VeriSign, Inc.
- Open
- 255.83
- Day high
- 259.73
- Day low
- 254.47
- Prev close
- 251.56
- Volume
- 109K
- Mkt cap
- $23.0B
- P/E (TTM)
- 27.9
- EPS (TTM)
- $9.17
- P/B
- -10.4
- P/S
- 13.7
- Yield
- 0.64%
- Per share
- $1.62
- ▼Insiders net selling -$5.4M over the last 3 months (2 open-market buys, 24 sales)
- 🏛Institutions mixed (13F)
VeriSign, Inc. (VRSN) is a Technology company listed on NASDAQ. The stock is down 13% over the past year. Over the trailing 3 months, insiders filed 2 open-market buys and 24 sales (SEC Form 4).
VeriSign, Inc. (VRSN) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Analyst consensus · 3 analysts
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
VRSN earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23, 2026 | $2.30 | $2.34 | +1.7% | $429M | +1.0% |
| Feb 5, 2026 | $2.29 | $2.23 | -2.6% | $425M | +0.3% |
| Oct 23, 2025 | $2.25 | $2.27 | +0.9% | $419M | +0.6% |
| Jul 24, 2025 | $2.20 | $2.21 | +0.5% | $410M | -0.3% |
| Apr 24, 2025 | $2.11 | $2.10 | -0.5% | $402M | +0.1% |
| Feb 6, 2025 | $2.00 | $2.00 | +0.0% | $395M | +0.3% |
| Oct 24, 2024 | $2.01 | $2.07 | +3.0% | $391M | +0.1% |
| Jul 25, 2024 | $1.93 | $2.01 | +4.1% | $387M | +0.3% |
| Apr 25, 2024 | $1.86 | $1.92 | +3.2% | $384M | +0.6% |
| Feb 8, 2024 | $1.86 | $1.92 | +3.2% | $380M | +0.7% |
| Oct 26, 2023 | $1.81 | $1.83 | +1.1% | $376M | -0.5% |
| Jul 27, 2023 | $1.75 | $1.79 | +2.3% | $372M | -0.3% |
VRSN insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 24, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 1,100 | $249.98 |
| Jun 24, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 993 | $247.62 |
| Jun 24, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 507 | $246.78 |
| Jun 24, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 700 | $248.80 |
| Jun 17, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 700 | $274.07 |
| Jun 17, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 1,100 | $275.47 |
| Jun 17, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 1,500 | $273.37 |
| Jun 16, 2026 | McPherson Danny Rofficer: EVP - Technology & CSO | Tax | 82 | $272.96 |
| Jun 16, 2026 | CALYS JOHNofficer: EVP, Chief Financial Officer | Tax | 290 | $272.96 |
| Jun 11, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 1,100 | $283.21 |
| Jun 11, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 475 | $282.10 |
| Jun 11, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 275 | $286.58 |
| Jun 11, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 200 | $287.36 |
| Jun 11, 2026 | Indelicarto Thomas Cofficer: EVP, Gen Counsel & Secretary | Sell | 500 | $283.54 |
| Jun 11, 2026 | BIDZOS D JAMESdirector, officer: Exec. Chairman, Pres, & CEO | Sell | 250 | $283.78 |
Source: VRSN SEC Form 4 filings, latest Jun 24, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full VRSN insider & 13F page →VeriSign, Inc. company profile
Overview
VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN) is a critical internet infrastructure company that operates the authoritative registry for .com and .net domain names, two of the most widely used top-level domains on the internet. Founded in 1995 and incorporated in Delaware, VeriSign has maintained an uninterrupted 27-year track record of DNS (Domain Name System) resolution services, making it one of the most essential yet invisible companies powering global internet commerce. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, the company went public in 1998 and has evolved from a broader internet services provider to focus exclusively on domain name registry operations and critical internet infrastructure services.
Business
VeriSign operates in the internet infrastructure sector, specifically as a domain name registry operator. The company's core business revolves around maintaining the authoritative database and DNS resolution services for .com and .net domain names, which together represent the backbone of global internet navigation and e-commerce. The Domain Name System (DNS) is essentially the internet's phone book - when someone types a website address like "example.com" into their browser, DNS servers translate that human-readable name into the numerical IP address that computers use to locate the actual website. VeriSign operates the master registry that contains the authoritative records for all .com and .net domain names worldwide, processing over 400 billion DNS queries daily. VeriSign's primary revenue stream comes from registry services for .com and .net domains, which account for virtually all of its revenue. The company charges registrars (companies like GoDaddy, Namecheap, and others that sell domain names to end users) a wholesale fee for each domain registration and renewal. Currently, VeriSign manages approximately 169 million .com and .net domain names in its registry database. Beyond its core registry operations, VeriSign also provides back-end registry services for several other top-level domains including .cc (Cocos Islands), .gov (U.S. government), .edu (educational institutions), and .name (personal names). Additionally, the company operates two of the world's 13 root DNS servers and provides root zone maintainer services, making it a critical component of the internet's foundational infrastructure. The company's infrastructure includes multiple redundant data centers, a global network of DNS resolution servers, purpose-built private cloud systems, and employs over 600 specialized engineers and technical staff to maintain 24/7 operations with zero tolerance for downtime.
Revenue model
VeriSign operates on a registry fee model where it charges wholesale fees to domain name registrars for each .com and .net domain registration, renewal, and transfer. The company receives approximately $9.59 per .com domain and $6.79 per .net domain annually, with these fees set by its agreements with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). The paying customers are domain name registrars - companies like GoDaddy, Network Solutions, Namecheap, and hundreds of other ICANN-accredited registrars worldwide who retail domain names to end users. VeriSign does not sell directly to consumers but operates as the wholesale infrastructure provider that enables the entire .com and .net domain ecosystem. VeriSign's revenue model benefits from several characteristics that support margin expansion. The business enjoys natural pricing power through its contract with ICANN, which allows for periodic price increases on .com domains (most recently a $0.62 increase implemented in September 2023). The company also benefits from high renewal rates, with previously registered domains showing renewal rates in the mid-80% range, creating predictable recurring revenue streams. Factors that could pressure margins include increased infrastructure costs to maintain global DNS operations, cybersecurity investments required for critical internet infrastructure, and potential regulatory scrutiny over pricing given VeriSign's monopolistic position in .com registry services. The company's margins can also be affected by domain name base growth rates, as higher volumes spread fixed infrastructure costs across more units. Conversely, declining registration volumes from economic downturns or shifts in internet usage patterns (such as the recent weakness in China-based registrations) can pressure per-unit economics. The business model generates substantial free cash flow with operating margins typically exceeding 65%, as the marginal cost of adding additional domain names to the registry is minimal once the infrastructure is in place.
Competitive moat
VeriSign possesses one of the strongest economic moats in the technology sector, built primarily on its exclusive registry contract for .com domains and the critical nature of internet infrastructure. The company's moat stems from several key factors: The most significant competitive advantage is VeriSign's contractual monopoly over .com registry services through its agreement with ICANN. This contract includes a presumptive right of renewal, making it extremely difficult for competitors to displace VeriSign. The .com top-level domain represents the most valuable and trusted namespace on the internet, with strong network effects - the more websites use .com, the more valuable it becomes for new registrants. VeriSign's 27-year track record of 100% uptime for DNS resolution creates substantial switching costs and trust barriers. Any disruption to .com resolution would potentially break millions of websites globally, making reliability paramount. The company's deep technical expertise, purpose-built infrastructure, and operational experience create significant barriers to entry for potential competitors. The regulatory framework surrounding critical internet infrastructure also provides protection. VeriSign operates under oversight from the U.S. Department of Commerce and ICANN, creating regulatory barriers that would make it politically and technically challenging to transfer .com operations to another entity. However, the moat faces some potential threats. New generic top-level domains (gTLDs) could theoretically compete with .com over time, though this threat has proven limited as .com maintains its premium status. More significantly, potential government intervention or changes in internet governance structures could theoretically challenge VeriSign's position, as evidenced by occasional congressional scrutiny of the company's .com contract terms. The strength of VeriSign's moat is reflected in its pricing power and the essential nature of its services to global internet commerce, making it one of the most defensible business models in technology.
Risks & safety
VeriSign presents a mixed margin of safety profile with strong operational cash generation but concerning balance sheet leverage: **Overall Assessment**: Moderate margin of safety supported by strong cash generation but constrained by high debt levels and premium valuation. **Solvency and Cash Position**: • Strong free cash flow generation of $285.5 million in Q1 2025, supporting operations • Cash and short-term investments of $575.4 million provide operational flexibility • High debt burden with total liabilities of $3.42 billion vs total assets of $1.45 billion • Negative shareholders' equity of approximately -$1.98 billion due to aggressive share buybacks • Current ratio of 0.56 indicates potential short-term liquidity concerns **Valuation Metrics**: • P/E ratio of 30.1x represents premium valuation for mature infrastructure business • EV/EBITDA of 21.9x appears elevated for low-growth utility-like operations • Price-to-book ratio not meaningful due to negative book value **Other Considerations**: • Monopolistic market position provides revenue stability and predictability • High dividend coverage with newly initiated quarterly dividend • Debt structure primarily consists of long-term obligations rather than operational debt • Strong operational margins above 65% provide cushion during economic downturns
Recent development
Over the past few years, VeriSign has implemented several strategic initiatives focused on stabilizing and growing its domain name base while adapting to changing market conditions. The company has faced headwinds from declining registrations, particularly from China-based registrars due to economic challenges and regulatory constraints in that market. In response to slowing domain growth, VeriSign launched new marketing channel programs in late 2024 and early 2025, designed to provide registrars with more flexible options aligned with their go-to-market strategies. These programs aim to re-engage registrars in new customer acquisition activities, as many had shifted focus toward maximizing average revenue per user (ARPU) through higher pricing rather than growing their customer base. The company successfully negotiated and renewed its .com Registry Agreement with ICANN, securing its operational foundation for the foreseeable future. VeriSign also implemented a $0.62 price increase for .com domains effective September 2023, demonstrating its pricing power within the contracted framework. A significant strategic shift occurred in early 2025 when VeriSign initiated its first-ever quarterly dividend of $0.77 per share, representing a diversification of its shareholder return strategy beyond share repurchases. Management committed to growing this dividend in alignment with earnings growth, signaling confidence in the business's stability and cash generation capabilities. VeriSign continues to pursue the .web top-level domain opportunity through ongoing legal proceedings, which could represent a meaningful expansion of its registry portfolio if successful. The company has also maintained its focus on infrastructure investments and cybersecurity enhancements to support its critical internet infrastructure role. Throughout this period, VeriSign has maintained its commitment to returning substantial cash to shareholders, repurchasing over $1.2 billion in shares during 2024 while maintaining operational excellence with zero DNS resolution downtime over 27 years.
VRSN company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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