Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) vs Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) vs PTC Inc. (PTC) vs Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) vs Figma, Inc. (FIG) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | FIG | 41.0% revenue growth vs ADSK's 10.5% |
| Value | PTC | Lower P/E (19.3x vs 26.9x), PEG 0.48 vs 1.77 |
| Quality / Margins | PTC | 28.6% net margin vs FIG's -124.5% |
| Stability / Safety | BSY | Beta 0.79 vs FIG's 1.91 |
| Dividends | BSY | 0.7% yield; 3-year raise streak; ADSK, CDNS, PTC, FIG pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CDNS | +20.3% vs FIG's -74.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PTC | 12.7% ROA vs FIG's -56.0%, ROIC 14.9% vs -95.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Autodesk is a leading provider of 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software used by architects, engineers, and creative professionals worldwide. It generates revenue primarily through subscription-based software sales—with its Architecture, Engineering & Construction segment contributing about 45% of revenue and Manufacturing about 35%—plus maintenance and cloud services. The company's moat lies in its industry-standard software ecosystems—particularly AutoCAD—that create high switching costs and network effects across professional workflows.
Cadence Design Systems is a leading provider of electronic design automation (EDA) software and hardware used to design semiconductors and electronic systems. It generates revenue primarily through software licenses and maintenance (~70% of revenue) and hardware systems for chip verification (~30%), with its tools being essential for designing everything from smartphones to automotive chips. The company's moat comes from its deeply entrenched position in the semiconductor design workflow—its tools are industry standards that engineers must use to design complex chips, creating high switching costs and network effects.
PTC is a software company that provides product lifecycle management (PLM), computer-aided design (CAD), and industrial Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. It generates revenue primarily through software subscriptions—roughly 85% of total—with the remainder coming from professional services and perpetual licenses. The company's moat lies in its integrated platform approach that connects CAD, PLM, and IoT capabilities, creating switching costs for manufacturers who rely on its tools throughout the entire product development lifecycle.
Bentley Systems provides infrastructure engineering software solutions for designing, constructing, and operating infrastructure assets like roads, bridges, and utilities. It generates revenue primarily through recurring subscription fees — accounting for over 90% of total revenue — with the remainder from perpetual licenses and professional services. The company's moat lies in its deep domain expertise and comprehensive software ecosystem that creates high switching costs for engineering professionals in specialized infrastructure sectors.
Figma is a cloud-based collaborative design platform that enables teams to create, prototype, and develop digital products together in real time. It generates revenue primarily through subscription plans — with tiered pricing for individuals, teams, and enterprises — and makes money from seat-based licensing of its design, whiteboarding, and developer tools. Its key competitive advantage is its browser-first collaborative architecture, which creates network effects as design teams and their developer counterparts adopt the platform together.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
PTC leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). ADSK leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ADSK is the larger business by revenue, generating $6.8B annually — 6.4x FIG's $1.1B. PTC is the more profitable business, keeping 28.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to FIG's -124.5%. On growth, PTC holds the edge at +21.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ADSKAutodesk, Inc. | CDNSCadence Design Sy… | PTCPTC Inc. | BSYBentley Systems, … | FIGFigma, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $6.8B | $5.3B | $2.9B | $1.5B | $1.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.7B | $1.7B | $1.2B | $459M | -$1.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.1B | $1.1B | $818M | $278M | -$1.3B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $2.4B | $1.6B | $888M | $520M | $243M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +96.8% | +96.2% | +84.2% | +81.5% | +82.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +23.3% | +28.2% | +38.0% | +24.1% | -122.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +16.6% | +20.9% | +28.6% | +18.5% | -124.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +35.4% | +30.0% | +31.1% | +34.6% | +23.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -6.5% | +6.2% | +21.4% | +11.9% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.0% | +14.5% | +104.4% | +12.5% | — |
Valuation Metrics
At 25.8x trailing earnings, PTC trades at a 65% valuation discount to CDNS's 74.2x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), PTC offers better value at 0.64x vs CDNS's 5.31x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | ADSKAutodesk, Inc. | CDNSCadence Design Sy… | PTCPTC Inc. | BSYBentley Systems, … | FIGFigma, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $52.6B | $81.9B | $18.7B | $11.1B | $2.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $53.1B | $81.4B | $19.9B | $12.2B | $2.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 47.01x | 74.24x | 25.75x | 43.00x | -7.92x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 24.02x | 37.33x | 19.35x | 26.86x | 118.03x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 5.31x | 0.64x | 2.84x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 33.65x | 43.35x | 17.81x | 33.68x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 7.77x | 15.47x | 6.83x | 7.36x | 2.25x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 17.36x | 15.05x | 4.94x | 10.23x | 6.56x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 21.84x | 51.62x | 21.85x | 21.24x | 9.66x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ADSK delivers a 36.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $37 in annual profit, vs $-87 for FIG. FIG carries lower financial leverage with a 0.04x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to BSY's 1.08x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BSY scores 9/9 vs FIG's 3/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ADSKAutodesk, Inc. | CDNSCadence Design Sy… | PTCPTC Inc. | BSYBentley Systems, … | FIGFigma, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +36.9% | +20.3% | +21.3% | +23.4% | -87.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +9.0% | +10.9% | +12.7% | +7.8% | -56.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +33.3% | +25.9% | +14.9% | +11.4% | -95.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +25.6% | +20.5% | +19.5% | +14.0% | -4.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.90x | 0.45x | 0.36x | 1.08x | 0.04x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $485M | -$521M | $1.2B | $1.2B | -$345M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.2B | $3.0B | $184M | $123M | $403M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.7B | $2.5B | $1.4B | $1.3B | $58M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 289.00x | 13.57x | 19.74x | 9.01x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CDNS five years ago would be worth $20,442 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,545 for FIG. Over the past 12 months, CDNS leads with a +20.3% total return vs FIG's -74.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CDNS at 16.0% vs FIG's -36.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ADSKAutodesk, Inc. | CDNSCadence Design Sy… | PTCPTC Inc. | BSYBentley Systems, … | FIGFigma, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -14.3% | -2.9% | -7.9% | -4.2% | -21.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -10.3% | +20.3% | -4.3% | -16.1% | -74.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +23.7% | +56.2% | +24.9% | -8.0% | -74.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -13.5% | +104.4% | +10.1% | -15.7% | -74.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +375.2% | +1298.6% | +406.6% | +12.1% | -74.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +7.4% | +16.0% | +7.7% | -2.7% | -36.6% |
Risk & Volatility
BSY is the less volatile stock with a 0.79 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than FIG's 1.91 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CDNS currently trades 80.1% from its 52-week high vs FIG's 20.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ADSKAutodesk, Inc. | CDNSCadence Design Sy… | PTCPTC Inc. | BSYBentley Systems, … | FIGFigma, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.93x | 1.33x | 1.00x | 0.79x | 1.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $329.09 | $376.45 | $219.69 | $59.25 | $142.92 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $215.01 | $221.56 | $133.38 | $30.96 | $19.85 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +74.7% | +80.1% | +71.3% | +61.7% | +20.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.9 | 49.6 | 49.1 | 59.1 | 59.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.7M | 1.9M | 861K | 2.1M | 9.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: ADSK as "Buy", CDNS as "Buy", PTC as "Buy", BSY as "Buy", FIG as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 44.6% upside for ADSK (target: $356) vs 23.1% for FIG (target: $36). BSY is the only dividend payer here at 0.70% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ADSKAutodesk, Inc. | CDNSCadence Design Sy… | PTCPTC Inc. | BSYBentley Systems, … | FIGFigma, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $355.61 | $377.88 | $204.83 | $48.00 | $36.17 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 51 | 30 | 33 | 12 | 7 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — | +0.7% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — | $0.26 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.7% | +1.1% | +1.6% | +1.1% | +1.1% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Oct 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) | 100 | 109.24 | +9.2% |
| Cadence Design Syst… (CDNS) | 100 | 266.22 | +166.2% |
| PTC Inc. (PTC) | 100 | 186.52 | +86.5% |
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | 91.07 | 102.24 | +12.3% |
Cadence Design Syst… (CDNS) returned +104% over 5 years vs Bentley Systems, In… (BSY)'s -16%. A $10,000 investment in CDNS 5 years ago would be worth $20,442 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) | $2.0B | $6.8B | +235.1% |
| Cadence Design Syst… (CDNS) | $1.9B | $5.3B | +172.6% |
| PTC Inc. (PTC) | $1.2B | $2.7B | +135.3% |
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | $692M | $1.5B | +117.1% |
| Figma, Inc. (FIG) | $505M | $1.1B | +109.1% |
Autodesk, Inc.'s revenue grew from $2.0B (2017) to $6.8B (2026) — a 14.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) | -28.6% | 16.6% | +157.9% |
| Cadence Design Syst… (CDNS) | 10.5% | 20.9% | +99.3% |
| PTC Inc. (PTC) | 0.5% | 26.8% | +4899.2% |
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | 20.5% | 18.5% | -9.9% |
| Figma, Inc. (FIG) | 56.6% | -118.4% | -309.2% |
Autodesk, Inc.'s net margin went from -29% (2017) to 17% (2026).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) | 318.1 | 47 | -85.2% |
| Cadence Design Syst… (CDNS) | 57.3 | 77 | +34.4% |
| PTC Inc. (PTC) | 188.4 | 28.7 | -84.8% |
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | 96.5 | 44.9 | -53.5% |
Autodesk, Inc. has traded in a 47x–318x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~47x. Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has traded in a 20x–78x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~74x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) | -2.6 | 5.23 | +301.2% |
| Cadence Design Syst… (CDNS) | 0.73 | 4.06 | +456.2% |
| PTC Inc. (PTC) | 0.05 | 6.08 | +11328.6% |
| Bentley Systems, In… (BSY) | 0.54 | 0.85 | +57.4% |
| Figma, Inc. (FIG) | 0.59 | -3.71 | -732.7% |
Autodesk, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-2.60 (2017) to $5.23 (2026).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Autodesk, Inc. generated $2B FCF in 2026 (+80% vs 2021). Cadence Design Systems, Inc. generated $2B FCF in 2025 (+53% vs 2021).
ADSK vs CDNS vs PTC vs BSY vs FIG: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ADSK or CDNS or PTC or BSY or FIG a better buy right now?
PTC Inc. (PTC) offers the better valuation at 25.8x trailing P/E (19.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) a "Buy" — based on 51 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — ADSK or CDNS or PTC or BSY or FIG?
On trailing P/E, PTC Inc. (PTC) is the cheapest at 25.8x versus Cadence Design Systems, Inc. at 74.2x. On forward P/E, PTC Inc. is actually cheaper at 19.3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: PTC Inc. wins at 0.48x versus Cadence Design Systems, Inc.'s 2.67x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ADSK or CDNS or PTC or BSY or FIG?
Over the past 5 years, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) delivered a total return of +104.4%, compared to -74.6% for Figma, Inc. (FIG). A $10,000 investment in CDNS five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CDNS returned +1299% versus FIG's -74.6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — ADSK or CDNS or PTC or BSY or FIG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.79β versus Figma, Inc.'s 1.91β — meaning FIG is approximately 141% more volatile than BSY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Figma, Inc. (FIG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 108% for Bentley Systems, Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — ADSK or CDNS or PTC or BSY or FIG?
PTC Inc. (PTC) is the more profitable company, earning 26.8% net margin versus -118.4% for Figma, Inc. — meaning it keeps 26.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PTC leads at 35.9% versus -122.2% for FIG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ADSK leads at 96.8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is ADSK or CDNS or PTC or BSY or FIG more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, PTC Inc. (PTC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.48x versus Cadence Design Systems, Inc.'s 2.67x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, PTC Inc. (PTC) trades at 19.3x forward P/E versus 118.0x for Figma, Inc. — 98.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ADSK: 44.6% to $355.61.
07Which pays a better dividend — ADSK or CDNS or PTC or BSY or FIG?
In this comparison, BSY (0.7% yield) pays a dividend. ADSK, CDNS, PTC, FIG do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is ADSK or CDNS or PTC or BSY or FIG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Bentley Systems, Incorporated (BSY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.79), 0.7% yield). Figma, Inc. (FIG) carries a higher beta of 1.91 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (BSY: +12.1%, FIG: -74.6%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between ADSK and CDNS and PTC and BSY and FIG?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. BSY pays a dividend while ADSK, CDNS, PTC, FIG do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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