Cadence Design Systems Inc vs General Dynamics Corporation — how do they compare? Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $378.2 (market cap $104.24B), while General Dynamics Corporation trades at $370.25 (market cap $99.92B). The key difference: Cadence Design Systems Inc and General Dynamics Corporation are close in size by market cap, and General Dynamics Corporation pays a 1.72% dividend while Cadence Design Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CDNS | GD | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $104.24B | $99.92B |
Sector | Technology | Industrials |
52-Week High | $416.39 | $376.88 |
52-Week Low | $265.66 | $297.05 |
Enterprise Value | $105.91B | $106.10B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.72% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) trades at $377.92, down 1.63% on the day, with strong analyst support (84% buy ratings) and a $400.25 consensus price target. The stock shows bullish technical signals with support at $373 and resistance at $385. Recent quarterly earnings have consistently beaten expectations, with Q2 2026 results expected on July 27, 2026. Revenue growth remains robust, climbing from $3.6B in 2022 to $5.3B in 2025, though profit margins have moderated slightly.
CDNS presents a compelling growth story driven by AI and semiconductor design demand, with upside to analyst targets. However, high valuation multiples (P/E 88.09, P/S 18.68) pose risks if growth slows. Key near-term catalyst is Q2 earnings; sustained execution is critical to justify premium valuation amid competitive pressures.
General Dynamics (GD) trades at $372.78, down 0.61% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company reported strong Q1 2026 earnings, beating estimates with EPS of $4.10 versus $3.67 expected, and maintains solid fundamentals including 8.07% net income margin and 17.97% ROE. Revenue growth continues, reaching $52.55 billion in 2025, with a robust backlog of $130.8 billion highlighting strong demand in naval and defense sectors.
Outlook remains positive driven by defense spending tailwinds and submarine contract momentum, though valuation multiples like P/E of 23.46 suggest limited upside near-term. Risks include execution on large contracts and geopolitical volatility. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $395.83 price target, indicating ~6% potential appreciation from current levels.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →General Dynamics is a defense contractor and business jet manufacturer. The firm's segments include aerospace, combat systems, marine, and technologies. The company's aerospace segment creates Gulfstream business jets. Combat system produces land-based combat vehicles, such as the M1 Abrams tank. The marine subsegment creates nuclear-powered submarines, among other things. The technologies segment contains two main units, an IT business that primarily serves the government market and a mission systems business that focuses on products that provide command, control, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to the military.
Read more on GD →