Autodesk Inc vs Cadence Design Systems Inc — how do they compare? Autodesk Inc trades at $250.6 (market cap $54.07B), while Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $328.31 (market cap $91.41B). The key difference: Cadence Design Systems Inc is the larger of the two by market cap. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ADSK | CDNS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $54.07B | $91.41B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $326.79 | $416.39 |
52-Week Low | $187.72 | $265.66 |
Enterprise Value | $53.87B | $92.62B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Autodesk (ADSK) trades at $249.08, up 2.73% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamental performance. Revenue grew to $6.13B in 2025, with net income reaching $1.11B and a 19.49% net margin. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates, with Q1 2026 EPS of $2.99 exceeding the $2.84 forecast. Analyst consensus is a Buy with a $305.31 price target, supported by 74.51% of analysts rating it a Buy. Recent news highlights AI investments and strategic acquisitions.
Outlook remains positive given robust earnings growth, high profitability margins, and strategic AI investments. Risks include competitive pressures in software, reliance on economic cycles affecting design software demand, and execution risks from recent acquisitions. The stock offers upside to the consensus target but faces volatility near technical resistance at $253.
Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) trades at $339.24, up 0.24% on the day, with a neutral technical signal and strong fundamental performance. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $2.11 surpassing expectations. Revenue growth is robust, driven by AI demand, with 2025 revenue reaching $5.30 billion and a net income margin of 23.61%. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with 83.87% recommending Buy and a consensus price target of $415.11.
The outlook for CDNS is favorable, supported by strong AI-driven demand, record backlog of $8.1 billion as of Q2 2026 (Zacks Investment Research, 2026-07-30), and upwardly revised guidance. Risks include high valuation multiples, such as a P/E of 67.44, and potential market volatility amid semiconductor sector fluctuations. Institutional confidence remains high, with Amundi increasing its stake by 3.8% in Q1 2026 (Defense World, 2026-07-30).
Trailing returns across standard periods
Founded in 1982, Autodesk is an application software company that serves industries in architecture, engineering, and construction.
Read more on ADSK →Cadence Design Systems is a provider of electronic design automation software, intellectual property, and system design and analysis products. EDA software automates the chip design process, enhancing design accuracy, productivity, and complexity in a full-flow end-to-end solution. Cadence offers a portfolio of design IP, as well as system design and analysis products, which enable system-level analysis and verification solutions. Cadence's comprehensive portfolio is benefiting from a mutual convergence of semiconductor companies moving up-stack toward systems-like companies, and systems companies moving down-stack toward in-house chip design. The resulting expansion in EDA customers, alongside secular digitalization of various end markets, benefits EDA vendors like Cadence.
Read more on CDNS →