AstraZeneca plc vs Cadence Design Systems Inc — how do they compare? AstraZeneca plc trades at $159.37 (market cap $250.84B), while Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $328.35 (market cap $91.41B). The key difference: AstraZeneca plc is far larger — about 2.7× Cadence Design Systems Inc's market cap, and AstraZeneca plc pays a 1.97% dividend while Cadence Design Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AZN | CDNS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $250.84B | $91.41B |
Sector | Health | Technology |
52-Week High | $209.48 | $416.39 |
52-Week Low | $147.06 | $265.66 |
Enterprise Value | $278.12B | $92.62B |
Dividend Yield | 1.97% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AstraZeneca (AZN) trades at $161.42, up 0.22% today, amid bearish technical signals and merger speculation. The stock shows strong fundamentals with revenue growth to $58.74B in 2025 and net income of $10.23B, supported by a P/E of 24.16 and robust profitability margins. Recent news highlights potential talks with Bristol Myers Squibb, though a senior source denied ongoing discussions (Reuters, 2026-08-05).
The outlook is mixed: solid earnings beats and a 47.5% analyst buy rating support upside, but technical weakness and merger uncertainty pose near-term risks. Long-term growth hinges on execution amid competitive and regulatory pressures, with the stock offering value if merger rumors subside and fundamentals prevail.
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
Latest headlines on both assets
A merger between Astra of Sweden and Zeneca Group of the United Kingdom formed AstraZeneca in 1999. The firm sells branded drugs across several major therapeutic classes, including gastrointestinal, diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, and immunology. The majority of sales come from international markets with the United States representing close to one third of its sales.
Read more on AZN →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.
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