Cadence Design Systems Reports Excellent Q4, Guides Strong 2026

EDA leader sees double-digit growth, record backlog, and expanded AI capabilities

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Cadence Design Systems, a leading provider of electronic design automation software and services, reported strong Q4 and full-year 2025 results, with 14% revenue growth and a 45% operating margin. The company ended the year with a record $7.8 billion backlog, reflecting broad portfolio strength and increasing contributions from AI solutions. Cadence also announced the launch of its new ChipStack AI Super Agent, an agentic AI solution for automating chip design and verification.

Why it matters

Cadence's performance highlights the continued demand for advanced EDA tools and services as semiconductor companies and system designers grapple with the growing complexity of modern integrated circuits. The company's investments in AI-powered automation are also seen as a key competitive advantage, helping customers accelerate design cycles and boost productivity.

The details

Cadence reported double-digit revenue growth and strong operating leverage in 2025, with CEO Anirudh Devgan describing an 'excellent' finish to the fiscal year. The company ended 2025 with a record $7.8 billion backlog, which Devgan said was 'well ahead of plan' and reflected broad portfolio strength and increasing contributions from AI solutions. Cadence also announced the launch of its new ChipStack AI Super Agent, which the company says can deliver up to 10x productivity improvements for tasks like design coding, test bench generation, and debugging.

  • Cadence reported Q4 and full-year 2025 results on February 18, 2026.
  • The company provided guidance for fiscal year 2026, including revenue of $5.75 billion to $5.85 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $7.55 to $7.65.

The players

Cadence Design Systems

A global provider of electronic design automation (EDA) software, hardware and intellectual property used to design and verify advanced semiconductor chips, systems-on-chip (SoCs), printed circuit boards (PCBs) and packaging.

Anirudh Devgan

CEO of Cadence Design Systems.

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What they’re saying

“We closed an outstanding 2025 with 14% revenue growth and a 45% operating margin for the year.”

— Anirudh Devgan, CEO (themarketsdaily.com)

“Our new ChipStack AI Super Agent is the world's first agentic AI solution for automating chip design and verification, and can deliver up to 10x productivity improvement.”

— Anirudh Devgan, CEO (themarketsdaily.com)

What’s next

Cadence expects to use about 50% of its free cash flow for share repurchases in 2026 as it continues to invest in its EDA software and AI-powered automation capabilities.

The takeaway

Cadence's strong performance and forward-looking investments in AI-driven design automation underscore the company's position as a critical partner for semiconductor companies and system designers navigating the growing complexity of modern integrated circuits.