VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Keyence Corporation vs Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Keyence Corporation

6861.T · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$87.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryJP
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
73/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Keyence Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 6861.T analysis

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

CDNS · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$84.1B
Gross margin (TTM)87.8%
Operating margin (TTM)28.5%
Net margin (TTM)20.4%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
84/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Cadence Design Systems, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CDNS analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for Keyence Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Keyence Corporation has 3 segments; Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA).
  • Moat breadth: Keyence Corporation has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Keyence Corporation

Sensors & Safety/Static Control

Market

Industrial sensors and safety/static control for factory automation

Geography

Global

Customer

Manufacturers (production/automation teams) and machine builders

Role

Component OEM and application-solution provider

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

Core EDA

Market

Electronic design automation tools for semiconductor IC design and verification (digital, custom/analog, signoff, functional verification)

Geography

Global

Customer

Semiconductor designers (fabless and IDMs) and system companies with in-house silicon teams

Role

Tool vendor / workflow platform

Revenue share

71%

Side-by-side metrics

Keyence Corporation
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
6861.T - Tokyo Stock Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$87.6B
$84.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
87.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
28.5%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
20.4%
Sector
Technology
Technology
Industry
n/a
Software - Application
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Sensors & Safety/Static Control
Core EDA
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
29%-31% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
73 / 100
84 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkDesign In Qualification

Keyence Corporation strengths

Learning Curve YieldOperational ExcellenceDistribution ControlScope EconomiesBrand Trust

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingLong Term ContractsInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow Scale

Segment mix

Keyence Corporation segments

Full profile >

Sensors & Safety/Static Control

Oligopoly

n/a

Machine Vision, Code Reading & Laser Marking

Oligopoly

n/a

Metrology & Microscopes

Oligopoly

n/a

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.