Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation vs Cadence Design Systems Inc — how do they compare? Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation trades at $78.61 (market cap $9.37B), while Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $328.35 (market cap $91.41B). The key difference: Cadence Design Systems Inc is far larger — about 9.8× Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation's market cap, and Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation pays a 3.03% dividend while Cadence Design Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BAH | CDNS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $9.37B | $91.41B |
Sector | Industrials | Technology |
52-Week High | $111.63 | $416.39 |
52-Week Low | $59.71 | $265.66 |
Enterprise Value | $12.99B | $92.62B |
Dividend Yield | 3.03% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) trades at $76.05, up 2.87% with a bullish technical signal and strong earnings beats. Recent quarters show consistent EPS outperformance, with Q2 2026 actual EPS of $1.81 beating the $1.49 estimate. The stock benefits from a discounted valuation with a P/E of 11.94 and robust cash flow growth, though revenue declined 4.2% year-over-year in Q1 2027. National security demand remains a key driver, offset by civil segment weakness.
Outlook is cautiously positive with a consensus price target of $84.67, implying 11% upside. Strengths include high ROE of 68.11% and margin expansion, but risks involve elevated debt levels and revenue volatility. Investors should weigh valuation appeal against execution risks in government contracting.
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
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp is a provider of management consulting services to the U.S. government. Other services offered include technology, such as cloud computing and cybersecurity consulting, and engineering consulting. The consulting services are focused on defense, intelligence, and civil markets. In addition to the U.S. government, Booz Allen Hamilton provides its management and technology consulting services to large corporations, institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The company assists clients in long-term engagements around the globe.
Read more on BAH →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 →