Cadence Design Systems Inc vs NetApp Inc. — how do they compare? Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $376.46 (market cap $104.24B), while NetApp Inc. trades at $175.93 (market cap $34.20B). The key difference: Cadence Design Systems Inc is far larger — about 3× NetApp Inc.'s market cap, and NetApp Inc. pays a 1.19% dividend while Cadence Design Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CDNS | NTAP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $104.24B | $34.20B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $416.39 | $181.08 |
52-Week Low | $265.66 | $94.11 |
Enterprise Value | $105.91B | $33.35B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.19% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) trades at $377.92, down 1.63% on the day, with strong analyst support (84% buy ratings) and a $400.25 consensus price target. The stock shows bullish technical signals with support at $373 and resistance at $385. Recent quarterly earnings have consistently beaten expectations, with Q2 2026 results expected on July 27, 2026. Revenue growth remains robust, climbing from $3.6B in 2022 to $5.3B in 2025, though profit margins have moderated slightly.
CDNS presents a compelling growth story driven by AI and semiconductor design demand, with upside to analyst targets. However, high valuation multiples (P/E 88.09, P/S 18.68) pose risks if growth slows. Key near-term catalyst is Q2 earnings; sustained execution is critical to justify premium valuation amid competitive pressures.
NetApp (NTAP) trades at $163.93, down 2.93% on the day, but maintains a bullish technical stance with strong moving averages and support near $162. The company demonstrates robust fundamentals with a 70.74% gross margin and consistent earnings beats, including Q1 2026 EPS of $2.43 versus $2.27 expected. Recent news highlights AI-driven growth opportunities, such as StorageGRID 12.1 enhancements for AI workloads announced on June 23, 2026.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus target at $167.45, offering modest upside. Key opportunities include enterprise AI demand and all-flash storage adoption, while risks involve competitive pressures and debt levels rising to 29.89% of assets. The stock's valuation at a P/E of 25.82 warrants monitoring amid sector comparisons.
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 →NetApp is a leading provider of enterprise data management and storage solutions. The company's three operating business units are products, software maintenance, and hardware maintenance. NetApp transitioned from a data center storage firm to a company with software data management solutions for multicloud environments. The California-headquartered company sells globally and has approximately 10,000 employees.
Read more on NTAP →