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Side-by-side financial comparison of Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) and QWEST CORP (CTBB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Cadence Design Systems is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.3B vs $1.1B, roughly 1.2× QWEST CORP). Cadence Design Systems runs the higher net margin — 22.8% vs -187.5%, a 210.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, QWEST CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-15.0% vs -16.1%). Cadence Design Systems produced more free cash flow last quarter ($464.0M vs $160.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Cadence Design Systems's revenue compounded faster (9.6% CAGR vs -8.6%).

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. is an American multinational technology and computational software company headquartered in San Jose, California. Initially specialized in electronic design automation (EDA) software for the semiconductor industry, currently the company makes software and hardware for designing products such as integrated circuits, systems on chips (SoCs), printed circuit boards, and pharmaceutical drugs, also licensing intellectual property for the electronics, aerospace, defense an...

Qwest Corporation, doing business as CenturyLink QC, is a Regional Bell Operating Company owned by Lumen Technologies. It was originally named Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company, later becoming known as Mountain Bell, then US West Communications, Inc. from 1991 to 2000. It includes the former operations of Malheur Bell, Northwestern Bell and Pacific Northwest Bell as well.

CDNS vs CTBB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CDNS
CDNS
1.2× larger
CDNS
$1.3B
$1.1B
CTBB
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CTBB
CTBB
+1.1% gap
CTBB
-15.0%
-16.1%
CDNS
Higher net margin
CDNS
CDNS
210.2% more per $
CDNS
22.8%
-187.5%
CTBB
More free cash flow
CDNS
CDNS
$304.0M more FCF
CDNS
$464.0M
$160.0M
CTBB
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CDNS
CDNS
Annualised
CDNS
9.6%
-8.6%
CTBB

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Revenue
$1.3B
$1.1B
Net Profit
$335.7M
$-2.1B
Gross Margin
67.9%
Operating Margin
29.3%
-183.2%
Net Margin
22.8%
-187.5%
Revenue YoY
-16.1%
-15.0%
Net Profit YoY
22.7%
-627.9%
EPS (diluted)
$1.00

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$1.3B
Q4 25
$1.4B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$1.1B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$1.1B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$1.3B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$1.3B
Q2 24
$1.1B
$1.3B
Net Profit
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$335.7M
Q4 25
$388.1M
$-2.1B
Q3 25
$287.1M
$176.0M
Q2 25
$160.1M
$277.0M
Q1 25
$273.6M
$284.0M
Q4 24
$340.2M
$391.0M
Q3 24
$238.1M
$365.0M
Q2 24
$229.5M
$378.0M
Gross Margin
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
Q4 25
67.9%
Q3 25
65.3%
Q2 25
68.2%
Q1 25
69.3%
Q4 24
71.2%
Q3 24
69.9%
Q2 24
71.6%
Operating Margin
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
29.3%
Q4 25
32.2%
-183.2%
Q3 25
31.8%
22.3%
Q2 25
19.0%
33.1%
Q1 25
29.1%
33.7%
Q4 24
33.7%
40.7%
Q3 24
28.8%
38.5%
Q2 24
27.7%
40.3%
Net Margin
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
22.8%
Q4 25
27.0%
-187.5%
Q3 25
21.4%
16.1%
Q2 25
12.5%
24.3%
Q1 25
22.0%
24.7%
Q4 24
25.1%
30.2%
Q3 24
19.6%
28.2%
Q2 24
21.6%
28.7%
EPS (diluted)
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$1.00
Q4 25
$1.42
Q3 25
$1.05
Q2 25
$0.59
Q1 25
$1.00
Q4 24
$1.23
Q3 24
$0.87
Q2 24
$0.84

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$2.8B
$39.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.5B
$1.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$6.6B
$10.9B
Total Assets
$12.1B
$15.8B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.38×
0.15×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$2.8B
Q4 25
$3.2B
$39.0M
Q3 25
$2.8B
$36.0M
Q2 25
$2.8B
$25.0M
Q1 25
$2.8B
$40.0M
Q4 24
$2.8B
$26.0M
Q3 24
$2.8B
$22.0M
Q2 24
$1.1B
$18.0M
Total Debt
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$2.5B
Q4 25
$1.7B
Q3 25
$1.7B
Q2 25
$1.7B
Q1 25
$1.7B
Q4 24
$1.7B
Q3 24
$1.7B
Q2 24
$1.9B
Stockholders' Equity
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$6.6B
Q4 25
$5.5B
$10.9B
Q3 25
$5.2B
$13.0B
Q2 25
$5.0B
$12.8B
Q1 25
$4.8B
$12.5B
Q4 24
$4.7B
$12.2B
Q3 24
$4.6B
$11.9B
Q2 24
$4.3B
$11.5B
Total Assets
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$12.1B
Q4 25
$10.2B
$15.8B
Q3 25
$9.6B
$17.9B
Q2 25
$9.5B
$17.8B
Q1 25
$9.0B
$17.6B
Q4 24
$9.0B
$17.4B
Q3 24
$9.2B
$17.0B
Q2 24
$7.2B
$16.6B
Debt / Equity
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
0.38×
Q4 25
0.15×
Q3 25
0.13×
Q2 25
0.13×
Q1 25
0.13×
Q4 24
0.14×
Q3 24
0.14×
Q2 24
0.17×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$355.8M
$402.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$464.0M
$160.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
36.4%
14.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
5.1%
22.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.06×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.6B
$938.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$355.8M
Q4 25
$553.5M
$402.0M
Q3 25
$310.7M
$427.0M
Q2 25
$377.6M
$480.0M
Q1 25
$487.0M
$453.0M
Q4 24
$441.4M
$548.0M
Q3 24
$410.0M
$627.0M
Q2 24
$156.0M
$548.0M
Free Cash Flow
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
$464.0M
Q4 25
$512.5M
$160.0M
Q3 25
$277.0M
$252.0M
Q2 25
$333.5M
$276.0M
Q1 25
$464.0M
$250.0M
Q4 24
$404.2M
$277.0M
Q3 24
$383.5M
$396.0M
Q2 24
$126.8M
$280.0M
FCF Margin
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
36.4%
Q4 25
35.6%
14.5%
Q3 25
20.7%
23.1%
Q2 25
26.1%
24.2%
Q1 25
37.3%
21.7%
Q4 24
29.8%
21.4%
Q3 24
31.5%
30.6%
Q2 24
12.0%
21.3%
Capex Intensity
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
5.1%
Q4 25
2.8%
22.0%
Q3 25
2.5%
16.0%
Q2 25
3.5%
17.9%
Q1 25
1.9%
17.6%
Q4 24
2.7%
20.9%
Q3 24
2.2%
17.9%
Q2 24
2.8%
20.4%
Cash Conversion
CDNS
CDNS
CTBB
CTBB
Q1 26
1.06×
Q4 25
1.43×
Q3 25
1.08×
2.43×
Q2 25
2.36×
1.73×
Q1 25
1.78×
1.60×
Q4 24
1.30×
1.40×
Q3 24
1.72×
1.72×
Q2 24
0.68×
1.45×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CDNS
CDNS

Product and Maintenance$1.1B87%
Services$131.0M10%
Other$33.0M3%

CTBB
CTBB

Nonrelated Party$665.0M60%
Other$436.0M40%

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