AKAM vs. CDNS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AKAM and CDNS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
CDNS’s market capitalization of 89.23 billion USD is significantly greater than AKAM’s 11.31 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 0.77 for AKAM and 0.98 for CDNS, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AKAM | CDNS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Akamai Technologies, Inc. | Cadence Design Systems, Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Software - Infrastructure | Software - Application |
| CEO | F. Thomson Leighton | Anirudh Devgan |
| Price | 79.48 USD | 326.81 USD |
| Market Cap | 11.31 billion USD | 89.23 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.77 | 0.98 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | October 29, 1999 | June 10, 1987 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AKAM and CDNS by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AKAM
9.52%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 80.61%
- Q3
- 29.97%
- Median
- 2.84%
- Q1
- -8.35%
- Min
- -56.26%
AKAM’s Return on Equity of 9.52% is on par with the norm for the Software - Infrastructure industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
CDNS
22.02%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 59.01%
- Q3
- 17.85%
- Median
- 4.73%
- Q1
- -10.56%
- Min
- -52.94%
In the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry, CDNS’s Return on Equity of 22.02% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Return on Invested Capital
AKAM
4.40%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 39.31%
- Q3
- 11.97%
- Median
- 1.67%
- Q1
- -7.10%
- Min
- -34.29%
AKAM’s Return on Invested Capital of 4.40% is in line with the norm for the Software - Infrastructure industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
CDNS
14.22%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 35.07%
- Q3
- 9.72%
- Median
- 0.76%
- Q1
- -8.68%
- Min
- -34.12%
In the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry, CDNS’s Return on Invested Capital of 14.22% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
AKAM
11.26%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 46.46%
- Q3
- 14.65%
- Median
- 2.66%
- Q1
- -7.70%
- Min
- -35.45%
AKAM’s Net Profit Margin of 11.26% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Software - Infrastructure industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
CDNS
22.19%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 48.14%
- Q3
- 16.07%
- Median
- 1.83%
- Q1
- -9.60%
- Min
- -45.64%
A Net Profit Margin of 22.19% places CDNS in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
AKAM
12.97%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 48.51%
- Q3
- 16.56%
- Median
- 4.48%
- Q1
- -6.43%
- Min
- -40.18%
AKAM’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.97% is around the midpoint for the Software - Infrastructure industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
CDNS
30.00%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 51.67%
- Q3
- 15.35%
- Median
- 1.79%
- Q1
- -12.42%
- Min
- -45.17%
An Operating Profit Margin of 30.00% places CDNS in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AKAM | CDNS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 9.52% | 22.02% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 4.53% | 12.00% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 4.40% | 14.22% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.26% | 22.19% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.97% | 30.00% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 59.07% | 85.86% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AKAM
1.18
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 3.80
- Q3
- 2.25
- Median
- 1.51
- Q1
- 1.10
- Min
- 0.23
AKAM’s Current Ratio of 1.18 aligns with the median group of the Software - Infrastructure industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
CDNS
3.07
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 5.09
- Q3
- 2.84
- Median
- 1.70
- Q1
- 1.12
- Min
- 0.04
CDNS’s Current Ratio of 3.07 is in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AKAM
1.01
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 2.56
- Q3
- 1.12
- Median
- 0.33
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
AKAM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.01 is typical for the Software - Infrastructure industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
CDNS
0.52
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 1.85
- Q3
- 0.77
- Median
- 0.18
- Q1
- 0.05
- Min
- 0.00
CDNS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.52 is typical for the Software - Application industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AKAM
17.98
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 32.21
- Q3
- 5.24
- Median
- 0.95
- Q1
- -17.99
- Min
- -50.82
AKAM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 17.98 is in the upper quartile for the Software - Infrastructure industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
CDNS
15.17
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 39.23
- Q3
- 8.55
- Median
- 1.48
- Q1
- -14.59
- Min
- -39.97
CDNS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 15.17 is in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AKAM | CDNS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.18 | 3.07 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.18 | 2.90 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 1.01 | 0.52 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.46 | 0.27 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 2.78 | -0.17 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 17.98 | 15.17 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AKAM and CDNS. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AKAM
0.00%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 4.07%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AKAM currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
CDNS
0.00%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 3.66%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CDNS currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AKAM
0.00%
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 48.68%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AKAM has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
CDNS
0.00%
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 81.09%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CDNS has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AKAM | CDNS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AKAM
26.17
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 107.77
- Q3
- 54.40
- Median
- 28.10
- Q1
- 18.03
- Min
- 5.32
AKAM’s P/E Ratio of 26.17 is within the middle range for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
CDNS
82.19
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 194.31
- Q3
- 98.56
- Median
- 51.87
- Q1
- 22.76
- Min
- 1.02
CDNS’s P/E Ratio of 82.19 is within the middle range for the Software - Application industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AKAM
3.08
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 8.12
- Q3
- 3.94
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.01
AKAM’s Forward PEG Ratio of 3.08 is within the middle range of its peers in the Software - Infrastructure industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
CDNS
11.37
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 15.44
- Q3
- 6.57
- Median
- 2.78
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.00
A Forward PEG Ratio of 11.37 places CDNS in the upper quartile for the Software - Application industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AKAM
2.81
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 18.25
- Q3
- 9.05
- Median
- 4.77
- Q1
- 2.30
- Min
- 0.11
AKAM’s P/S Ratio of 2.81 aligns with the market consensus for the Software - Infrastructure industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
CDNS
18.31
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 23.49
- Q3
- 11.14
- Median
- 5.62
- Q1
- 2.84
- Min
- 0.33
CDNS’s P/S Ratio of 18.31 is in the upper echelon for the Software - Application industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AKAM
2.58
Software - Infrastructure Industry
- Max
- 19.94
- Q3
- 10.91
- Median
- 6.33
- Q1
- 2.95
- Min
- 0.51
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Software - Infrastructure industry.
CDNS
18.61
Software - Application Industry
- Max
- 21.03
- Q3
- 10.49
- Median
- 6.36
- Q1
- 2.89
- Min
- 0.12
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Software - Application industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AKAM | CDNS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 26.17 | 82.19 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 3.08 | 11.37 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 2.81 | 18.31 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 2.58 | 18.61 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 14.33 | 64.74 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 11.70 | 50.94 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.69 | 18.24 |