Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs Cloudflare (NET)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Cloudflare (NET) has outperformed Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) over the past year, gaining 57.8% versus a gain of 3.1%. Over five years, CDNS leads with a +128.6% price change compared with +104.5% for NET. Cloudflare is the larger company by market cap ($122.12 billion vs $98.07 billion), about 1.2 times the size.
On valuation, Cadence Design Systems trades at a lower forward P/E (37.2x vs 204.6x for Cloudflare). Cadence Design Systems converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 20.9% versus -4.7%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | CDNS | NET |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $356.12 | $342.97 |
| Market cap | $98.07B | $122.12B |
| 1-day change | -0.95% | -3.39% |
| YTD return | +13.93% | +73.96% |
| 1-year return | +3.08% | +57.77% |
| 5-year return | +128.60% | +104.53% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 71.51 | — |
| Forward P/E | 37.22 | 204.62 |
| EPS (TTM) | $4.98 | $-0.56 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $5.30B | $2.17B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +14.12% | +29.85% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.11B | $-102.27M |
| Gross margin | — | 74.51% |
| Operating margin | 28.17% | -9.56% |
| Net margin | 20.94% | -4.72% |
| 52-week high | $416.69 | $370.35 |
| 52-week low | $262.75 | $158.83 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -14.54% | -7.39% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +14.07% | -0.95% |
| Average volume | 2.39M | 3.35M |
| Shares outstanding | 275.39M | 322.62M |
| Employees | 15,445 | 5,156 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Software - Application | Computer Software: Prepackaged Software |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- NET has outperformed CDNS by 54.7 percentage points over the past year.
- Cadence Design Systems is more profitable, keeping 20.9 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus -4.7 cents for Cloudflare.
- Cloudflare grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+29.85% vs +14.12%).
About Cadence Design Systems
CDNS stock →Cadence Design Systems, Inc. develops computational, AI-driven software, hardware, and silicon intellectual property products and solutions.
Technology · Software - Application · 15,445 employees
About Cloudflare
NET stock →Cloudflare, Inc. operates as a cloud services provider that delivers a range of services to businesses worldwide.
Technology · Computer Software: Prepackaged Software · 5,156 employees
CDNS vs NET FAQ
Which is bigger, Cadence Design Systems or Cloudflare?
Cloudflare (NET) is larger, with a market capitalization of $122.12B compared with $98.07B for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CDNS or NET?
NET returned +57.77% over the past 12 months, compared with +3.08% for CDNS (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are Cadence Design Systems and Cloudflare in the same industry?
Both are in the Technology sector, but in different industries: Software - Application for Cadence Design Systems and Computer Software: Prepackaged Software for Cloudflare.