Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS)
Cadence makes electronic design automation tools and IP that engineers use to design integrated circuits and electronic systems.
CDNS vs GEN: how the two businesses compare
- Similar size: CDNS and GEN each brought in about $5.3B of yearly revenue.
- More profitable: CDNS keeps 21 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 19 cents at GEN.
- More cash from each sale: CDNS turns 33 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 31 cents at GEN.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Gen Digital (GEN) reported similar revenue: $5.3B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025) versus $5.0B (fiscal year ended Apr 2026). CDNS's net margin was 20.9% and GEN's 19.5%. Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 7372 (Services-Prepackaged Software).
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Information Technology
- Prepackaged Software
- Same classification
- Different
- CDNS December 31 · GEN March 28
- May 21, 2026
CDNS vs GEN: quick comparison
| Company fact | CDNS | GEN |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Cadence Design Systems, Inc. | Gen Digital Inc. |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| SEC industry | Services-Prepackaged Software | Services-Prepackaged Software |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | March 28 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-02-19 | 10-K · 2026-05-21 |
CDNS vs GEN: audited financials
- Scale: revenue is roughly in line ($5.3B for CDNS versus $5.0B for GEN).
- Net margin: CDNS kept 20.9% of revenue as net income versus 19.5% at GEN.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled CDNS 32.6% of revenue, or 1.56× net income; GEN 30.9% of revenue, or 1.59× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: the fiscal years end about 3 months apart (2025-12-31 for CDNS, 2026-04-03 for GEN), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | CDNS | GEN |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $5.3B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $5.0B2025-03-29 to 2026-04-03 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $1.1B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $973M2025-03-29 to 2026-04-03 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $1.7B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $1.5B2025-03-29 to 2026-04-03 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $4.062025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $1.572025-03-29 to 2026-04-03 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 20.9%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | 19.5%2025-03-29 to 2026-04-03 · SEC filing |
CDNS: FY ending 2025-12-31 · GEN: FY ending 2026-04-03. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where CDNS and GEN overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Same SEC industry: both report under SIC 7372, Services-Prepackaged Software.
Differences
- Offset fiscal calendars: CDNS's year ends December 31 and GEN's March 28, about 3 months apart.
- Only CDNS maps to Artificial intelligence.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
Gen Digital Inc. (GEN)
Gen Digital sells consumer cybersecurity and identity-protection software under brands including Norton, Avast, and LifeLock.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves CDNS
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for CDNS. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-19.
What moves GEN
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for GEN. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-05-21.
The investment question
You now know how CDNS and GEN are classified, when their fiscal years end, and where their exposures overlap. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about the services-prepackaged software cycle, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. CDNS's fiscal year ends December 31, while GEN's ends March 28. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 14 matched transaction rows for CDNS and 8 matched transaction rows for GEN. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
CDNS primary filings
GEN primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
CDNS vs GEN FAQs
Are CDNS and GEN direct competitors?
Cadence Design Systems and Gen Digital share the SEC industry classification “Services-Prepackaged Software.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.
Is CDNS or GEN the bigger company by revenue?
Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and Gen Digital (GEN) reported similar revenue: $5.3B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025) versus $5.0B (fiscal year ended Apr 2026). CDNS's net margin was 20.9% and GEN's 19.5%. Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 7372 (Services-Prepackaged Software). Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, CDNS or GEN?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this CDNS vs GEN comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and Gen Digital Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
CDNS vs GEN compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
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