VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs Northrop Grumman Corporation

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

Northrop Grumman Corporation

NOC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$83.1B
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
72/ 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 Northrop Grumman Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NOC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Northrop Grumman Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); Northrop Grumman Corporation has 4 segments (28.7% in Aeronautics Systems).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Northrop Grumman Corporation has 6 across 3.

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%

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Aeronautics Systems

Market

Military aircraft systems (manned & unmanned) plus sustainment/modernization

Geography

Global (primarily United States and allies)

Customer

U.S. government and allied governments

Role

Prime contractor and major subsystem supplier

Revenue share

28.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
NOC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$86.5B
$83.1B
Sector
Technology
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core EDA
Aeronautics Systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Design In QualificationCapex Knowhow Scale

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingLong Term ContractsInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointService Field Network

Northrop Grumman Corporation strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsCompliance AdvantageCapacity MoatSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

Northrop Grumman Corporation segments

Full profile >

Aeronautics Systems

Oligopoly

28.7%

Defense Systems

Oligopoly

18.8%

Mission Systems

Oligopoly

24.9%

Space Systems

Oligopoly

27.6%

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.