VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. vs Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

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

Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

CBOE · Cboe BZX

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
76/ 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 Cboe Global Markets, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CBOE 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 76 / 100 for Cboe Global Markets, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cboe Global Markets, Inc. has 5 segments (60.8% in Options); Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Cboe Global Markets, Inc. has 8 moat types across 4 domains; Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

Options

Market

U.S. listed options exchanges (multi-listed + proprietary index options)

Geography

United States

Customer

Broker-dealers, market makers, institutional investors, retail order-flow intermediaries

Role

Exchange operator (SRO) + derivatives listing venue + market data provider

Revenue share

60.8%

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

Cboe Global Markets, Inc.
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CBOE - Cboe BZX
CDNS - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$86.5B
Sector
Financials
Technology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Options
Core EDA
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
29%-32% (reported)
29%-31% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
76 / 100
84 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Network, Supply, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-31
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke Point

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. strengths

Contractual ExclusivityTwo Sided NetworkRegulated Standards PipeSwitching Costs GeneralClearing SettlementDe Facto Standard

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

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

Segment mix

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Options

Oligopoly

60.8%

North American Equities

Competitive

18.5%

Europe and Asia Pacific

Oligopoly

10.6%

Futures

Quasi-Monopoly

6.3%

Global FX

Competitive

3.7%

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.