Cadence Design Systems Inc vs Medpace Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $325.84 (market cap $90.20B), while Medpace Holdings Inc trades at $601.71 (market cap $16.90B). The key difference: Cadence Design Systems Inc is far larger — about 5.3× Medpace Holdings Inc's market cap, and Medpace Holdings Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Cadence Design Systems Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CDNS | MEDP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $90.20B | $16.90B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $416.39 | $620.59 |
52-Week Low | $265.66 | $393.42 |
Enterprise Value | $91.41B | $16.52B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) trades at $326.75, down 1.55% amid a bearish technical signal, though strong fundamentals persist with Q2 2026 earnings beating estimates and AI-driven backlog hitting $8.1B. Revenue growth accelerated to 24% year-over-year, while profitability remains robust with 85.87% gross margins. The stock faces near-term pressure from technical indicators but maintains strong analyst support with an $415.11 consensus target.
The outlook remains positive given Cadence's leadership in semiconductor design software and exposure to AI growth, though high valuations (P/E 65.12) and technical bearishness pose risks. Investor sentiment is buoyed by record backlog and raised 2026 guidance, but competition and macroeconomic sensitivity could challenge further upside.
MEDP trades at $600.32, down 0.35% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The stock shows strong fundamentals with Q2 2026 earnings beating estimates at $4.25 per share versus $3.98 expected, and revenue growth projected from $2.53B in 2025 to $2.8B in 2026. Recent news highlights record bookings and raised guidance, though valuation ratios remain elevated with a P/E of 35.58 and P/B of 38.95.
Outlook remains positive driven by earnings momentum and strong backlog visibility, but risks include premium valuation compression and ongoing legal scrutiny. Analyst consensus is cautious with 73.7% hold ratings, though institutional interest persists with California State Teachers Retirement System increasing its position by 22.1% in Q1 2026.
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 →Medpace Holdings, Inc. is a full-service clinical contract research organization (CRO) that provides comprehensive and scientifically-driven clinical development services to the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries. The company specializes in conducting global clinical trials for new drug and medical device approvals. Medpace's model emphasizes therapeutic expertise and a highly integrated approach to accelerate the clinical development process for its clients.
Read more on MEDP →