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CDNS vs. MSTR: Cadence Design Systems vs. Strategy Stock Comparison

How do Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR) are both classified in the Application Software sub-industry within the broader Software industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR)
Profile ItemCDNSMSTR
NameCadence Design Systems, Inc.Strategy Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustrySoftwareSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryApplication SoftwareApplication Software
Market Capitalization87.78 billion USD54.57 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateJune 10, 1987June 11, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CDNS
MSTR
GSPC
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR)
MetricCDNSMSTR
Total Return (1Y)3.07%-48.13%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)9.32%36.44%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)12.93%7.87%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CDNS
MSTR
GSPC
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Strategy (MSTR) carries a highly aggressive beta of 3.60, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) is closer to market-like at 1.09 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk profile metrics for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR)
MetricCDNSMSTR
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)42.21%82.34%
Beta (5Y)1.093.60
Max Drawdown (5Y)-34.21%-84.09%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.41M22.35M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CDNS and MSTR are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR)
MetricCDNSMSTR
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.03-0.64
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.04-0.97

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Strategy (MSTR) reports a negative ROE of -21.59%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) reports 22.87%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

22.87%

Max
53.85%
CDNS
22.87%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

-21.59%

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
MSTR
-21.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their ROE against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) at 22.52% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Strategy (MSTR) at 0.00%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

22.52%

Max
41.17%
CDNS
22.52%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
MSTR
0.00%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Strategy (MSTR) reports a negative operating margin of -2.07%, usually indicating that operating costs exceeded revenue at the operating-income line. Meanwhile Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) reports 28.93%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

28.93%

Max
46.89%
CDNS
28.93%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

-2.07%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
MSTR
-2.07%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR)
MetricCDNSMSTR
ROE (TTM)22.87%-21.59%
ROA (TTM)10.52%-4.52%
Net Margin (TTM)22.52%0.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)28.93%-2.07%
Gross Margin (TTM)85.68%67.84%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) at 14.12% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Strategy (MSTR) at 2.97% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) reports EPS growth of 5.45%, ranked against its industry; Strategy (MSTR) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR)
MetricCDNSMSTR
Revenue Growth (YoY)14.12%2.97%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)14.14%-1.49%
EPS Growth (YoY)5.45%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)9.53%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) at 1.36 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Strategy (MSTR) at 4.04 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

1.36

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
CDNS
1.36
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

4.04

Max
5.11
MSTR
4.04
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) at 0.41 and Strategy (MSTR) at 0.10 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

0.41

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
CDNS
0.41
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

0.10

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
MSTR
0.10
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR)
MetricCDNSMSTR
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.364.04
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.410.10
Net Debt / EBITDA0.57--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Neither Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) nor Strategy (MSTR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

CDNS
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

MSTR
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Neither Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) nor Strategy (MSTR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

CDNS
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

MSTR
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR)
MetricCDNSMSTR
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) trades at 63.60 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Strategy (MSTR) has no P/E ratio this period.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

63.60

Max
112.94
CDNS
63.60
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

--

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
MSTR
--
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): MSTR does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; CDNS is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) at 14.31 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Strategy (MSTR) at 110.23 prices even higher, above its industry range.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

14.31

Max
17.91
CDNS
14.31
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

110.23

MSTR
110.23
Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Strategy (MSTR) at 0.98 looks cheap against book in the lower P/B ratio quartile, while Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) at 12.77 carries a premium in the upper quartile — a clear price-to-book gap.

CDNS

Software & Services industry group

12.77

Max
16.63
CDNS
12.77
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90

MSTR

Software & Services industry group

0.98

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
MSTR
0.98
Min
-3.90
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Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) vs. Strategy (MSTR): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Strategy (MSTR)
MetricCDNSMSTR
P/E Ratio (TTM)63.60--
P/S Ratio (TTM)14.31110.23
P/B Ratio (MRQ)12.770.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.99%-5.94%