Cadence Design Systems Inc vs KLA Corp. — how do they compare? Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $328.37 (market cap $91.41B), while KLA Corp. trades at $202.55 (market cap $251.82B). The key difference: KLA Corp. is far larger — about 2.8× Cadence Design Systems Inc's market cap, and KLA Corp. pays a 0.48% dividend while Cadence Design Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CDNS | KLAC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $91.41B | $251.82B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $416.39 | $301.71 |
52-Week Low | $265.66 | $84.39 |
Enterprise Value | $92.62B | $253.07B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.48% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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).
KLA Corporation (KLAC) trades at $198.11, up 2.53% today, with a neutral technical signal despite bullish moving averages. The stock shows strong fundamentals, including a 35.57% net income margin and consistent earnings beats, with Q3 2026 EPS expected at $1.17. Recent corporate actions include a 1:10 stock split and a $2.30 dividend, while cash flow remains positive at $101.78M in 2025. Analyst sentiment is optimistic, with a $246.93 consensus price target implying significant upside.
The outlook for KLAC is positive, driven by AI-driven semiconductor demand and robust profitability, but risks include high valuation multiples and market volatility. Investment opportunities center on growth in advanced packaging, with Wall Street largely bullish; however, investors should monitor competitive pressures and economic cycles that could impact the chip equipment 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 →KLA designs and manufactures yield-management and process-monitoring diagnostic and control systems for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The systems are used to analyze the manufacturing process at various steps in a semiconductor's development. The firm's laser-scanning products are used for wafer qualification, process monitoring, and equipment monitoring. KLA also provides inspection tools and systems for optical metrology and e-beam metrology.
Read more on KLAC →