VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Stock Comparison

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. vs The Trade Desk, 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

The Trade Desk, Inc.

TTD · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$18.5B
SectorCommunication Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
62/ 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 The Trade Desk, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TTD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for The Trade Desk, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA); The Trade Desk, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; The Trade Desk, 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%

The Trade Desk, Inc.

Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)

Market

Demand-side platforms (DSP) for programmatic advertising (open internet)

Geography

Global

Customer

Advertising agencies and advertisers

Role

Buy-side platform / demand aggregation

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
The Trade Desk, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CDNS - NASDAQ
TTD - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$86.5B
$18.5B
Sector
Technology
Communication Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core EDA
Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
29%-31% (estimated)
6%-10% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
62 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Network, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-26

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

The Trade Desk, Inc. strengths

Interoperability HubSwitching Costs GeneralData Network EffectsStandards Registry

Segment mix

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core EDA

Oligopoly

71%

Semiconductor IP

Oligopoly

13%

System Design and Analysis

Competitive

16%

The Trade Desk, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)

Competitive

100%

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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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.