Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) Published Snapshot
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. is added as a high-quality large-cap coverage candidate with high-margin EDA software and system-design tools tied to semiconductor complexity. The initial AnalystScope view weighs rising design complexity across AI, advanced packaging, and systems design against a premium quality multiple captures much of the defensiveness, keeping the rating restrained until the model has more live refresh history.
This page preserves a point-in-time printable snapshot at the report date shown below. It is not the live research workspace. For the current fair value, model signal, filing status, refreshed model output, and private scenario sandbox, return to the company research view.
Current research view reference
Kept here as reference beside the printable snapshot: the current research view now shows a Sell signal with high confidence as shares are currently being evaluated against an older daily scheduled quote of $385 versus $327 fair value, implying -15.2 downside.
Price vs fair value
-15.1%
Model-implied return
Stale scheduled quote
$385
Fair value
$327
Valuation method stack
Weighted fair value $327
Published method weights
DCF (Base)
$332 | 45%
NTM P/E Multiple
$322 | 35%
EV/EBITDA Cross-check
$322 | 20%
Fundamental snapshot
FY2025
Normalized annual model base
Revenue
+13.0% YoY
$5.2B
Op. margin
+2.3% pts
32.7%
FCF margin
+0.1% pts
32.7%
Published valuation range
Bear / base / bull context
Uses report scenario anchors
DCF (Base)
$332
NTM P/E Multiple
$322
EV/EBITDA Cross-check
$322
Current workspace signal
Sell
Confidence
High
Stale scheduled quote
$385
Fair value
$327
-15.2 downside
Reference freshness
Price basis
Stale scheduled quote
Latest daily scheduled quote is past the freshness window. Daily scheduled refresh as of Jun 15, 2026, 7:24 AM UTC. Fresh through Jun 16, 2026, 7:24 AM UTC.
Filing reference
4 filed Jun 15, 2026 | Reporting period Jun 11, 2026
Filing refreshed Jun 17, 2026, 4:04 AM UTC. Fresh through Jun 17, 2026, 4:04 PM UTC.
Fundamentals reference
Live SEC companyfacts currently cover revenue, operating margin, free cash flow, and net cash / net debt. Reporting period end 2025-12-31.
Fundamentals refreshed 17 Jun 2026, 03:56 UTC. Fresh through 17 Jun 2026, 15:56 UTC.
Model vs published view
Current model signal differs from the latest published analyst rating.
Thesis scorecard
Growth
Moderaterising design complexity across AI, advanced packaging, and systems design
Profitability
Strongsoftware scale supports durable operating and free-cash-flow margins
Balance sheet
Moderatenet cash and strong cash conversion keep financial risk low
Valuation
Moderatea premium quality multiple captures much of the defensiveness
Execution / Resilience
Moderatesemiconductor design-cycle timing and premium valuation are the central risks
Bull / Base / Bear scenarios
Bull case
$366
Normalized support: Growth, margin, and cash-flow trends are mixed versus the upside case.
Base case
$327
Normalized support: Current margin, cash-generation, and balance-sheet profile support the base case.
Bear case
$261
Downside protection: Cash generation and balance-sheet support remain supportive in the bear case.
Base-case assumptions
These are the published base-case assumptions behind the note. They are reasoned valuation inputs at the report date, not reported facts.
Revenue CAGR (5Y)
11.0%
+/- 1.0% => +/-$9/sh
Why this level: This is AnalystScope's base-case growth assumption, not a guarantee. It sits below the latest FY model-base revenue pace (2025.0%), so the model does not extend current strength too far into the outer years. Current company context: Recurring software demand supports durable margins.
Terminal Growth
3.0%
+/- 0.5% => +/-$7/sh
Why this level: This is AnalystScope's mature long-run growth assumption, not a perpetual hypergrowth claim. At 3.0%, it sits well below the 11.0% five-year revenue CAGR, so the model steps down from the explicit forecast period to a steadier long-run pace. For Cadence Design Systems, Inc., that means a durable franchise can keep compounding after year five without assuming today's faster growth profile lasts indefinitely.
WACC
8.6%
+/- 0.5% => -$12/sh
Why this level: This is AnalystScope's base-case cost-of-capital judgment, not a precise CAPM output. It reflects the current rates backdrop, equity risk premium, and the company's balance-sheet posture. Modest net cash with high recurring software cash conversion
Operating Margin (Year 5)
34.0%
+/- 100 bps => +/-$7/sh
Why this level: This is AnalystScope's base-case margin view, not a promise of straight-line expansion. It keeps year-five margins close to today's model-base operating margin (32.7%), which implies the current margin structure is broadly durable. Margin input uses a durable operating base and tempers one-off restructuring, mix, and cycle effects.
How to read the assumptions and sensitivities
These are base-case assumptions used to estimate fair value. They are reasonable model inputs, not reported facts.
Each sensitivity line shows the estimated fair-value-per-share change from a small move in that one input while the other inputs stay fixed.
bps means basis points. 100 bps equals 1.00 percentage point.
WACC sensitivity moves in the opposite direction because a higher discount rate lowers present value, while a lower discount rate raises it.
Model base vs reported fundamentals
Side-by-side view of the latest live reported fundamentals versus the current AnalystScope model base used in public valuation and thesis work.
Reported numbers show the latest company print. Model base is the comparable operating base AnalystScope uses for valuation work, which can include standardization, conservative balance-sheet treatment, working-capital cleanup, and through-cycle adjustments when current reported figures do not look durable.
Reported fundamentals source
SEC XBRL companyfacts API
Live SEC companyfacts currently cover revenue, operating margin, free cash flow, and net cash / net debt. Reporting period end 2025-12-31.
Fundamentals refreshed 17 Jun 2026, 03:56 UTC. Fresh through 17 Jun 2026, 15:56 UTC.
Model-base impact on the thesis
This initial coverage setup keeps valuation tied to durable normalized fundamentals and avoids letting a single recent print dominate the public view.
| Metric | Live reported | Status | Model base | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue (TTM) | $5.3B | Live reported | $5.2B +13.0% YoY Adjustment: Model revenue smooths short-term demand, timing, and segment-mix volatility rather than treating the latest period as a straight-line run rate. | Model base |
| Operating Margin | 28.2% | Live reported | 32.7% +226 bps YoY Adjustment: Margin input uses a durable operating base and tempers one-off restructuring, mix, and cycle effects. | Model base |
| FCF (TTM) | $1.6B | Live reported | $1.7B 32.7% margin Adjustment: FCF input normalizes working-capital and capital-spending timing so cash conversion is not over-read from one period. | Model base |
| Net Cash / (Debt) | $1.1B | Live reported | $1.0B Modest net cash with high recurring software cash conversion Adjustment: Balance-sheet input uses a conservative net cash / debt posture without assuming all cash is excess or fully distributable. | Model base |
Published investment view
The published snapshot remains anchored to a Hold rating, with the latest note event recorded as New. The current workspace now evaluates the stock against $385 versus a base-case fair value of $327, implying -15.2 downside.
Fair value $327 vs. current $385 (-15.2 downside).
Confidence framing
Method agreement / dispersion
Valuation methods are tightly grouped, with implied values ranging from $322 to $332.
Margin strength
Operating margin is 32.7%, with +226 bps vs prior FY.
Balance sheet position
Balance sheet positioning is $1.0B, with modest net cash with high recurring software cash conversion.
Key drivers
Advanced semiconductor complexity raises the value of design automation.
Recurring software demand supports durable margins.
System-design breadth can expand use cases beyond traditional chip design.
Key risks
Semiconductor customer spending can slow with design-cycle pauses.
Valuation could compress if growth normalizes.
Competition remains intense in key EDA categories.
What would change our view
A clearer evidence base around rising design complexity across ai, advanced packaging, and systems design would improve confidence.
A deterioration in software scale supports durable operating and free-cash-flow margins would reduce support for the current fair value.
A wider gap between price and normalized cash-flow support would make the rating harder to defend.
Near-term catalysts
Next quarterly update and management commentary on demand quality.
Reported margin, cash-flow conversion, and balance-sheet movement versus the normalized model base.
Daily scheduled quote refreshes that tighten the current price-versus-fair-value read.
What we are watching
Backlog and renewal commentary.
System-design expansion and AI design-tool adoption.
Margin durability as R&D investment continues.
Report archive context
Archive metadata below keeps the published snapshot context visible. Current research-view valuation and quote context stay secondary on this page.
How to read note event vs rating
Note event tells you what changed in the latest published note. Published rating shows the stance after that event.
Both were published Jun 13, 2026.
Report updated
Jun 13, 2026
Coverage status
Active coverage
Latest note event
New
Published Jun 13, 2026
Current published rating
Hold
Published Jun 13, 2026
Analyst note
New coverage entry focused on rising design complexity across ai, advanced packaging, and systems design and a premium quality multiple captures much of the defensiveness.
What changed in the report
Jun 13, 2026
Added to AnalystScope coverage
Impact: Started coverage with a Hold view on high-quality EDA exposure versus premium valuation.
Jun 13, 2026
Initialized normalized annual model base
Impact: Completes a clean initial EDA pair with Synopsys.
Report timeline
Jun 13, 2026
Started coverage with a Hold view on high-quality EDA exposure versus premium valuation.