FAST vs. CDNS
FAST (Fastenal Company) and CDNS (Cadence Design Systems, Inc.) are both stocks. FAST operates in Industrial Distribution (Industrials), while CDNS operates in Software - Application (Technology). Over the past 10 years, FAST returned 18.53%/yr vs 31.77%/yr for CDNS. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
FAST vs. CDNS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FAST achieves a 17.31% return, which is significantly lower than CDNS's 23.16% return. Over the past 10 years, FAST has underperformed CDNS with an annualized return of 18.53%, while CDNS has yielded a comparatively higher 31.77% annualized return.
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
- 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 vs. CDNS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAST Fastenal Company | 17.31% | 13.98% | 13.53% | 41.31% | -24.34% | 34.06% | 36.60% | 45.08% | -1.61% | 19.66% |
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% |
Correlation
The correlation between FAST and CDNS 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 FAST and CDNS has dropped to 0.09 - well below their long-term average of 0.32, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
FAST:
$53.60B
CDNS:
$105.37B
FAST:
$1.13
CDNS:
$4.28
FAST:
41.23
CDNS:
89.86
FAST:
4.84
CDNS:
6.85
FAST:
6.35
CDNS:
19.03
FAST:
13.43
CDNS:
12.08
FAST:
$8.44B
CDNS:
$5.53B
FAST:
$3.79B
CDNS:
$4.91B
FAST:
$1.80B
CDNS:
$1.87B
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Return for Risk
FAST vs. CDNS — Risk / Return Rank
FAST
CDNS
FAST vs. CDNS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Fastenal Company (FAST) and Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS). 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.
| FAST | CDNS | 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 | 1.10 | 1.15 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.50 | 0.87 | -0.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.00 | 1.84 | -0.84 |
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Drawdowns
FAST vs. CDNS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FAST drawdown since its inception was -63.43%, smaller than the maximum CDNS drawdown of -93.13%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FAST and CDNS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FAST | CDNS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.43% | -93.13% | +29.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.90% | -28.85% | +6.95% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.90% | -29.05% | +7.15% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.71% | -29.59% | -1.12% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.71% | -32.12% | +1.41% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.09% | -7.55% | +1.46% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.16% | -39.62% | +27.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.97% | 13.63% | -2.66% |
Volatility
FAST vs. CDNS - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Fastenal Company (FAST) is 6.20%, while Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) has a volatility of 16.52%. This indicates that FAST experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CDNS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FAST | CDNS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.20% | 16.52% | -10.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.27% | 31.73% | -12.46% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.90% | 38.94% | -14.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.31% | 36.17% | -11.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.77% | 34.12% | -7.35% |
Dividends
FAST vs. CDNS - Dividend Comparison
FAST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.98%, while CDNS has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| 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
FAST vs. CDNS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Fastenal Company and Cadence Design Systems, Inc.. 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
FAST vs. CDNS - Profitability Comparison
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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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%.
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%.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAST and CDNS 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, FAST dropped -63.43% vs CDNS's -93.13%.
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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