VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. vs Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

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

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

AJG · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$67.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
IndustryInsurance - Brokers
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
69/ 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 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AJG analysis

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

CDNS · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$89.1B
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 69 / 100 for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.).
  • Segment focus: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has 2 segments (86% in Brokerage); Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Brokerage

Market

Insurance and reinsurance brokerage and consulting

Geography

Global

Customer

Commercial, industrial, public sector, nonprofit and other organizations; underwriting enterprises for reinsurance placements

Role

Intermediary / broker / advisor

Revenue share

86%

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

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AJG - New York Stock Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$67.9B
$89.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
87.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
28.5%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
20.4%
Sector
Financials
Technology
Industry
Insurance - Brokers
Software - Application
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Brokerage
Core EDA
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
29%-31% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
69 / 100
84 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkData Workflow Lockin

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. strengths

Brand TrustOperational Excellence

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingLong Term ContractsDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow Scale

Segment mix

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. segments

Full profile >

Brokerage

Oligopoly

86%

Risk Management

Competitive

14%

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?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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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.