non-GAAP gross profit increased 15.5% to $36.7 million on a year-over-year basis. Non-GAAP gross margin for the fourth quarter was 34.3% compared with 35.1% in the same period last year. Despite changes in the regional revenue mix, the company maintained gross margin by increasing revenues, continuously improving product costs and effectively managing fixed costs. Adjusted operating income for the quarter was $12.2 million, up from $7.8 million.

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Management has provided revenue and operating margin guidance for 2025, projecting revenues between $390 million and $430 million, including contributions from the E2E acquisition. Non-GAAP operating margins are expected to be at least 10% at the lower end of this range, with improved free cash flow compared with 2024.

Plenty of Challenges for CRNT

Ceragon’s CSP business has been witnessing a slowdown since the past year. CRNT added it was starting 2025 with low visibility and that the potential recovery remains uncertain.

CRNT is facing a slowdown in certain public network domains outside of India, mainly due to a weak global macro environment. Moreover, it faces intense competition from Chinese players in Latin America, Africa and some parts of Asia-Pacific, leading to pressured revenues.

Volatile foreign exchange fluctuations and the strengthening of the U.S. dollar versus several currencies are additional concerns.

Given the near-term headwinds, analysts have revised their estimates downward for the current quarter and the current year.

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How to Strategize Investment in CRNT

Focus on growth initiatives, including mmW products, Private Networks and Managed Services, hold promise, but several challenges could put downward pressure on CRNT’s stock price. The slowdown of certain public network domains outside of India, the soft CSP market and integration risks from acquisitions remain concerns.

Investors should wait for a favorable entry point at the moment, but investors already owning the stock can stay put, given its long-term growth potential.

CRNT carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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