Cadence Design Systems Inc vs Vistra Corp — how do they compare? Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $328.31 (market cap $91.41B), while Vistra Corp trades at $145.5 (market cap $47.95B). The key difference: Cadence Design Systems Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Vistra Corp pays a 0.64% dividend while Cadence Design Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CDNS | VST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $91.41B | $47.95B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $416.39 | $217.92 |
52-Week Low | $265.66 | $134.71 |
Enterprise Value | $92.62B | $69.89B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.64% |
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).
Vistra (VST) trades at $140.59, down 0.56% on the day, with a bearish technical signal driven by selling pressure in moving averages. The stock shows strong profitability with a net income margin of 11.55% and ROE of 75.73%, though recent quarterly EPS results were mixed with two misses against expectations. Analyst consensus remains overwhelmingly bullish with a 90.91% buy rating and a $239.75 price target, highlighting growth potential from data center electricity demand.
The outlook is supported by strategic positioning in power generation for AI infrastructure, but risks include volatile hedging impacts and high P/B valuation. Earnings growth from hyperscaler deals and nuclear assets offers upside, while technical weakness near support at $136 requires monitoring for stability.
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 →Vistra is a leading integrated retail electricity and power generation company that serves as a critical infrastructure provider for the digital economy. It operates a diversified portfolio of zero-carbon nuclear and renewable assets alongside a massive, flexible natural gas fleet, positioning it as an indispensable partner for energy-intensive AI data centers and industrial electrification.
Read more on VST →