VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs Intuitive Surgical, 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)$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

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

ISRG · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
83/ 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 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ISRG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 83 / 100 for Intuitive Surgical, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Monopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 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%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Instruments and Accessories

Market

Proprietary robotic surgery instruments, accessories, and consumables used per procedure on the da Vinci (and Ion) installed base

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and surgery centers purchasing consumables; surgeons and OR teams as end users

Role

Consumables OEM within proprietary platform

Revenue share

60.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
ISRG - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$86.5B
n/a
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core EDA
Instruments and Accessories
Market structure
Oligopoly
Monopoly
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
84 / 100
83 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinLong Term ContractsInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleService Field Network

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingDesign In Qualification

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Training Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsProcurement Inertia

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

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.