VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Wednesday, January 7, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs KKR & Co. 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

KKR & Co. Inc.

KKR · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$119.9B
Gross margin (TTM)19.5%
Operating margin (TTM)2.6%
Net margin (TTM)14.1%
SectorFinancials
IndustryAsset Management
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
67/ 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 KKR & Co. Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View KKR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 67 / 100 for KKR & Co. Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); KKR & Co. Inc. has 3 segments (52.3% in Asset Management).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; KKR & Co. Inc. has 7 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%

KKR & Co. Inc.

Asset Management

Market

Alternative asset management (private equity, private credit, real assets, and related strategies)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional and wealth investors (LPs) allocating to private markets

Role

General partner / investment manager

Revenue share

52.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
KKR & Co. Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
KKR - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$82B
$119.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
87.8%
19.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
28.5%
2.6%
Net margin (TTM)
20.4%
14.1%
Sector
Technology
Financials
Industry
Software - Application
Asset Management
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core EDA
Asset Management
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
3.5%-5% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
67 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Supply, Financial, Legal
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term Contracts

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleService Field Network

KKR & Co. Inc. strengths

Brand TrustScale Economies Unit CostDeal sourcing and origination relationshipsFloat PrepaymentCompliance AdvantageCapital markets and exit execution capability

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

KKR & Co. Inc. segments

Full profile >

Asset Management

Oligopoly

52.3%

Insurance

Competitive

46.5%

Strategic Holdings

Competitive

1.2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

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.