CDNS vs. FAST
CDNS (Cadence Design Systems, Inc.) and FAST (Fastenal Company) are both stocks. CDNS operates in Software - Application (Technology), while FAST operates in Industrial Distribution (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, CDNS returned 31.77%/yr vs 18.53%/yr for FAST. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CDNS vs. FAST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CDNS achieves a 23.16% return, which is significantly higher than FAST's 17.31% return. Over the past 10 years, CDNS has outperformed FAST with an annualized return of 31.77%, while FAST has yielded a comparatively lower 18.53% annualized return.
CDNS
- 1D
- 0.32%
- 1M
- 9.10%
- YTD
- 23.16%
- 6M
- 19.10%
- 1Y
- 28.32%
- 3Y*
- 17.22%
- 5Y*
- 24.39%
- 10Y*
- 31.77%
FAST
- 1D
- 0.39%
- 1M
- 5.89%
- YTD
- 17.31%
- 6M
- 12.06%
- 1Y
- 12.75%
- 3Y*
- 21.28%
- 5Y*
- 14.88%
- 10Y*
- 18.53%
CDNS vs. FAST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CDNS Cadence Design Systems, Inc. | 23.16% | 4.03% | 10.31% | 69.55% | -13.80% | 36.59% | 96.70% | 59.52% | 3.97% | 65.82% |
FAST Fastenal Company | 17.31% | 13.98% | 13.53% | 41.31% | -24.34% | 34.06% | 36.60% | 45.08% | -1.61% | 19.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between CDNS and FAST is 0.09, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.32 |
Over the past year, the correlation between CDNS and FAST has dropped to 0.09 - well below their long-term average of 0.32, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
CDNS:
$105.37B
FAST:
$53.60B
CDNS:
$4.28
FAST:
$1.13
CDNS:
89.86
FAST:
41.23
CDNS:
6.85
FAST:
4.84
CDNS:
19.03
FAST:
6.35
CDNS:
12.08
FAST:
13.43
CDNS:
$5.53B
FAST:
$8.44B
CDNS:
$4.91B
FAST:
$3.79B
CDNS:
$1.87B
FAST:
$1.80B
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Return for Risk
CDNS vs. FAST — Risk / Return Rank
CDNS
FAST
CDNS vs. FAST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) and Fastenal Company (FAST). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CDNS | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.42 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.10 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.87 | 0.50 | +0.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.84 | 1.00 | +0.84 |
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Drawdowns
CDNS vs. FAST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CDNS drawdown since its inception was -93.13%, which is greater than FAST's maximum drawdown of -63.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CDNS and FAST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CDNS | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -93.13% | -63.43% | -29.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -28.85% | -21.90% | -6.95% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.05% | -21.90% | -7.15% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.59% | -30.71% | +1.12% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -32.12% | -30.71% | -1.41% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.55% | -6.09% | -1.46% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -39.62% | -12.16% | -27.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.63% | 10.97% | +2.66% |
Volatility
CDNS vs. FAST - Volatility Comparison
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) has a higher volatility of 16.52% compared to Fastenal Company (FAST) at 6.20%. This indicates that CDNS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FAST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CDNS | FAST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 16.52% | 6.20% | +10.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 31.73% | 19.27% | +12.46% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 38.94% | 24.90% | +14.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.17% | 24.31% | +11.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 34.12% | 26.77% | +7.35% |
Dividends
CDNS vs. FAST - Dividend Comparison
CDNS has not paid dividends to shareholders, while FAST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.98%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CDNS Cadence Design Systems, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
FAST Fastenal Company | 1.98% | 2.18% | 2.17% | 2.75% | 2.62% | 1.75% | 2.87% | 2.35% | 2.95% | 2.34% | 2.55% | 2.74% |
Financials
CDNS vs. FAST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and Fastenal Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CDNS vs. FAST - Profitability Comparison
CDNS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.41B and revenue of 1.47B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 95.9%.
FAST - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Fastenal Company reported a gross profit of 982.90M and revenue of 2.20B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 44.6%.
CDNS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. reported an operating income of 431.33M and revenue of 1.47B, resulting in an operating margin of 29.3%.
FAST - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Fastenal Company reported an operating income of 447.60M and revenue of 2.20B, resulting in an operating margin of 20.3%.
CDNS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. reported a net income of 335.66M and revenue of 1.47B, resulting in a net margin of 22.8%.
FAST - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Fastenal Company reported a net income of 339.80M and revenue of 2.20B, resulting in a net margin of 15.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CDNS and FAST have a correlation of 0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CDNS has higher volatility (16.52%) compared to FAST (6.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CDNS dropped -93.13% vs FAST's -63.43%.
CDNS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.65 vs 0.44), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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