Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs Snowflake (SNOW)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Snowflake (SNOW) has outperformed Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) over the past year, gaining 41.8% versus a gain of 3.1%. Over five years, CDNS leads with a +128.6% price change compared with -0.2% for SNOW. Snowflake is the larger company by market cap ($117.43 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 110.8x for Snowflake). Cadence Design Systems converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 20.9% versus -28.4%.
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 | SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $356.12 | $332.85 |
| Market cap | $98.07B | $117.43B |
| 1-day change | -0.95% | -0.92% |
| YTD return | +13.93% | +51.74% |
| 1-year return | +3.08% | +41.75% |
| 5-year return | +128.60% | -0.22% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 71.51 | — |
| Forward P/E | 37.22 | 110.76 |
| EPS (TTM) | $4.98 | $-3.15 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $5.30B | $4.68B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +14.12% | +29.16% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.11B | $-1.33B |
| Gross margin | — | 67.17% |
| Operating margin | 28.17% | -30.64% |
| Net margin | 20.94% | -28.43% |
| 52-week high | $416.69 | $384.56 |
| 52-week low | $262.75 | $118.30 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -14.54% | -13.45% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +14.07% | +27.73% |
| Average volume | 2.39M | 4.78M |
| Shares outstanding | 275.39M | 352.80M |
| Employees | 15,445 | 9,394 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Software - Application | Software - Application |
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
- SNOW has outperformed CDNS by 38.7 percentage points over the past year.
- Cadence Design Systems is more profitable, keeping 20.9 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus -28.4 cents for Snowflake.
- Snowflake grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+29.16% 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 Snowflake
SNOW stock →Snowflake Inc. provides a cloud-based data platform for various organizations in the United States and internationally.
Technology · Software - Application · 9,394 employees
CDNS vs SNOW FAQ
Which is bigger, Cadence Design Systems or Snowflake?
Snowflake (SNOW) is larger, with a market capitalization of $117.43B compared with $98.07B for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CDNS or SNOW?
SNOW returned +41.75% 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 Snowflake in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Software - Application industry within the Technology sector.