VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs Meta Platforms, 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

Meta Platforms, Inc.

META · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$1.8T
SectorCommunication Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
94/ 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 Meta Platforms, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View META analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Meta Platforms, Inc. leads (94 / 100 vs 84 / 100 for Cadence Design Systems, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); Meta Platforms, Inc. has 2 segments (98.7% in Family of Apps (FoA)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Meta Platforms, Inc. has 6 across 2.

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%

Meta Platforms, Inc.

Family of Apps (FoA)

Market

Global social media platforms & social media advertising

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers and advertisers

Role

Two-sided platform (attention + ad auction)

Revenue share

98.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
META - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$86.5B
$1.8T
Sector
Technology
Communication Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core EDA
Family of Apps (FoA)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
55%-65% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
94 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Network, Supply
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingLong Term ContractsDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointService Field Network

Meta Platforms, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkDirect Network EffectsData Network EffectsEcosystem ComplementsLearning Curve Yield

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Meta Platforms, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Family of Apps (FoA)

Oligopoly

98.7%

Reality Labs (RL)

Quasi-Monopoly

1.3%

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.