VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

BlackRock, Inc. vs Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

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

BlackRock, Inc.

BLK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$168.1B
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
59/ 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 BlackRock, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BLK analysis

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

CDNS · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$86.5B
SectorTechnology
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 59 / 100 for BlackRock, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: BlackRock, Inc. has 7 segments (33% in iShares ETFs & ETPs); Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: BlackRock, Inc. has 10 moat types across 2 domains; Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

BlackRock, Inc.

iShares ETFs & ETPs

Market

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded products (ETPs)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional and retail (via intermediaries)

Role

ETF sponsor / asset manager

Revenue share

33%

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

BlackRock, Inc.
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
BLK - New York Stock Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$168.1B
$86.5B
Sector
Financials
Technology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
iShares ETFs & ETPs
Core EDA
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
28.3% (reported)
29%-31% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
59 / 100
84 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-31
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Suite BundlingLong Term ContractsData Workflow Lockin

BlackRock, Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostBrand TrustDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceSwitching Costs GeneralProcurement InertiaScope Economies

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleService Field Network

Segment mix

BlackRock, Inc. segments

Full profile >

iShares ETFs & ETPs

Oligopoly

33%

Institutional Index Mandates (Non-ETF)

Oligopoly

5.7%

Active & Multi-Asset (Public Markets)

Competitive

27.5%

Alternatives & Private Markets

Oligopoly

13.5%

Cash Management (MMFs & cash solutions)

Competitive

5.1%

Aladdin & Technology Services

Oligopoly

7.9%

Distribution & Advisory Services

Competitive

7.3%

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.