Stock Comparison

CDNS vs NVDA

Cadence Design Systems Inc vs NVIDIA Corp

Who's the better investment? Let's break it down.

The Verdict

NVDA takes this one.

It's not even close. NVDA outscores CDNS by 4.2 points. That's a significant gap in our deep value framework.

CDNS

Cadence Design Systems Inc

2.0

out of 10

Risk Trap
Winner
NVDA

NVIDIA Corp

6.2

out of 10

Solid Pick

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Valuation

CDNS

Metric

NVDA

$93.2B

Market Cap

$5.3T
79.6

P/E Ratio

Lower may indicate better value

33.1
34.5

Forward P/E

31.0
19.6

Price/Book

42.0
38.6

EV/EBITDA

24.5

Profitability & Growth

CDNS

Metric

NVDA

21.2%

Profit Margin

63.0%
86.1%

Gross Margin

74.2%
28.2%

Operating Margin

64.0%
21.1%

Return on Equity

111.7%
11.3%

Return on Assets

83.1%
13.4%

Revenue Growth

70.7%
$4.28

EPS

$6.53

Financial Health

CDNS

Metric

NVDA

0.5

Debt-to-Equity

Lower = less leverage

0.1
2.9

Current Ratio

Above 1.0 is healthy

3.9
1.1

Beta

Lower = less volatile

2.2
None

Dividend Yield

0.4%

Risk Comparison

CDNS

Overall
Moderate
Financial
Low
Market
Medium
Competitive
Medium
Execution
Low
Regulatory
Low

What Could Go Wrong

A significant slowdown in advanced semiconductor R&D spending, possibly triggered by geopolitical tensions impacting chip manufacturing capacity or a prolonged tech sector downturn, could reduce deman...

Red Flags

  • 🚩High reliance on continued robust R&D spending by a concentrated base of large semiconductor manufac...
  • 🚩Potential for slower-than-expected adoption of next-gen AI design tools if the immediate ROI is not ...

NVDA

Overall
Moderate
Financial
Low
Market
Medium
Competitive
Medium
Execution
Low
Regulatory
Medium

What Could Go Wrong

NVIDIA's guidance for Q2 FY2027 explicitly 'not assuming any Data Center compute revenue from China'. While demonstrating resilience, a full loss or significant reduction of this segment (historically...

Red Flags

  • 🚩High reliance on a concentrated customer base within the hyperscaler segment, where individual cloud...
  • 🚩Valuation at a substantial premium to the broader market, making it highly sensitive to any decelera...
  • 🚩Geopolitical tensions, particularly concerning China, could lead to further export restrictions, pot...

Competitive Moat

CDNS

Rating

🛡️ Wide

Trend

📈 Expanding

Switching CostsIntangible Assets/IPEfficient ScaleNetwork Effects (within design ecosystem)

NVDA

Rating

🛡️ Wide

Trend

📈 Expanding

Intangible Assets/IP (CUDA software, GPU architectures)Switching Costs (developer ecosystem, software lock-in)Network Effects (more developers -> more software -> more hardware sales)Brand Power (reputation for innovation and performance)

Investment Thesis

CDNS2.0/10

If Cadence continues to aggressively capture market share in advanced AI/ML-driven chip design and expand its IP licensing footprint with hyperscalers and automotive OEMs, leveraging its record $8.0B backlog and sustained 44%+ non-GAAP operating margins, then its annual revenue could exceed $10B with a 50x forward P/E, driving a market re-rating to a $500B+ valuation by FY2030. This is bullish bec...

Full CDNS Analysis
NVDA6.2/10

If NVIDIA sustains its ~80%+ YoY Data Center revenue growth for the next 18-24 months by aggressively ramping Blackwell and expanding its CUDA/Omniverse software platforms to new enterprise verticals, then it can achieve an annual revenue run rate exceeding $500 billion by FY2029, supporting a market capitalization of $8-10 trillion. This is bullish because while its current valuation is substanti...

Full NVDA Analysis

Price Targets & Strategy

Price Targets & Entry/Exit Strategy

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Growth Catalysts

Growth Catalysts Comparison

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Market Sentiment

Market Sentiment Analysis

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The Deep Dive

CDNS2.0/10

Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) continues to demonstrate exceptional fundamental strength, driven by robust demand for its AI-driven design tools and intellectual property (IP). The Q1 2026 earnings beat, 19% YoY revenue growth, 24.8% YoY non-GAAP EPS growth, and raised full-year guidance underscore its market leadership and operational excellence. The record $8.0 billion backlog and impressive 44.7% non-GAAP operating margin highlight its solid financial health and expanding moat. However, despit...

Full CDNS Analysis
NVDA6.2/10

NVIDIA continues to solidify its unparalleled leadership in AI and accelerated computing, demonstrating exceptional Q1 FY2027 results with $81.6 billion revenue (+85% YoY) and $2.39 GAAP diluted EPS (+35% QoQ from previous non-GAAP $1.87). The strategic vision for pervasive AI, robotics, and the Omniverse targets vast, expanding markets, underpinned by the critical CUDA platform and continuous hardware innovation like Blackwell. Competitive advantages are expanding, validated by strong demand fo...

Full NVDA Analysis

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Not Financial Advice

This comparison is for educational purposes only. We are not financial advisors. Always do your own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.

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