CDNS vs DDOG: Cadence Design Systems and Datadog compared
The short version
From the latest prices and each company's SEC filings. Who's ahead on each measure, not which to buy.
- Datadog is the larger company, worth $105.7B, close to Cadence Design Systems's $95.3B.
- Datadog grew revenue faster over the last year (+35.6% vs +18.7%).
- Cadence Design Systems keeps more of each dollar of revenue as operating profit (28.2% vs 0.4%).
- On earnings, Cadence Design Systems is the cheaper stock (80.2x vs 742.7x).
- Datadog's price assumes faster free cash flow growth: about 28% a year, against 19% for Cadence Design Systems (reverse DCF).
Side by side
The stronger figure is shaded where higher (or, for valuation multiples, lower) reads as better. How the implied growth works.
| Measure | CDNS | DDOG |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $95.3B | $105.7B |
| Share price | $352.84 | $293.26 |
| Revenue (last fiscal year) | $5.3B | $3.4B |
| Free cash flow (last fiscal year) | $1.6B | $915M |
| Revenue growth, last year | +18.7% | +35.6% |
| Revenue growth per year, last 5 fiscal years | +15.4% | +35.1% |
| Operating margin | 28.2% | 0.41% |
| Net margin | 21.2% | 4.5% |
| Return on equity | 17.9% | 4.1% |
| P/E (trailing) | 80.2x | 742.7x |
| Price / free cash flow | 60.1x | 105.7x |
| EV / EBITDA | 51.3x | 355.0x |
| FCF growth the price implies | 19.5% | 28.4% |
| Dividend yield | — | — |
| Debt / equity | 0.84x | 0.73x |
| Fundamental grade | C | C |
| Superinvestors holding it | 5 | 4 |
| Insider purchases, last 12 months | 4 | 2 |
Results from SEC filings
Revenue and free cash flow by fiscal year, from each company's 10-K filings.
Cadence Design Systems
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $3.0B | $1.0B | 26.1% |
| 2022 | $3.6B | $1.1B | 30.1% |
| 2023 | $4.1B | $1.2B | 30.6% |
| 2024 | $4.6B | $1.1B | 29.1% |
| 2025 | $5.3B | $1.6B | 28.2% |
Datadog
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1.0B | $251M | -1.9% |
| 2022 | $1.7B | $354M | -3.5% |
| 2023 | $2.1B | $598M | -1.6% |
| 2024 | $2.7B | $775M | 2.0% |
| 2025 | $3.4B | $915M | -1.3% |
Where the revenue comes from
Cadence Design Systems · by products, 2025
Product and maintenance$4.8B91%
Technology Service$475M9%
Datadog · by regions, 2025
North America$2.4B71%
International$994M29%
Compare them in fullFifteen years of statements, quarterly results, DCF and IRR models, and any number of peers side by side.
Open CDNS in InvestinglyQuestions
Which is bigger, Cadence Design Systems or Datadog?
Datadog (DDOG), at $105.7B against $95.3B.
Is CDNS or DDOG cheaper?
By trailing P/E, Cadence Design Systems (80.2x) is cheaper than Datadog (742.7x). A lower multiple can also mean the market expects less growth.
Which grows faster, CDNS or DDOG?
Datadog: revenue grew +35.6% over the last year, against +18.7%.
Prices and ratios as of the last daily update; statements from SEC filings. Information only, not investment advice.