VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs Thales S.A.

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

Thales S.A.

HO · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$55.3B
SectorIndustrials
CountryFR
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
73/ 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 Thales S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for Thales S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); Thales S.A. has 3 segments (53.3% in Defence).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Thales S.A. has 8 across 3.

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%

Thales S.A.

Defence

Market

Defense electronics, secure communications, and mission systems

Geography

Global

Customer

Government / defence ministries, armed forces, security forces

Role

Prime contractor and system integrator; OEM of defence electronics

Revenue share

53.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Thales S.A.
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
HO - Euronext Paris
Market cap (USD)
$86.5B
$55.3B
Sector
Technology
Industrials
HQ country
US
FR
Primary segment
Core EDA
Defence
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Suite BundlingLong Term ContractsDesign In QualificationCapex Knowhow ScaleService Field Network

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke Point

Thales S.A. strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsRegulated Standards PipeBrand Trust

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Thales S.A. segments

Full profile >

Defence

Oligopoly

53.3%

Aerospace

Oligopoly

26.6%

Cyber & Digital

Competitive

19.6%

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.