VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs Canadian National Railway Company

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

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

Canadian National Railway Company

CNR · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$61.2B
SectorIndustrials
CountryCA
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
97/ 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 Canadian National Railway Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CNR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Canadian National Railway Company leads (97 / 100 vs 84 / 100 for Cadence Design Systems, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); Canadian National Railway Company has 2 segments (96.2% in Rail freight transportation network).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Duopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Canadian National Railway Company has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

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%

Canadian National Railway Company

Rail freight transportation network

Market

Canadian Class I freight rail transportation

Geography

Canada (with U.S. cross-border corridors)

Customer

Industrial shippers, intermodal customers, and auto supply chains

Role

Line-haul freight railway (Class I)

Revenue share

96.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Canadian National Railway Company
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
CNR - Toronto Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$86.5B
$61.2B
Sector
Technology
Industrials
HQ country
US
CA
Primary segment
Core EDA
Rail freight transportation network
Market structure
Oligopoly
Duopoly
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
50%-56% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
4,031
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
97 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingLong Term ContractsDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleService Field Network

Canadian National Railway Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostScope Economies

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Canadian National Railway Company segments

Full profile >

Rail freight transportation network

Duopoly

96.2%

Non-rail logistics and ancillary services

Competitive

3.8%

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.