VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs Martin Marietta Materials, 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)$84.1B
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

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

MLM · NYSE

Market cap (USD)$37.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
78/ 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 Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MLM analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 78 / 100 for Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. has 3 segments (52.4% in East Group).
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. has 4 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%

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

East Group

Market

Construction aggregates and asphalt products (crushed stone, sand & gravel; asphalt) in local/regional markets

Geography

United States (East/Southeast and adjacent regions)

Customer

Infrastructure agencies, construction contractors, and downstream materials producers (asphalt/ready-mix)

Role

Quarry/mining operator and building materials producer/distributor

Revenue share

52.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
MLM - NYSE
Market cap (USD)
$84.1B
$37.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
87.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
28.5%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
20.4%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Materials
Industry
Software - Application
Construction Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core EDA
East Group
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
84 / 100
78 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Financial
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-01

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

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityGeographic NaturalBenchmark Pricing Power

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

East Group

Oligopoly

52.4%

West Group

Oligopoly

40.9%

Specialties (formerly Magnesia Specialties)

Oligopoly

6.7%

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

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.