VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs Interactive Brokers Group, 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)$82B
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

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.

IBKR · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$123.6B
Gross margin (TTM)89%
Operating margin (TTM)82.7%
Net margin (TTM)9.2%
SectorFinancials
IndustryInvestment - Banking & Investment Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
60/ 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 Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IBKR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Electronic brokerage).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. has 4 across 4.

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%

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.

Electronic brokerage

Market

Multi-asset electronic brokerage, clearing, custody, and financing (self-directed and institutional)

Geography

Global

Customer

Individual investors and institutional clients (e.g., hedge funds, advisors, proprietary trading firms, introducing brokers)

Role

Broker-dealer / clearing broker / platform operator

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
IBKR - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$82B
$123.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
87.8%
89%
Operating margin (TTM)
28.5%
82.7%
Net margin (TTM)
20.4%
9.2%
Sector
Technology
Financials
Industry
Software - Application
Investment - Banking & Investment Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core EDA
Electronic brokerage
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Weak
Moat score
84 / 100
60 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Network, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingLong Term ContractsDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleService Field Network

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. strengths

Operational ExcellenceInteroperability HubCompliance Advantage

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Electronic brokerage

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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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.