Cadence Design Systems Inc vs Mattel Inc — how do they compare? Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $327.47 (market cap $91.41B), while Mattel Inc trades at $15.05 (market cap $4.21B). The key difference: Cadence Design Systems Inc is far larger — about 21.7× Mattel Inc's market cap, and Cadence Design Systems Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Mattel Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CDNS | MAT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $91.41B | $4.21B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $416.39 | $22.16 |
52-Week Low | $265.66 | $13.05 |
Enterprise Value | $92.62B | $6.44B |
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).
Mattel (MAT) trades at $14.79, up 2.07% with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 results with revenue growth of 10% but an earnings miss due to higher costs. Valuation appears reasonable with P/E of 11.03 and P/S of 0.82, while profitability metrics show strong ROE of 20.5% despite margin pressures from increased advertising expenses.
The stock presents a balanced opportunity with analyst consensus leaning bullish (53% buy ratings) but faces near-term headwinds from cost inflation and discretionary spending pressures. Long-term growth drivers include toy-based entertainment partnerships and digital gaming expansion, though execution risks and market volatility require careful monitoring.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Mattel markets toy products that are sold to its wholesale customers and direct to retail consumers. The company offers products for children and families, including toys for infants and preschoolers, girls and boys, youth electronics, handheld and other games, puzzles, educational toys, media-driven products, and plush and fashion-related toys. Mattel's owned portfolio includes Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Thomas & Friends, and American Girl. In addition, it currently manufactures toy products for its segments both internally and externally (through manufacturing partners). Just over half of its net sales are in North America, while the remainder stem from international markets.
Read more on MAT →