Monday, 9 November 2026
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Synopsys vs Cadence: revenue, margins and valuation

Synopsys and Cadence share the EDA & IP model: each sells chip-design software and IP licences, with subscription and licence revenue. Latest reported quarterly revenue: Synopsys US$2.5B in Q3 FY2026; Cadence US$1.6B in Q3 2026.

  • SynopsysSNPS
  • CadenceCDNS

You can add 1 more.

SNPS · EI EDA & IPNo upcoming date listed
CDNS · EI EDA & IPNo upcoming date listed

Valuation

Market cap

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. Leader.

Trailing P/Elower is better

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. No dated market figure stored

P/Slower is better

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. No dated market figure stored

Growth

Revenue growth

Synopsys. Leader.
Cadence Design Systems.

Peer median (20 companies): 46.5% · 18 with data

Profitability

Gross margin

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. Leader.

Peer median (20 companies): 61.9% · 19 with data

Operating margin

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. Leader.

Peer median (20 companies): 36.8%

Net margin

Synopsys. Leader.
Cadence Design Systems.

Peer median (20 companies): 30.7%

Diluted EPS

Synopsys. Leader.
Cadence Design Systems.

EPS (basic)

Synopsys. Not stored for this period
Cadence Design Systems.

R&D % of revenue

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems.

Peer median (20 companies): 9.9% · 18 with data

Scale

Revenue

Synopsys. Leader.
Cadence Design Systems.

Operating income

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. Leader.

Net income

Synopsys. Leader.
Cadence Design Systems.

R&D

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems.

Capex

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. Capex not stored for Q3 2026

Free cash flow

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. Operating cash flow and capex not stored for Q3 2026

Net cash / net debt

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. Leader.

Employees

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems. Not stored for this period

Shares outstanding

Synopsys.
Cadence Design Systems.
MetricSynopsysCadencePeer median(20 companies)
Valuation
Market capLeader.
Trailing P/Elower is better—
P/Slower is better—
Growth
Revenue growthLeader. 46.5%18 with data
Profitability
Gross marginLeader. 61.9%19 with data
Operating marginLeader. 36.8%
Net marginLeader. 30.7%
Diluted EPSLeader.
EPS (basic)—
R&D % of revenue9.9%18 with data
Scale
RevenueLeader.
Operating incomeLeader.
Net incomeLeader.
R&D
Capex—
Free cash flow—
Net cash / net debtLeader.
Employees—
Shares outstanding

Valuation

Trailing P/EMultiple (x), trailing twelve months; period under each companySynopsys: 89.2x · TTM ended 31 Jul 2026 · to 31 Jul 2026 (Calculated)Synopsys89.2xTTM ended 31 Jul 2026…Source: company filings, trailing twelve months · Silicon Analytica calculationsSilicon Analyticasiliconanalytica.com/compare/synopsys-vs-cadence
  • Calculated Price ÷ last four reported quarters of diluted EPS. Loss-making companies show N/M.
View sources (1)

Not shown: Cadence: No dated market figure stored.

P/SMultiple (x), trailing twelve months; period under each companySynopsys: 10.4x · TTM revenue through 31 Jul 2026 · to 31 Jul 2026 (Calculated)Synopsys10.4xTTM revenue through 3…Source: company filings, trailing twelve months · Silicon Analytica calculationsSilicon Analyticasiliconanalytica.com/compare/synopsys-vs-cadence
  • Calculated Market cap ÷ trailing-twelve-month revenue.
View sources (1)

Not shown: Cadence: No dated market figure stored.

Growth

Revenue growthPercent, latest quarter; period under each companySynopsys: 42.4% · Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul 2026 (Calculated)Synopsys42.4%Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul…Cadence: 22.0% · Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2026 (Calculated)Cadence22.0%Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2…Peer median (20 companies) 46.5%Source: company filings, latest quarter · Silicon Analytica calculationsSilicon Analyticasiliconanalytica.com/compare/synopsys-vs-cadence
  • Calculated Change versus the same period a year earlier.
View sources (2)

Profitability

Gross marginPercent, latest quarter; period under each companySynopsys: 72.6% · Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul 2026 (Calculated)Synopsys72.6%Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul…Cadence: 85.6% · Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2026 (Calculated)Cadence85.6%Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2…Peer median (20 companies) 61.9%Source: company filings, latest quarter · Silicon Analytica calculationsSilicon Analyticasiliconanalytica.com/compare/synopsys-vs-cadence
  • Calculated Gross profit ÷ revenue, GAAP/IFRS unless labelled otherwise.
View sources (2)
Operating marginPercent, latest quarter; period under each companySynopsys: 14.4% · Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul 2026 (Calculated)Synopsys14.4%Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul…Cadence: 26.2% · Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2026 (Calculated)Cadence26.2%Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2…Peer median (20 companies) 36.8%Source: company filings, latest quarter · Silicon Analytica calculationsSilicon Analyticasiliconanalytica.com/compare/synopsys-vs-cadence
  • Calculated Operating income ÷ revenue, GAAP/IFRS unless labelled otherwise.
View sources (2)
Net marginPercent, latest quarter; period under each companySynopsys: 22.0% · Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul 2026 (Calculated)Synopsys22.0%Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul…Cadence: 17.7% · Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2026 (Calculated)Cadence17.7%Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2…Peer median (20 companies) 30.7%Source: company filings, latest quarter · Silicon Analytica calculationsSilicon Analyticasiliconanalytica.com/compare/synopsys-vs-cadence
  • Calculated Net income ÷ revenue for the same period (Silicon Analytica calculation unless the company states it).
View sources (2)
R&D % of revenuePercent, latest quarter; period under each companySynopsys: 29.1% · Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul 2026 (Calculated)Synopsys29.1%Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul…Cadence: 32.9% · Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2026 (Calculated)Cadence32.9%Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2…Peer median (20 companies) 9.9%Source: company filings, latest quarter · Silicon Analytica calculationsSilicon Analyticasiliconanalytica.com/compare/synopsys-vs-cadence
  • Calculated R&D ÷ revenue for the same period.
View sources (2)

Scale

RevenueUS$, latest quarter; period under each companySynopsys: US$2.5B · Q3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul 2026 (Reported)SynopsysUS$2.5BQ3 FY2026 · to 31 Jul…Cadence: US$1.6B · Q3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2026 (Reported)CadenceUS$1.6BQ3 2026 · to 30 Sep 2…Source: company filings, latest quarterSilicon Analyticasiliconanalytica.com/compare/synopsys-vs-cadence
View sources (2)

Revenue mix

Synopsys

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Cadence

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Each company's own classification and latest fiscal year with a stored split; categories differ between companies and are never added together.

Period ends — Synopsys: 31 Jul 2026 · Cadence: 30 Sep 2026. Valuation multiples remain trailing.

Copper underline: the leader among values for comparable periods. Higher is better, except P/E and P/S, where the lower positive multiple leads. R&D, capex, employees and shares have no leader. Peer median uses the latest quarter of the 20 covered companies and is shown for ratios only. “—” means neither the figure nor its inputs are stored; hover or tap for the missing input. Values marked Calculated are Silicon Analytica calculations from stored reported figures.

How to read this comparison

Business models. These companies share the EDA & IP model and are broadly comparable, subject to product mix and definitions. Synopsys sells chip-design software and IP licences, with subscription and licence revenue; Cadence sells chip-design software and IP licences, with subscription and licence revenue.

Cyclicality. IP and EDA revenue is sensitive to chip-design activity and, for royalties, chip shipments.

Accounting and periods. Latest reported quarter ends — Synopsys: 2026-07-31 · Cadence: 2026-09-30. Each value retains its period, status and source; adjusted measures remain separate. Same-mode periods within 100 days are compared; valuation multiples remain trailing.

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Synopsys profile · Cadence Design Systems profile