CD
CDNS
Latest · Mar 31, 2026
Quarter ended Mar 31, 2026 · FY2026 Q1

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. stock research

Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Mar 31, 2026

Revenue increased, while operating cash flow, free cash flow, and free cash flow margin all decreased compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year. Capital expenditure was higher than both comparison periods.

Free cash flow takeaway

A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.

Revenue increased, while operating cash flow, free cash flow, and free cash flow margin all decreased compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year. Capital expenditure was higher than both comparison periods.

  • Cash conversion weakened as operating cash flow was lower relative to revenue, and capital expenditure increased, reducing free cash flow and margin compared to both prior periods.
  • Compared to the prior quarter, revenue was higher, but operating cash flow, free cash flow, and margin were lower. Versus the same quarter last year, revenue was higher, while operating cash flow, free cash flow, and margin were lower.

FCF snapshot

Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.

TTM free cash flow

$1.4B

Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.

Quarter free cash flow

$307.0M

Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.

Operating cash flow

$355.8M

Cash generated by operations before capital spending.

CapEx

$48.8M

Capital spending and related asset purchases.

FCF margin

20.8%

The share of revenue converted into free cash flow.

TTM FCF yield

1.4%

TTM FCF divided by market capitalization.

Cash flow trend

A short quarterly history shows whether FCF is scaling with revenue or only spiking for one period.

PeriodRevenueOperating CFCapExFCFFCF margin
2025-06-30$1.3B$377.6M$44.1M$333.5M26.1%
2025-09-30$1.3B$310.7M$33.7M$277.0M20.7%
2025-12-31$1.4B$553.5M$41.0M$512.5M35.6%
2026-03-31$1.5B$355.8M$48.8M$307.0M20.8%

Cash conversion quality

Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.

FCF / net income91.5%Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash.
CapEx / revenue3.3%Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin.
Net cashn/aCash and equivalents minus total debt.

Recent events shaping cash flow

Near-term business events that help explain the free cash flow result.

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Operating cash flow contraction

Operating cash flow was lower sequentially and year-over-year, despite higher revenue, indicating a higher proportion of revenue was not converted to cash from operations.

This directly reduced free cash flow and margin, making it the strongest observable driver of the quarter's performance.

What the cash flow says

How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.

Cash conversion weakened as operating cash flow was lower relative to revenue, and capital expenditure increased, reducing free cash flow and margin compared to both prior periods.

Compared to the prior quarter, revenue was higher, but operating cash flow, free cash flow, and margin were lower. Versus the same quarter last year, revenue was higher, while operating cash flow, free cash flow, and margin were lower.

Monitor the trend in capital expenditure, which was higher in both comparisons and contributed to the decline in free cash flow.

Valuation context

A cash-flow page should show how much investors are paying for the cash stream, without turning into a full DCF.

Market capitalization$103.9BUsed as the denominator for FCF yield.
TTM FCF yield1.4%TTM free cash flow divided by market capitalization.
EV / TTM FCFn/aA quick valuation bridge, not a full DCF.

Peer context

Free cash flow quality is easier to read against related public companies.

CD
CDNS

Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

FCF margin

20.8%

FCF yield

1.4%

CDNS Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Mar 31, 2026