VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs Judges Scientific plc

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

Judges Scientific plc

JDG · London Stock Exchange - AIM

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
63/ 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 Judges Scientific plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JDG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Judges Scientific plc).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); Judges Scientific plc has 2 segments (51.7% in Vacuum).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Judges Scientific plc has 3 across 1.

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%

Judges Scientific plc

Vacuum

Market

Vacuum and surface-science related instrumentation (e.g., UHV/vacuum components and systems, thin-film/surface engineering adjacent tools)

Geography

Global

Customer

Research labs and high-tech manufacturing

Role

Equipment manufacturer

Revenue share

51.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Judges Scientific plc
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
JDG - London Stock Exchange - AIM
Market cap (USD)
$82B
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
GB
Primary segment
Core EDA
Vacuum
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
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-06

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

Judges Scientific plc strengths

Brand TrustSwitching Costs GeneralBuy-and-build acquisition engine

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Judges Scientific plc segments

Full profile >

Materials Sciences

Competitive

48.4%

Vacuum

Competitive

51.7%

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

View expansion-stage stocks

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.