The Short Answer
Celestica stock (CLS) is generally considered halal by most Islamic scholars and Sharia screening criteria — contract electronics manufacturing is a permissible business. The main considerations are the company's term debt and modest defense exposure.
Providing electronics manufacturing and engineering services is a permissible technology activity, and Celestica earns manufacturing and service revenue rather than interest. Because the company carries debt, the debt-to-market-cap ratio is the key screen to verify.
Sharia Screening Methodology
Islamic scholars use several criteria to screen stocks:
- Business activity screen: Is the company's primary business halal?
- Debt ratio: Total debt / market cap must be under 33%
- Interest income: Interest income / total revenue must be under 5%
- Haram revenue: Revenue from haram sources must be under 5%
- Receivables ratio: Total receivables / total assets must be under 49–70% (varies by board)
Celestica's Business Activity
Celestica builds electronic hardware and manages supply chains for technology companies. Its work spans:
- Data-center hardware: Networking and compute for cloud and AI customers
- Industrial & capital equipment: Manufacturing for diverse markets
- Healthcare & aerospace: Specialized manufacturing services
Providing contract electronics manufacturing is permissible at the activity level — it is a general-purpose industrial-technology service.
Concerns to Be Aware Of
1. Term Debt
Celestica carries interest-bearing term debt and a revolving credit facility used for operations and working capital. Verify the debt-to-market-cap ratio against the 33% threshold at the time of investment.
2. Aerospace and Defense Exposure
A portion of revenue comes from aerospace and defense programs. Investors who avoid defense-linked exposure should evaluate this end-market mix, though contract manufacturing is a general-purpose service rather than weapons production.
3. Receivables and Concentration
As a contract manufacturer, Celestica carries substantial receivables and inventory and depends on a concentrated set of large customers. Verify the receivables-to-assets ratio against the chosen board's threshold. Concentration is a business consideration rather than a Sharia screen concern.
Financial Ratios (2025)
Based on Celestica's most recent financial statements:
- Total Debt / Market Cap: Verify against the 33% threshold ⚠️
- Interest Income / Revenue: Verify against the 5% threshold and purify ⚠️
- Receivables / Assets: Verify against the board's threshold ⚠️
- Business Activity: Permissible manufacturing services ✅
Verdict from Major Screening Agencies
Celestica stock is generally screened as compliant (halal) with purification, subject to verification by:
- Zoya App — Generally compliant, verify financials ✅
- MSCI Islamic criteria — Generally included subject to ratios ✅
- Most major Sharia advisory boards — Compliant with purification of small interest income ✅
Bottom Line
Celestica (CLS) is generally halal with purification for Muslim investors, subject to verifying the debt and receivables screens. The core business — electronics manufacturing services — is clearly permissible, and the company earns manufacturing and service revenue rather than interest. Because Celestica carries term debt, the debt-to-market-cap ratio deserves attention, and investors sensitive to defense exposure may wish to weigh its aerospace and defense programs.
For Muslim investors seeking electronics-manufacturing exposure, CLS sits alongside other halal-screened names like Fabrinet (FN) and Jabil (JBL).
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