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CDNS · NASDAQ

CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC

Private beta

Sector unavailable · Industry unavailable

$289.37

+1.55%

Close on Sep 11, 2026

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Updated 6/30/2026

Long-term research evidence only. No price targets, no trading signals, no recommendations.

Investment Report Card

CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC

Sector unavailable · Data confidence good

62 / 100

Rank #177 of 1,152 qualified companies

Top 26% · Watch

Risk Intelligence

Core Model
B−

75 / 100

Restricted

How strong and defensively sound is the company?

Above average on this measure.

Long-Term Potential

Research Model
C

63 / 100

Not Scored

Does the business have the characteristics needed to create value over many years?

Around the middle of the covered universe.

Fundamental Momentum

Research Model
D

47 / 100

Not Scored

Is the underlying business getting stronger or weaker?

Weaker than most covered companies on this measure.

Ownership Intelligence

Supplemental Intelligence
C+

65 / 100

Positive disclosed activity

What are important owners actually doing?

Around the middle of the covered universe.

Valuation Intelligence

Research Model
F

39 / 100

Elevated

Is today's price reasonable?

Weaker than most covered companies on this measure — and valuation is researched separately from the Suggested Investment Score.

Capital Returns Intelligence

Research Model
D+

50 / 100

Moderate Capital Returns

How effectively does the company reward shareholders?

Weaker than most covered companies on this measure — and capital returns are researched separately from the Suggested Investment Score.

Why it stands out

  • More disclosed holders are new or increasing than reducing or exiting.

What holds it back

  • Elevated valuation: the current market price reflects a premium to this company's historical valuation and comparable companies (Valuation Intelligence 39 out of 100, Elevated).

Long-term view

CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC scores 63 on Long-Term Potential (C), described by the research model as not scored. This describes business characteristics only — it is not a forecast of future returns.

Ownership view

Disclosed ownership evidence reads 65 (C+): Positive disclosed activity. 5 tracked managers disclosed a position in the latest reporting period. Ownership filings are historical disclosures, not signals.

Valuation view

CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC reads 39 out of 100 on Valuation Intelligence, recorded as Elevated. The stock currently trades above most of its own recent valuation history and above comparable companies. This describes the price being paid relative to the company's financials — it is not a forecast and not a fair value. Valuation Intelligence is a research model and contributes nothing to the Suggested Investment Score or the daily ranking.

Capital returns view

CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC reads 50 out of 100 on Capital Returns Intelligence (Moderate Capital Returns), reflecting no measurable direct capital returns. Direct capital returns are limited because the company continues reinvesting most of its cash. Capital Returns Intelligence is a research model and contributes nothing to the Suggested Investment Score or the daily ranking.

What changed

No meaningful recorded changes in the stored history.

Risk Intelligence is a core model, Long-Term Potential, Fundamental Momentum, Valuation Intelligence and Capital Returns Intelligence are research models, and Ownership Intelligence is supplemental descriptive evidence. Valuation Intelligence and Capital Returns Intelligence each contribute 0% to the Suggested Investment Score. Nothing here is a recommendation.

Compare CDNS with other companies

Research Collections

This company does not currently satisfy any collection rule. That is a stored research result, not a judgement about the business.

Browse collections

About a minute to read

The 60-Second Investment Brief

Written from stored research readings only. No hype. No trading signals. Just better evidence.

Why it's interesting

CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC (CDNS) scores 62 out of 100 and ranks #177 of 1,152 qualified companies today. That places it in the top 26% of ranked companies. The stored tier for that score is watch.

Business strength

Risk Intelligence reads 75 out of 100 (B−), recorded as restricted. Above average on this measure.

Long-term opportunity

Long-Term Potential reads 63 out of 100 (C), recorded as not scored. Around the middle of the covered universe.

What's improving or weakening

Fundamental Momentum reads 47 out of 100 (D), recorded as not scored. Weaker than most covered companies on this measure.

What important owners are doing

Ownership Intelligence reads 65 out of 100 (C+), recorded as positive disclosed activity. Around the middle of the covered universe.

What kind of price you'd be paying

Valuation is currently the main point of caution: Valuation Intelligence reads 39 out of 100 (F), recorded as Elevated. CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC reads 39 out of 100 on Valuation Intelligence, recorded as Elevated. The stock currently trades above most of its own recent valuation history and above comparable companies. This describes the price being paid relative to the company's financials — it is not a forecast and not a fair value. Valuation Intelligence is a research model and contributes nothing to the Suggested Investment Score or the daily ranking.

How the company rewards shareholders

Capital Returns Intelligence reads 50 out of 100 (D+), recorded as Moderate Capital Returns. CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC reads 50 out of 100 on Capital Returns Intelligence (Moderate Capital Returns), reflecting no measurable direct capital returns. Direct capital returns are limited because the company continues reinvesting most of its cash. Capital Returns Intelligence is a research model and contributes nothing to the Suggested Investment Score or the daily ranking.

What could go wrong

Elevated valuation: the current market price reflects a premium to this company's historical valuation and comparable companies (Valuation Intelligence 39 out of 100, Elevated). Data confidence for this company is good.

Bottom line

No individual layer reaches the strongest band today. Fundamental Momentum remains the main area to watch. Separately from the score, valuation reads elevated at today's price.

Composite discovery model

Suggested Investment Score

Suggested Investment Score

62 / 100

Watch

A 0–100 composite discovery score combining Risk Intelligence, Long-Term Potential, Fundamental Momentum, and Ownership Intelligence. It helps rank qualified companies for further research and does not predict future returns.

Rank
#177 of 694
Percentile
Top 26%
Ranking updated
September 12, 2026
102Rank weakened by 102 positions. Rank weakened by 102 positions.
Risk Intelligence
75

30% contribution

Long-Term Potential
63

30% contribution

Fundamental Momentum
47

20% contribution

Ownership Intelligence
65

20% contribution

Ownership Intelligence

65 / 100 · Positive · 20% of the Suggested Investment Score

SUPPLEMENTAL / DESCRIPTIVE INTELLIGENCE

Coverage: Good

Elite Investor Activity
60 · Moderately Positive

50% of Ownership Intelligence · 10% of the total score

Tracked professional-manager activity is moderately positive.

Institutional Activity
78 · Positive

20% of Ownership Intelligence · 4% of the total score

Broad institutional evidence from resolved filings is positive.

Insider Activity
Insufficient Data

15% of Ownership Intelligence · 3% of the total score

No discretionary insider transactions are stored for this company, so this evidence is unavailable rather than neutral.

Strategic Ownership
Insufficient Data

15% of Ownership Intelligence · 3% of the total score

No qualifying major-holder filings are stored, so this evidence is unavailable rather than neutral.

Ownership Intelligence summarizes publicly disclosed activity among professional investment managers, broader institutions, company insiders, and significant strategic owners. It adds context to investment research but is not a validated predictor of future performance. Ownership information is publicly reported with a delay; the latest applicable reporting period is 2026-06-30, publicly disclosed 9/11/2026. Congressional activity is unavailable pending legal review and contributes nothing to this reading.

Why it ranks here

  • Strong risk profile

    Risk Intelligence ranks in the top 17% of qualified companies, with normal_risk price risk.

What holds it back

  • Fundamental Momentum is softer

    Reported business trends rank below the qualified median.

  • Ownership evidence is not uniformly supportive

    The combined disclosed ownership evidence ranks below the qualified median.

COMPOSITE DISCOVERY MODEL — RESEARCH STAGE · Data coverage Excellent. Rankings are recalculated daily using the latest available information. Individual components may update at different frequencies based on when new financial and ownership data becomes available.

Researched separately

Valuation Intelligence 39 · Elevated

RESEARCH MODEL

Valuation Intelligence is currently researched separately and does not affect the Suggested Investment Score or daily ranking.

Researched separately

Capital Returns Intelligence 50 · Moderate Capital Returns

RESEARCH MODEL

Capital Returns Intelligence is researched separately and contributes 0% to the Suggested Investment Score, the daily rank or any ranking event.

Score explanation

Why this company scores the way it does

Four research areas carry fixed weights. Each area is compared against every other eligible company, then weighted. The four contributions below add to 62.1 of the stored score (62.1).

  • Risk Intelligence

    30% of the score · contributes 25.0 points

    How strong and defensively sound is the company?

    Stands at the 83 percentile of eligible companies · stored reading 75 · 40% of this company’s total score

    How financially sturdy the company has been when conditions turned against it.

    How this area is measured

    Risk Intelligence reads stored balance-sheet strength, historical downside behaviour and the company's price-risk grouping. A stronger reading describes past resilience; it does not protect against future losses.

    Full methodology
  • Long-Term Potential

    30% of the score · contributes 22.4 points

    Does the business have the characteristics needed to create value over many years?

    Stands at the 75 percentile of eligible companies · stored reading 63 · 36% of this company’s total score

    Whether the business has the durable characteristics long-term owners look for.

    How this area is measured

    Long-Term Potential reads durability characteristics such as profitability consistency, cash generation and reinvestment capability over multiple reported periods.

    Full methodology
  • Fundamental Momentum

    20% of the score · contributes 8.6 points

    Is the underlying business getting stronger or weaker?

    Stands at the 43 percentile of eligible companies · stored reading 47 · 14% of this company’s total score

    Whether the reported business results have been getting stronger or weaker.

    How this area is measured

    Fundamental Momentum compares recent reported fundamentals with the company's own earlier periods, so improvement or deterioration is measured against its history rather than against a forecast.

    Full methodology
  • Ownership Intelligence

    20% of the score · contributes 6.2 points

    What are important owners actually doing?

    Stands at the 31 percentile of eligible companies · stored reading 65 · 10% of this company’s total score

    What large reporting owners have actually been doing with their positions.

    How this area is measured

    Ownership Intelligence reads public ownership filings: how many tracked reporting owners hold the company, and whether they were adding, holding, reducing or exiting in the latest disclosed period.

    Full methodology

What is helping the score

  • Risk Intelligence83 percentile, adding 25.0 points.
  • Long-Term Potential75 percentile, adding 22.4 points.

What deserves attention

  • Ownership Intelligence31 percentile, adding only 6.2 of a possible 20 points.
  • Fundamental Momentum43 percentile, adding only 8.6 of a possible 20 points.
Outside the score

Additional research — not currently included in the primary Suggested Investment Score.

  • Valuation IntelligenceCADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC reads 39 out of 100 on Valuation Intelligence, recorded as Elevated. The stock currently trades above most of its own recent valuation history and above comparable companies. This describes the price being paid relative to the company's financials — it is not a forecast and not a fair value.
  • Capital Returns IntelligenceCADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC reads 50 out of 100 on Capital Returns Intelligence (Moderate Capital Returns), reflecting no measurable direct capital returns. Direct capital returns are limited because the company continues reinvesting most of its cash.

Stored snapshots only

What changed

Research-score history available since September 2026.

Stored research history does not yet cover a full 30 days comparison for this company.

A change is reported as meaningful at 8 score points, 5 rank places, or any change of research classification. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell.

Learn the metrics on this page

Plain-English definitions, with the formula and the limitations of each measure.

Fifth research lens · outside the score

Valuation Intelligence

Valuation Intelligence

Is today's price reasonable?

Valuation Intelligence is currently researched separately and does not affect the Suggested Investment Score or daily ranking.

39/ 100

Elevated

RESEARCH MODEL
Excellent coverage

Compared with its history

48

Reasonable

Is this company expensive or inexpensive compared with its own history?

Compared with peers

15

Expensive

How expensive is this stock compared with similar companies?

Earnings & cash flow

35

Elevated

How much financial output does an investor receive relative to the price paid?

Growth-adjusted

58

Reasonable

Does the company's growth help justify the valuation investors are paying?

CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC reads 39 out of 100 on Valuation Intelligence, recorded as Elevated. The stock currently trades above most of its own recent valuation history and above comparable companies. This describes the price being paid relative to the company's financials — it is not a forecast and not a fair value.

Price data through September 11, 2026 · Financial data through the quarter ended June 30, 2026

Valuation history

Stored readings only. The dashed line is this company's own median for the selected measure.

Only one stored valuation reading exists so far, so there is nothing to chart yet. Valuation history builds forward from activation rather than being reconstructed.

Current P/E 57.8x · own median 59.1x · peer median 27.8x

Valuation is inherently uncertain. A stock that appears inexpensive can continue falling, and a stock that appears expensive can continue rising. Valuation Intelligence provides context about the price investors are paying — it does not predict short-term market movements, and it never produces a fair value, a price target or a buy or sell range. Model VALUATION_INTELLIGENCE_V1.

Sixth research lens · outside the score

Capital Returns Intelligence

Capital Returns Intelligence

How effectively does the company reward shareholders?

Capital Returns Intelligence is researched separately and contributes 0% to the Suggested Investment Score, the daily rank or any ranking event.

50/ 100

Moderate Capital Returns

RESEARCH MODEL
Excellent coverage

Dividend Quality

Not Applicable — No Dividend

Dividend reliability

This company currently retains rather than distributes cash through dividends. Capital Returns Intelligence therefore places more emphasis on its other measurable shareholder-return behaviors according to the frozen V1 methodology.

Buyback Effectiveness

30

Limited Capital Returns

Do buybacks actually reduce shares?

The company spends on share repurchases, but much of that activity offsets share issuance rather than materially reducing the share count.

Dilution Control

44

Moderate Capital Returns

Is your ownership share protected?

Capital Return Sustainability

88

Exceptional Capital Returns

Can the cash flow support it?

Shareholder Yield

36

Limited Capital Returns

Cash returned versus company value

CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC reads 50 out of 100 on Capital Returns Intelligence (Moderate Capital Returns), reflecting no measurable direct capital returns. Direct capital returns are limited because the company continues reinvesting most of its cash.

This company currently retains rather than distributes cash through dividends. Capital Returns Intelligence therefore places more emphasis on its other measurable shareholder-return behaviors according to the frozen V1 methodology.

This company spent cash repurchasing stock, but the share count did not fall meaningfully because it also issued shares. Repurchase spending alone did not increase existing shareholders' ownership.

How returned cash was used

Dividends $0.00 · net repurchases $643.61M · total returned $643.61M · 38% of free cash flow

Price data through September 11, 2026 · Financial data through the quarter ended June 30, 2026

Capital returns history

Stored readings only. History builds forward from activation rather than being reconstructed.

Only one stored reading exists for this measure so far, so there is nothing to chart yet.

Why higher yield isn't always better

A very high dividend yield may reflect a falling share price or an unsustainable payout. Capital Returns Intelligence emphasizes consistency and sustainability rather than simply rewarding the highest yield.

Why buybacks can be misleading

Announced or gross buyback spending does not always mean shareholders are gaining ownership. Companies can simultaneously issue shares through employee compensation or acquisitions. Suggested Investments therefore considers actual share-count changes alongside repurchase spending.

What these terms mean
Dividend Yield
The annual dividend relative to the current share price.
Payout Ratio
The share of company earnings used to pay dividends.
Free Cash Flow Payout
How much of the company's available cash is being used for dividends.
Share Repurchases
When a company buys back its own stock.
Dilution
When the number of shares increases, reducing each existing share's percentage ownership of the company.
Shareholder Yield
A combined view of dividends and net share repurchases relative to the company's market value.

Capital Returns Intelligence describes how a company returns capital to shareholders. It is not a measure of stock-price performance, it does not predict future returns, and a strong reading is never a recommendation to buy. Dividends and repurchases can be reduced or stopped at any time. Model CAPITAL_RETURNS_INTELLIGENCE_V1, contributing 0% to the Suggested Investment Score.

Stored daily snapshots only

Ranking history

Stored Suggested Investment ranking history
Today#177Score 62
30 days agoNot rankedNo stored score
90 days agoNot rankedNo stored score
First suggestedSeptember 12, 2026
Highest rank#177

In the company’s own words

What this company does

This Annual Report and the documents incorporated by reference in this Annual Report contain statements that are not historical in nature, are predictive, or that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions or contain other forward-looking statements. Statements including, but not limited to, statements regarding artificial intelligence ("AI"), other technological and market advancements and their impacts on our business; the extent, timing and mix of future revenues and customer demand; the deployment of our products and services; the impact of the macroeconomic and geopolitical environment, including but not limited to, expanded trade controls, tariffs, conflicts around the world, volatility in foreign currency exchange rates, inflation and changes in interest rates; the impact of government actions; future costs, expenses, tax rates and uses of cash; pending legal, administrative and tax proceedings; restructuring actions and associated charges and benefits; pending acquisitions, accounting for acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses; and other statements using words such as "anticipates," "believes," "could," "estimates," "expects," "forecasts," "intends," "may," "plans," "projects," "should," "targets," "will" and "would," and words of similar import and the negatives thereof, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are predictions based upon our current expectations about future events. Actual results could vary materially as a result of certain factors, including but not limited to those expressed in these statements. Important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those identified in the "Proprietary Technology," "Governmental Regulations," "Competition," "Risk Factors," "Critical Accounting Estimates," "Results of Operations," "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk" and "Liquidity and Capital Resources" sections contained in this Annual Report and the risks discussed in our other Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings.

We urge you to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to our company or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements included in this Annual Report are made only as of the date of this Annual Report. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update these forward-looking statements.

Cadence is a global technology leader that develops computational, AI-driven software, accelerated hardware, and silicon intellectual property ("IP") products and solutions. Our customers include semiconductor companies that design and manufacture integrated circuits ("ICs"), as well as systems companies that design and manufacture electromechanical systems containing various types of semiconductor and other electronics. Our products and solutions empower our customers to design and verify and bring to life new and innovative products. Our mission is to empower the world’s most innovative companies to deliver extraordinary electronic products that drive the global economy and improve everyday life.

Designing even the simplest electronic systems is a sophisticated process that requires highly skilled engineers with specialized expertise. Our Intelligent System Design ("ISD") strategy enables us to address our customers' most challenging product development needs while expanding our capabilities beyond traditional chip design to encompass full electromechanical systems. By leveraging our deep expertise, we develop industry-leading computational AI-driven software, accelerated hardware, and IP solutions that adapt to our customers’ evolving design requirements. This flexibility helps our customers address critical business priorities such as reducing time-to-market and advancing sustainability goals. To address the growing complexity of modern design, we’ve integrated cutting-edge technologies including agentic and generative AI, machine learning, and digital twin algorithms, into our core products and solutions. These innovations, whether developed in-house or through strategic acquisition, empower our customers to achieve their business objectives with greater efficiency and precision.

Quoted from the business section of this company’s 10-K filed February 19, 2026. Read the filing

Four distinct intelligence areas

The IA view

Risk Intelligence

Production core

75

Fundamentally Qualified

+30.9 vs Jun 30, 2026

Business Quality qualification score from the locked IA Defensive Research Core. Price Risk stays a separate category and is never blended in.

As of Sep 11, 2026

Long-Term Potential

Research model

63

Elite Compounder

No prior period to compare

Durable business economics and reinvestment characteristics. Independent external validation is pending.

As of Sep 11, 2026

Fundamental Momentum

Research model

47

Middle

No prior period to compare

Direction and breadth of change in underlying business fundamentals. Not a price-momentum signal.

As of Sep 11, 2026

Elite Investor Activity

Supplemental

60

Mid range

0 vs Jun 30, 2026

Only 5 tracked managers disclosed a position — treat as limited coverage.

As of Sep 11, 2026

Company intelligence

CDNS score history

Each area is measured and reported separately. No combined score exists.

CDNS intelligence history from 2023-09-30 to 2026-09-11. Risk Intelligence 74.9 on 2026-09-11, up 30.9 from 44 on 2026-06-30. Long-Term Potential 63 on 2026-09-11. Fundamental Momentum 47.4 on 2026-09-11. Elite Investor Activity 60 on 2026-09-11, unchanged 0 from 60 on 2026-06-30. Each area is reported separately and is never combined into a single score.

Risk Intelligence 74.9 as of Sep 11, 2026 (+30.9 vs prior period) · Production core

Long-Term Potential 63 as of Sep 11, 2026 · Research model

Fundamental Momentum 47.4 as of Sep 11, 2026 · Research model

Elite Investor Activity 60 as of Sep 11, 2026 (0 vs prior period) · Supplemental

Share price

CDNS price history

Closing prices adjusted for splits and dividends, through Sep 11, 2026. Past prices do not indicate future results.

6M change
-0.3%
1Y change
-18.4%
3Y change
+20.0%
5Y change
+72.6%
Max change
+305.1%

Last stored close $289.37 · -18.4% over the selected range · 52 sessions shown

Balanced evidence

Why IA likes it

  • More disclosed holders are new or increasing than reducing or exiting.

Risk and uncertainty

What IA doesn’t like

  • No specific negative evidence is available. This is not evidence of low risk.

What would change our view

  • Business Quality falling below the frozen qualification threshold.
  • Price Risk moving to a less favorable category.
  • A sustained reversal in the Fundamental Momentum research evidence.
  • New material public ownership disclosures.

Public filings · descriptive only

Elite Investor Activity

Reporting holders

16

New holders

11

Increasing

0

Reducing

3

Exiting

2

Coverage

Excellent

Positive disclosed activity · Report period 2022-12-31 · Public 12/19/2023

ManagerChangePortfolio weightRankDisclosed

Insufficient high-confidence manager coverage.

Objective stored changes

What changed

  • Risk Intelligence

    IA Defensive improved

    Business Quality qualification score moved from 44.0 to 46.7.

  • Risk Intelligence

    IA Defensive weakened

    Business Quality qualification score moved from 47.7 to 44.0.

  • Elite Investor Activity

    Elite Investor Consensus strengthened

    Disclosed agreement among tracked managers moved from 40 to 60 for the reporting period ending 2026-06-30.

  • Elite Investor Activity

    Elite Investor Consensus weakened

    Disclosed agreement among tracked managers moved from 75 to 40 for the reporting period ending 2026-03-31.

  • Elite Investor Activity

    Elite Investor Consensus strengthened

    Disclosed agreement among tracked managers moved from 70 to 80 for the reporting period ending 2025-09-30.

  • Elite Investor Activity

    Elite Investor Consensus strengthened

    Disclosed agreement among tracked managers moved from 60 to 70 for the reporting period ending 2025-06-30.

  • Elite Investor Activity

    Elite Investor Consensus strengthened

    Disclosed agreement among tracked managers moved from 50 to 60 for the reporting period ending 2025-03-31.

  • Elite Investor Activity

    Elite Investor Consensus weakened

    Disclosed agreement among tracked managers moved from 80 to 50 for the reporting period ending 2024-12-31.

  • Elite Investor Activity

    Tracked managers initiated positions

    4 tracked managers first disclosed a position for the reporting period ending 2024-09-30.

Ownership timeline

No high-confidence public ownership events are available.

General research only. Not personalized advice. Public filings may be delayed, amended, incomplete, or reflect positions that have changed since the reporting date.