Cadence Design Systems Inc vs MasterCard Inc — how do they compare? Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $327.47 (market cap $91.41B), while MasterCard Inc trades at $562.59 (market cap $493.34B). The key difference: MasterCard Inc is far larger — about 5.4× Cadence Design Systems Inc's market cap, and MasterCard Inc pays a 0.62% dividend while Cadence Design Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CDNS | MA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $91.41B | $493.34B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $416.39 | $598.96 |
52-Week Low | $265.66 | $471.55 |
Enterprise Value | $92.62B | $506.38B |
Volume | — | 4,635,698 |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.62% |
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).
Mastercard (MA) trades at $561.44, down 0.27% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and key support at $560. The company demonstrates robust fundamentals, with revenue growing to $32.79B in 2025 and a net income margin of 46.34%. Recent earnings beats and a strong analyst consensus highlight positive momentum amid expansion in digital payments and AI initiatives.
The outlook for MA remains favorable due to consistent earnings growth, high profitability, and strategic positioning in payment technology. Risks include competitive disruption from stablecoins and regulatory challenges. With a consensus price target of $660.85 and no sell ratings, Wall Street sentiment is strongly bullish, though investors should monitor execution on innovation and macroeconomic pressures.
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 →Mastercard Incorporated provides financial transaction processing services. The Company offers payment processing services for credit and debit cards, electronic cash, automated teller machines, and travelers checks. Mastercard serves customers worldwide.
Read more on MA →