VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs Constellation Software Inc.

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)$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

Constellation Software Inc.

CSU · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryCA
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
74/ 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 Constellation Software Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSU analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for Constellation Software Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); Constellation Software Inc. has 6 segments.
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Constellation Software Inc. has 3 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%

Constellation Software Inc.

Volaris Operating Group

Market

Vertical market software (VMS) portfolios across diverse industries (Volaris)

Geography

Global (North America, Continental Europe, UK, Australia, South America, Africa)

Customer

Organizations in specific verticals (mix of public and private sector)

Role

Vertical market software vendor (application provider + long-term maintainer)

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Constellation Software Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
CSU - Toronto Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$84.1B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
87.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
28.5%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
20.4%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Technology
Industry
Software - Application
n/a
HQ country
US
CA
Primary segment
Core EDA
Volaris Operating Group
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Installed Base Consumables

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingLong Term ContractsDesign In QualificationIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleService Field Network

Constellation Software Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Constellation Software Inc. segments

Full profile >

Volaris Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Harris Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Topicus.com Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Jonas Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Perseus Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Vela Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

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.