VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

AstraZeneca PLC vs Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

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

AstraZeneca PLC

AZN · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
71/ 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 AstraZeneca PLC's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AZN 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 71 / 100 for AstraZeneca PLC).
  • Segment focus: AstraZeneca PLC has 6 segments (41% in Oncology); Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA).
  • Moat breadth: AstraZeneca PLC has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

AstraZeneca PLC

Oncology

Market

Innovator oncology therapeutics (branded prescription medicines)

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals, oncology clinics, payers

Role

Innovator biopharmaceutical company

Revenue share

41%

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

AstraZeneca PLC
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AZN - London Stock Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$84.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
87.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
28.5%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
20.4%
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
n/a
Software - Application
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Oncology
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
71 / 100
84 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

IP Choke PointCapex Knowhow Scale

AstraZeneca PLC strengths

Regulated Standards PipeBrand Trust

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingLong Term ContractsDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field Network

Segment mix

AstraZeneca PLC segments

Full profile >

Oncology

Oligopoly

41%

Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM)

Competitive

23%

Respiratory & Immunology (R&I)

Oligopoly

15%

Vaccines & Immune Therapies (V&I)

Oligopoly

3%

Rare Disease

Oligopoly

16%

Other Medicines

Competitive

2%

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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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.