Cadence Design Systems Inc vs International Business Machines Corp — how do they compare? Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $327.04 (market cap $90.20B), while International Business Machines Corp trades at $232.4 (market cap $224.62B). The key difference: International Business Machines Corp is far larger — about 2.5× Cadence Design Systems Inc's market cap, and International Business Machines Corp pays a 2.84% dividend while Cadence Design Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CDNS | IBM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $90.20B | $224.62B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $416.39 | $329.23 |
52-Week Low | $265.66 | $205.77 |
Enterprise Value | $91.41B | $281.76B |
Volume | — | 4,481,527 |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.84% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) trades at $331.91, down 2.16% amid a bearish technical signal, though it remains supported by strong fundamentals. The company reported Q2 2026 earnings that beat estimates, with revenue growth of 24.2% driven by AI demand, and raised its full-year outlook. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with an average price target of $415.11, representing 25% upside potential from current levels.
The stock offers compelling growth prospects from AI-driven semiconductor design demand, with record backlog of $8.1 billion supporting future revenue visibility. Key risks include high valuation multiples (P/E 65.12) and potential semiconductor cycle volatility. Institutional ownership remains strong with recent position increases by major funds like Amundi.
IBM trades at $236.31, down 0.41% today, with a mixed technical picture showing bearish moving averages but bullish overall signals. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, with Q2 2026 meeting estimates, while revenue grew to $67.54 billion in 2025. The company secured a $240 million AI deal with Together AI, boosting sentiment despite ongoing securities fraud investigations.
Outlook: IBM's strong profitability and AI growth present upside potential, but legal risks and high valuation ratios pose challenges. The consensus price target of $257.38 suggests moderate growth, supported by institutional buy ratings, though investors should monitor legal developments and competitive pressures in the tech sector.
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 →International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides computer solutions. The Company offers application, technology consulting and support, process design and operations, cloud, digital workplace, and network services, as well as business resiliency, strategy, and design solutions. IBM serves clients worldwide.
Read more on IBM →