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Revenue: $435 million, up 6% year over year.Earnings Per Share (EPS): $2.38, increased 7.7% year over year.Net Income: $217 million, compared to $207 million a

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, today announced that, according to the latest Domain Name Industry Brief Quarterly Report from DNIB.com, the second quarter of 2026 closed with 401.6 million domain name registrations across all top-level domains (TLDs), an increase of 9.1 million domain name registrations, or 2.3% compared to the first quarter of 2026. Domain name registrations al.

Buffett Trims Apple, Bets Big on Alphabet Ahead of RetirementVeriSign NASDAQ: VRSN reported stronger second-quarter 2026 results, citing record domain name registrations, continued solid renewal rates and a rising contribution from artificial intelligence-related tools that management said are making it easier for users to get online.

Executive Chairman, President and CEO Jim Bidzos said the company’s combined .com and .net domain name base reached 179.1 million names at the end of the quarter, up 3.05 million from the prior quarter. New registrations totaled a record 12.7 million, compared with 11.5 million in the prior quarter and 10.4 million in the second quarter of 2025.

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Why These 3 Market-Beaters Are Backing Up Their Buyback Trucks“VeriSign delivered strong results in the second quarter of 2026, both operationally and financially,” Bidzos said. He also noted that the company marked 29 years of 100% availability for the .com and .net domain name resolution system.

Revenue and earnings rise Chief Financial Officer John Calys said VeriSign generated second-quarter revenue of $435 million, up 6% from the same period a year earlier. Operating income was $296 million, an increase of $16 million, or 5.6%, from the prior-year quarter.

3 American Outperformers Are Lifting and Initiating DividendsNet income totaled $217 million, compared with $207 million a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share were $2.38, up from $2.21 in the second quarter of 2025 and $2.34 in the prior quarter.

Operating cash flow was $232 million, while free cash flow was $213 million. That compared with operating cash flow of $202 million and free cash flow of $109 million in the year-ago period.

Calys said VeriSign ended the quarter with $1.034 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. That total included $546 million of net proceeds from the issuance of 5.1% senior notes due in 2031. The company redeemed $550 million of outstanding 4.75% senior notes due in 2027 on July 20, reducing liquidity from the quarter-end level.

Domain growth guidance raised Management raised and narrowed its 2026 guidance for domain name base growth to a range of 5.2% to 6%, citing trends observed in the first half of the year and expectations for the second half.

Bidzos said the expected renewal rate for the second quarter was 75.2%, compared with 75.5% a year earlier. He added that the first-quarter renewal rate was the highest VeriSign had seen in 20 years, and that first-time renewal rates have remained in a tight range in the mid-40% area for several quarters.

According to Bidzos, the strongest regional growth in the second quarter came from the U.S. and EMEA. He said registrar engagement with VeriSign’s marketing programs and customer acquisition efforts supported demand, while AI tools are making domain discovery, content creation and website creation faster and easier.

“The strength in new registrations attests to the vital role of domain names in being discovered and establishing digital credibility,” Bidzos said.

In response to an analyst question, Bidzos said several factors were working together, including the company’s infrastructure, registrar execution and AI-related tailwinds. He said it was difficult to precisely separate the impact of each factor. He also addressed whether the upcoming November .com wholesale price increase could be pulling forward demand, saying VeriSign did not view that as “anything coming close to a material factor” in current registration strength.

Full-year financial outlook updated VeriSign updated its full-year financial guidance. The company now expects:

Revenue of $1.745 billion to $1.755 billion. Operating income of $1.185 billion to $1.195 billion. Interest expense and non-operating net expense of $59 million to $65 million. Capital expenditures of $55 million to $65 million. A GAAP effective tax rate of 22% to 25%. Calys said the capital expenditure outlook accounts for price increases in server memory chip markets, which he said have had a meaningful impact. He added that VeriSign has pulled forward some spending that otherwise would have been expected next year to avoid known upcoming price increases.

Bidzos said VeriSign would continue to make the necessary investments in equipment for its operations “without hesitation.”

.web delegated into DNS root zone Bidzos also highlighted VeriSign’s announcement that .web has been delegated into the global Domain Name System root zone, with VeriSign as the registry operator. He said the delegation followed the resolution of previous disputes related to the generic top-level domain.

VeriSign plans to begin offering .web domains through channel partners later this year and said it does not currently expect meaningful revenue or expenses from .web in 2026.

Bidzos said .web differs from .com because it is governed by a standard registry agreement with ICANN and is not subject to the same cooperative agreement structure that applies to .com. He said VeriSign will have “complete wholesale pricing flexibility” for .web, subject to a six-month notice requirement to registrars, and will be able to sell premium names, which it cannot do for .com or .net.

Management outlined the expected launch sequence for .web, including a required 90-day security testing period and a minimum 30-day period for trademark holders. Bidzos said VeriSign also intends to run a limited registration period that would allow .com holders the opportunity to register the corresponding .web name before general availability.

General availability is expected either late this year or very early next year, Bidzos said.

Capital returns and new products VeriSign’s board increased the company’s share repurchase authorization by $884 million, bringing total availability under the current program to $1.5 billion. The program has no expiration date.

The board also approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.81 per share, payable Aug. 27, 2026, to shareholders of record as of Aug. 19, 2026. Bidzos said VeriSign returned more than 100% of free cash flow to shareholders over the last 12 months through $1.17 billion in repurchases and dividends.

Bidzos said VeriSign has not paused its new product efforts, although it delayed related blog rollouts while focusing on .web delegation. He said the products are security-focused and rely on the company’s infrastructure, public key infrastructure history and DNS security experience.

Management said the products are designed for performance, reliability and global scale, with Bidzos pointing to increasing reliance on online services, especially AI-related services, and the need for deeper deployment of security technologies.

About VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN)VeriSign, Inc NASDAQ: VRSN is an internet infrastructure company that operates critical components of the global Domain Name System (DNS) and provides cybersecurity-related services. The company is best known as the authoritative registry operator for the .com and .net top-level domains, maintaining the central databases and zone files that enable domain name resolution for millions of websites. VeriSign's registry role is performed under contractual agreements with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and involves high-availability, highly secure operations to support continuous internet connectivity.

In addition to its registry business, VeriSign offers a suite of services designed to protect and accelerate DNS and internet traffic for enterprises and service providers.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2026. VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Verisign”) reported revenue of $435 million for the second quarter of 2026, up 6.0 percent from the same quarter in 2025. Operating income was $296 million for the second quarter of 2026, compared to $281 million for the same quarter of 2025. Ver.

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN), a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, today announced that .web has been delegated into the global Domain Name System's (DNS) root zone, with Verisign as the designated registry operator. The delegation of .web follows the successful resolution of all previous disputes related to the generic top-level domain (gTLD), the details of which are confidential. Operating the world's most tech.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 20th, 2026

Bank of New York Mellon Corp reduced its stake in shares of VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report) by 3.8% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 519,263 shares of the information services provider’s stock after selling 20,269 shares during the quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp owned 0.57% of VeriSign worth $128,964,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of VRSN. Perpetual Ltd grew its holdings in VeriSign by 159.6% during the 4th quarter. Perpetual Ltd now owns 9,150 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $2,223,000 after purchasing an additional 5,626 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in VeriSign by 152.4% in the 4th quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 308,091 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $75,922,000 after buying an additional 186,029 shares in the last quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS boosted its position in VeriSign by 17.7% in the 4th quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 146,100 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $35,495,000 after buying an additional 22,020 shares during the last quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of VeriSign by 29.3% during the fourth quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 49,688 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $12,179,000 after acquiring an additional 11,249 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of VeriSign by 2.2% during the fourth quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 174,140 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $41,886,000 after acquiring an additional 3,691 shares in the last quarter. 92.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Wedbush started coverage on VeriSign in a research report on Thursday. They set an “outperform” rating and a $318.00 target price on the stock. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on VeriSign from $305.00 to $355.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Citigroup raised their price objective on VeriSign from $295.00 to $320.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of VeriSign in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on VeriSign from $285.00 to $308.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $325.25.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on VeriSign

VeriSign Price Performance Shares of VRSN opened at $277.66 on Monday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $278.74 and its 200 day moving average price is $258.44. VeriSign, Inc. has a 12-month low of $208.86 and a 12-month high of $312.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.27 billion, a PE ratio of 30.68 and a beta of 0.71.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The information services provider reported $2.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.30 by $0.04. VeriSign had a net margin of 49.95% and a negative return on equity of 39.98%. The company had revenue of $428.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $424.50 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.10 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that VeriSign, Inc. will post 9.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at VeriSign In other news, EVP Thomas C. Indelicarto sold 250 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $269.23, for a total transaction of $67,307.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 36,051 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,706,010.73. This represents a 0.69% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO D James Bidzos sold 3,300 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $266.09, for a total value of $878,097.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 422,839 shares in the company, valued at $112,513,229.51. The trade was a 0.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 26,300 shares of company stock valued at $7,125,942. Insiders own 0.56% of the company’s stock.

VeriSign Profile (Free Report)

VeriSign, Inc (NASDAQ: VRSN) is an internet infrastructure company that operates critical components of the global Domain Name System (DNS) and provides cybersecurity-related services. The company is best known as the authoritative registry operator for the .com and .net top-level domains, maintaining the central databases and zone files that enable domain name resolution for millions of websites. VeriSign’s registry role is performed under contractual agreements with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and involves high-availability, highly secure operations to support continuous internet connectivity.

In addition to its registry business, VeriSign offers a suite of services designed to protect and accelerate DNS and internet traffic for enterprises and service providers.

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Verisign remains a stable, predictable monopoly on .com and .net domains, with contractual price-hike levers supporting consistent growth. VRSN is trading at a 20% premium to intrinsic value ($217/share); I maintain a Hold rating and prefer entry below $200. Revenue and EPS growth are driven primarily by scheduled price increases, with margins likely to remain robust but unlikely to expand significantly.

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, today announced that its live earnings teleconference for the second quarter 2026 will take place on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. (EDT). The earnings news release will be distributed to the wire services at approximately 4:05 p.m. (EDT) that day and will also be available directly from the company's website at https://investor.verisign.com.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Mar 30th, 2026

Shares of VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) have received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the five research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $292.00.

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on VeriSign from $270.00 to $271.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Weiss Ratings raised VeriSign from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday. Zacks Research upgraded VeriSign from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Citigroup lowered their price objective on VeriSign from $337.00 to $280.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 9th.

Read Our Latest Report on VeriSign

Insider Activity at VeriSign In related news, EVP Thomas C. Indelicarto sold 332 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $240.62, for a total transaction of $79,885.84. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 39,696 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,551,651.52. The trade was a 0.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CEO D James Bidzos sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.28, for a total transaction of $496,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 414,099 shares in the company, valued at $102,812,499.72. This represents a 0.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 9,490 shares of company stock valued at $2,338,621. 0.84% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in VeriSign by 8.1% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 11,443,710 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $3,199,318,000 after purchasing an additional 861,065 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in VeriSign by 8.2% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 4,253,980 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $1,189,285,000 after buying an additional 321,737 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in VeriSign by 14.1% during the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 4,020,169 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $976,700,000 after buying an additional 496,674 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in shares of VeriSign by 19.8% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,491,035 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $362,247,000 after acquiring an additional 246,887 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of VeriSign in the 4th quarter valued at about $312,900,000. 92.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

VeriSign Stock Performance Shares of VRSN stock opened at $247.48 on Friday. VeriSign has a 1 year low of $208.86 and a 1 year high of $310.60. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $235.59 and its 200-day moving average is $248.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.09 and a beta of 0.76.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The information services provider reported $2.23 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.29 by ($0.06). VeriSign had a net margin of 49.84% and a negative return on equity of 40.40%. The company had revenue of $425.30 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $424.04 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.00 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% on a year-over-year basis.

VeriSign Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 19th were paid a $0.81 dividend. This is a boost from VeriSign’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.77. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 19th. This represents a $3.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.3%. VeriSign’s payout ratio is 36.78%.

VeriSign Company Profile (Get Free Report)

VeriSign, Inc (NASDAQ: VRSN) is an internet infrastructure company that operates critical components of the global Domain Name System (DNS) and provides cybersecurity-related services. The company is best known as the authoritative registry operator for the .com and .net top-level domains, maintaining the central databases and zone files that enable domain name resolution for millions of websites. VeriSign’s registry role is performed under contractual agreements with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and involves high-availability, highly secure operations to support continuous internet connectivity.

In addition to its registry business, VeriSign offers a suite of services designed to protect and accelerate DNS and internet traffic for enterprises and service providers.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than VeriSign

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Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 5th, 2026

Perpetual Ltd increased its holdings in VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report) by 159.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 9,150 shares of the information services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,626 shares during the quarter. Perpetual Ltd’s holdings in VeriSign were worth $2,223,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in VRSN. SteelPeak Wealth LLC acquired a new position in VeriSign in the fourth quarter worth approximately $2,037,000. Earned Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of VeriSign by 16.6% during the 4th quarter. Earned Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,733 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $664,000 after acquiring an additional 390 shares during the last quarter. Bank Pictet & Cie Europe AG boosted its stake in shares of VeriSign by 3.6% during the 4th quarter. Bank Pictet & Cie Europe AG now owns 1,661 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $404,000 after acquiring an additional 57 shares in the last quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. boosted its stake in shares of VeriSign by 8.8% during the 4th quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. now owns 16,317 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $3,964,000 after acquiring an additional 1,316 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. grew its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. now owns 32,171 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $7,816,000 after acquiring an additional 471 shares during the last quarter. 92.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently commented on VRSN. Weiss Ratings raised VeriSign from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Friday, March 27th. Citigroup lifted their price target on VeriSign from $280.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of VeriSign from $270.00 to $271.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of VeriSign from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, VeriSign currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $297.00.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on VRSN

Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CEO D James Bidzos sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.28, for a total value of $496,560.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 414,099 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $102,812,499.72. This represents a 0.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Thomas C. Indelicarto sold 332 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $240.62, for a total transaction of $79,885.84. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 39,696 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,551,651.52. This represents a 0.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 9,490 shares of company stock valued at $2,338,621 over the last three months. 0.84% of the stock is owned by insiders.

VeriSign Price Performance VRSN opened at $259.85 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.49 and a beta of 0.70. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $235.92 and a 200-day moving average of $247.68. VeriSign, Inc. has a 12-month low of $208.86 and a 12-month high of $310.60.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The information services provider reported $2.23 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.29 by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $425.30 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $424.04 million. VeriSign had a net margin of 49.84% and a negative return on equity of 40.40%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.00 EPS.

VeriSign Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 19th were issued a $0.81 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 19th. This represents a $3.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. This is a positive change from VeriSign’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.77. VeriSign’s dividend payout ratio is currently 36.78%.

VeriSign Profile (Free Report)

VeriSign, Inc (NASDAQ: VRSN) is an internet infrastructure company that operates critical components of the global Domain Name System (DNS) and provides cybersecurity-related services. The company is best known as the authoritative registry operator for the .com and .net top-level domains, maintaining the central databases and zone files that enable domain name resolution for millions of websites. VeriSign’s registry role is performed under contractual agreements with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and involves high-availability, highly secure operations to support continuous internet connectivity.

In addition to its registry business, VeriSign offers a suite of services designed to protect and accelerate DNS and internet traffic for enterprises and service providers.

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Warren Buffett is known for investing in companies with legal monopolies. That makes VeriSign (VRSN +0.11%) a natural fit for Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio, which Buffett oversaw until he stepped down as CEO at the end of last year.

VeriSign operates in the background of the internet, providing registration services for domains such as .com and .net, and Berkshire owns a 9.8% stake in the company -- a position it began building over a decade ago.

Considering VeriSign's firm grip on domain registration and the constant cash flow that it offers, is it worth considering the stock for your personal portfolio?

Image source: Getty Images.

The online traffic director In addition to its domain registration operations, VeriSign oversees two of the world's 13 root servers that help direct internet traffic, creating a large infrastructure moat that isn't easily disrupted. That moat also generates a lot of cash. In 2025, VeriSign reported $1.6 billion in revenue and $826 million in net income, both increases from 2024's totals.

Business has been good for VeriSign, but it is more of a mature operation than one with a roster of significant growth drivers. As some business owners shift from using websites to relying mainly on social media, domain registrations may face a noticeable slowdown.

That's reflected in domain base growth projections. Domain base growth is only expected to increase between 1.5% and 3.5% in 2026, with revenue projected to steadily climb, rather than explode higher.

Today's Change

(

0.11

%) $

0.32

Current Price

$

279.89

With those numbers in mind and also considering VeriSign's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 27.7, it appears investors may be paying up for the reliable, steady cash flow more than anything else. For comparison, Nvidia has a forward P/E ratio of 21.5. There's nothing wrong with investing in a maturing business, but VeriSign doesn't scream "value" at its current valuation.

There is, however, a Buffett play inside the Berkshire portfolio that does.

Consider this Buffett investment instead For a Buffett pick at a more attractive valuation, consider Sirius XM Holdings (SIRI 0.25%). Berkshire owns around 37% of the company.

Sirius may not be a pure audio monopoly given the intense competition in the streaming market, but it does exhibit monopolistic characteristics. In 2007, there were only two businesses authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to provide satellite radio service in the U.S. before the merger of Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio Holdings formed SiriusXM Holdings.

It's also building a moat through content, offering shows and stations that you can only find on its platform.

Sirius could also be considered a maturing business, but unlike VeriSign and its rich valuation, Sirius has a forward P/E of 7.4. That looks much more like a value. Pair that with a dividend yielding a generous 4.5%, and Sirius starts checking a lot of boxes as a Buffett stock worth owning.

Today's Change

(

-0.25

%) $

-0.07

Current Price

$

27.52

It seems that others are slowly starting to recognize this company's value as well, as the stock price has climbed notably so far in 2026, inching closer to its 52-week high of $24.92.

The upside looks promising, but that has to be considered along with concerns about Sirius to get the full picture. Those concerns include slowing subscriber growth, an increasingly competitive streaming media space, and rising content costs.

Still, between the two companies, Sirius looks like the better value.

VeriSign (VRSN - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended March 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on April 23. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis internet infrastructure services provider is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.20 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +4.8%.

Revenues are expected to be $421.81 million, up 4.9% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 8.13% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for VeriSign?For VeriSign, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that VeriSign will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that VeriSign would post earnings of $2.29 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.23, delivering a surprise of -2.62%.

The company has not been able to beat consensus EPS estimates in any of the last four quarters.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

VeriSign doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

-

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, today reported financial results for the first quarter of 2026.

VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Verisign”) reported revenue of $429 million for the first quarter of 2026, up 6.6 percent from the same quarter in 2025. Operating income was $294 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared to $271 million for the same quarter of 2025. Verisign reported net income of $215 million and diluted earnings per share (diluted “EPS”) of $2.34 for the first quarter of 2026, compared to net income of $199 million and diluted EPS of $2.10 for the same quarter of 2025.

“Through the first quarter of 2026 we continued to execute on our primary mission, extending into its 29th year our unparalleled record of providing 100% availability of our resolution service for the .com/.net domains. For the quarter, we delivered both steady growth in registrations and solid financial results,” said Jim Bidzos, Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Financial Highlights

Verisign ended the first quarter of 2026 with cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $556 million, a decrease of $24 million from year-end 2025. Cash flow from operations was $272 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared to $291 million for the same quarter of 2025. Deferred revenues as of March 31, 2026 totaled $1.43 billion, an increase of $45 million from year-end 2025. During the first quarter of 2026, Verisign repurchased 0.9 million shares of its common stock for $214 million. As of March 31, 2026, there was $863 million remaining for future share repurchases under the share repurchase program, which has no expiration. On April 20, 2026, Verisign’s Board of Directors approved a cash dividend of $0.81 per share of Verisign’s outstanding common stock to stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 19, 2026, payable on May 27, 2026. Business Highlights

Verisign ended the first quarter of 2026 with 176.1 million .com and .net domain name registrations in the domain name base, a 3.7 percent increase from the end of the first quarter of 2025, and a net increase of 2.54 million domain names during the first quarter of 2026. During the first quarter of 2026, Verisign processed 11.5 million new domain name registrations for .com and .net, compared with 10.1 million for the first quarter of 2025. The final .com and .net renewal rate for the fourth quarter of 2025 was 75.0 percent compared to 74.0 percent for the same quarter of 2024. Renewal rates are not fully measurable until 45 days after the end of the quarter. Verisign announces that it will increase the annual registry-level wholesale fee for each new and renewal .com domain name registration from $10.26 to $10.97 effective Nov. 1, 2026. Today’s Conference Call

Verisign will host a live conference call today at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) to review the first quarter 2026 results. The call will be accessible by direct dial at (888) 676-VRSN (U.S.) or (646) 769-9200 (international), conference ID: Verisign. A listen-only live web cast of the conference call and accompanying slide presentation will also be available at https://investor.verisign.com. An audio archive of the call will be available at https://investor.verisign.com/events.cfm. This news release and the financial information discussed on today’s conference call are available at https://investor.verisign.com.

About Verisign

Verisign (NASDAQ: VRSN), a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, enables internet navigation for many of the world’s most recognized domain names. Verisign helps enable the security, stability, and resiliency of the Domain Name System and the internet by providing root zone maintainer services, operating two of the 13 global internet root servers, and providing registration services and authoritative resolution for the .com and .net top-level domains, which support the majority of global e-commerce. To learn more please visit verisign.com.

Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, attempted security breaches, cyber-attacks, and DDoS attacks against our systems and services; the introduction of undetected or unknown defects in our systems or services; vulnerabilities in the global routing system; system interruptions or system failures; damage or interruptions to our data centers, data center systems or resolution systems; risks arising from our operation of root servers and our performance of the Root Zone Maintainer functions; any loss or modification of our right to operate the .com and .net gTLDs; changes or challenges to the pricing provisions of the .com Registry Agreement; new or existing governmental laws and regulations in the U.S. or other applicable non-U.S. jurisdictions; new laws, regulations, directives or ICANN policies that require us to obtain and maintain personal information of registrants; economic, legal, regulatory, and political risks associated with our international operations; unfavorable changes in, or interpretations of, tax rules and regulations; risks from the implementation of ICANN’s consensus and temporary policies, technical standards and other processes; the weakening of, or changes to, the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance; the outcome of claims, lawsuits, audits or investigations; challenging economic conditions; our ability to compete in the highly competitive business environment in which we operate; changes in internet practices and behavior and the adoption of substitute technologies, or the negative impact of wholesale price increases; our ability to expand our services into developing and emerging economies; our ability to maintain strong relationships with registrars and their resellers; our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly skilled employees; the continuity of our quarterly dividend; our ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights; challenges from the use of AI technology by third-parties or us; and the impact on our stock price from the dissemination of false or misleading information by unrelated third parties. More information about potential factors that could affect our business and financial results is included in our filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2025 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Verisign undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this announcement.

©2026 VeriSign, Inc. All rights reserved. VERISIGN, the VERISIGN logo, and other trademarks, service marks, and designs are registered or unregistered trademarks of VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and in foreign countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

VERISIGN, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In millions, except par value)

(Unaudited)

March 31, 2026

December 31, 2025

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents       

$

476.7

$

307.9

Marketable securities

79.7

272.6

Other current assets   

69.6

72.0

Total current assets           

626.0

652.5

Property and equipment, net

214.2

213.7

Goodwill

52.5

52.5

Deferred tax assets

227.9

233.2

Deposits to acquire intangible assets

145.2

145.2

Other long-term assets

31.4

28.8

Total long-term assets

671.2

673.4

Total assets         

$

1,297.2

$

1,325.9

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

$

283.9

$

298.0

Deferred revenues

1,071.2

1,035.1

Total current liabilities

1,355.1

1,333.1

Long-term deferred revenues

358.2

349.4

Long-term senior notes

1,788.8

1,788.2

Long-term tax and other liabilities

8.5

9.4

Total long-term liabilities

2,155.5

2,147.0

Total liabilities

3,510.6

3,480.1

Commitments and contingencies

Stockholders’ deficit:

Preferred stock—par value $.001 per share; Authorized shares: 5.0; Issued and outstanding shares: none

 —

—

Common stock and additional paid-in capital—par value $.001 per share; Authorized shares: 1,000; Issued shares: 355.8 at March 31, 2026 and 355.6 at December 31, 2025; Outstanding shares: 91.1 at March 31, 2026 and 91.9 at December 31, 2025

9,349.9

9,623.5

Accumulated deficit

(11,560.5

)

(11,775.0

)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(2.8

)

(2.7

)

Total stockholders’ deficit

(2,213.4

)

(2,154.2

)

Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit

$

1,297.2

$

1,325.9

VERISIGN, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(In millions, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended March 31,

2026

2025

Revenues

$

428.9

$

402.3

Costs and expenses:

Cost of revenues

49.2

49.4

Research and development

27.5

26.0

Selling, general and administrative

58.6

55.7

Total costs and expenses

135.3

131.1

Operating income

293.6

271.2

Interest expense

(18.9

)

(20.3

)

Non-operating income, net

4.7

7.5

Income before income taxes

279.4

258.4

Income tax expense

(64.9

)

(59.1

)

Net income

214.5

199.3

Other comprehensive loss

(0.1

)

(0.3

)

Comprehensive income

$

214.4

$

199.0

Earnings per share:

Basic

$

2.34

$

2.11

Diluted

$

2.34

$

2.10

Shares used to compute earnings per share

Basic

91.6

94.6

Diluted

91.8

94.8

VERISIGN, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In millions)

(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended March 31,

2026

2025

Cash flows from operating activities:

Net income

$

214.5

$

199.3

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation of property and equipment

6.4

8.9

Stock-based compensation expense

19.1

17.5

Amortization of discount on investments in debt securities

(1.6

)

(3.6

)

Other, net

0.4

1.1

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Other assets

(0.4

)

0.2

Other liabilities

(16.2

)

6.6

Deferred revenues

44.9

57.2

Net deferred income taxes

5.3

4.1

Net cash provided by operating activities

272.4

291.3

Cash flows from investing activities:

Proceeds from maturities and sales of marketable securities

273.8

358.6

Purchases of marketable securities

(79.4

)

(35.2

)

Purchases of property and equipment

(7.2

)

(5.8

)

Net cash provided by investing activities

187.2

317.6

Cash flows from financing activities:

Repurchases of common stock

(225.4

)

(241.7

)

Payment of dividends

(74.2

)

—

Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan

8.5

7.9

Repayment of borrowings

—

(500.0

)

Proceeds from senior note issuance, net of issuance costs

—

493.9

Net cash used in financing activities

(291.1

)

(239.9

)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash

0.3

(0.3

)

Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash

168.8

368.7

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period

309.5

212.1

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period

$

478.3

$

580.8

Supplemental cash flow disclosures:

Cash paid for interest

$

13.1

$

26.2

Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds received

$

28.7

$

20.0

More News From VeriSign, Inc.

Back to Newsroom

VeriSign (VRSN - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.34 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.2 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.1 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +6.36%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this internet infrastructure services provider would post earnings of $2.29 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.23, delivering a surprise of -2.62%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates just once.

VeriSign, which belongs to the Zacks Internet - Software and Services industry, posted revenues of $428.9 million for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.68%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $402.3 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

VeriSign shares have added about 11.1% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.3%.

What's Next for VeriSign?While VeriSign has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for VeriSign was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $2.26 on $429.93 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $9.28 on $1.74 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Internet - Software and Services is currently in the top 15% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Another stock from the same industry, Globant (GLOB - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026.

This information technology services provider is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.50 per share in its upcoming report, which represents no change from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.6% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.

Globant's revenues are expected to be $602.23 million, down 1.5% from the year-ago quarter.

VeriSign Inc (VRSN) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue Growth and Record Domain Registrations VeriSign Inc (VRSN) reports a 6.6% revenue increase and record domain name base, while navigating challenges with operating expenses and cash flow. Summary

Revenue: $429 million, up 6.6% year-over-year.EPS (Earnings Per Share): $2.34, increased 11.4% year-over-year.Net Income: $215 million, compared to $199 million a year ago.Operating Income: $294 million, up 8.3% from the previous year.Operating Expenses: $135 million, compared to $131 million a year ago.Operating Cash Flow: $272 million, compared to $291 million a year ago.Free Cash Flow: $265 million, compared to $286 million a year ago.Cash and Equivalents: $556 million at the end of the quarter.Domain Name Base: 176.1 million names, with 11.5 million new registrations in Q1 2026.Renewal Rate: 76.3% for the first quarter of 2026.Share Repurchase Program: $863 million remaining available.Cash Dividend: $0.81 per share, payable on May 27, 2026.Price Increase for .com Domains: $0.71 increase to $10.97 effective November 1, 2026.

Release Date: April 23, 2026

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points VeriSign Inc VRSN reported a strong financial performance with a 6.6% year-over-year increase in revenue and an 11.4% increase in EPS.The combined .com and .net domain name base reached a record 176.1 million names, with new registrations at their highest since the first half of 2021.The company returned over 100% of its free cash flow to investors through share repurchases and dividends, totaling $1.13 billion in the last 12 months.VeriSign Inc (VRSN) maintained a stable financial position with $556 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities at the end of the quarter.The company announced a cash dividend of $0.81 per share and intends to continue paying quarterly dividends, subject to market conditions and board approval. Negative Points Operating expenses increased to $135 million in Q1 2026, compared to $131 million in the same quarter a year ago.Free cash flow decreased to $265 million from $286 million in the year-ago quarter.The upcoming .com price increase may impact renewal trends, depending on how retail registrars adjust their pricing.The company faces challenges with a higher proportion of first-time renewing names in the second half of 2026, which could affect renewal rates.VeriSign Inc (VRSN) has not yet announced a price increase for .net, which could impact future revenue growth if not adjusted. Q & A Highlights Q: Jim, can you elaborate on the impact of AI and marketing programs on the recent strength in domain registrations?
A: D. Bidzos, Executive Chairman, President, and CEO, explained that it's challenging to separate the impact of AI from marketing programs as they complement each other. AI makes it easier for registrars to help customers find domains and build websites, while tailored marketing programs have significantly engaged the channel, contributing to the growth.

Q: Can you provide insights into the renewal rates post-marketing program changes?
A: John Calys, Executive Vice President and CFO, noted that the renewal rate was strong at 76.3%. The marketing programs are designed to promote domains with better renewal characteristics, and they expect solid renewal rates through 2026. First-time renewals average in the mid-40% range, while previously renewed names are in the mid-80% range.

Q: What are your expectations for the upcoming ICANN TLD program, and how is VeriSign planning to participate?
A: D. Bidzos stated that ICANN's new round for gTLD applications opens soon, but the process is lengthy, with launches expected around 2028. VeriSign is preparing technically to participate, evaluating opportunities, and will update on their involvement as the application window progresses.

Q: With the upcoming .com price hike, what are your expectations for renewal trends and price elasticity?
A: John Calys mentioned that the impact on renewals depends on retail registrars' pricing decisions. Historically, price increases have had some effect, but they remain confident in renewal trends. D. Bidzos added that the price increase is modest, equating to about $0.03 per day for registrants.

Q: Can you provide more details on the new services related to security and infrastructure?
A: D. Bidzos highlighted the importance of high-assurance infrastructure, especially with AI revealing vulnerabilities. VeriSign's services focus on security, performance, and accuracy, with plans to introduce additional security tools that align with their infrastructure. More information will be shared through upcoming blogs.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 26th, 2026

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) shares traded down 6.5% during trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $253.51 and last traded at $258.9710. 222,552 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 72% from the average session volume of 806,553 shares. The stock had previously closed at $276.95.

More VeriSign News Here are the key news stories impacting VeriSign this week:

Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and raised guidance — VeriSign reported Q1 revenue and EPS above street expectations and raised/narrowed FY2026 revenue and operating-income guidance, driven by domain growth and margin expansion; that beat initially supported the stock. Business Wire: Q1 Results Positive Sentiment: Analysts lift targets — Multiple firms raised forecasts and price targets after the print, including Robert W. Baird boosting its target to $355 (outperform), which signals some sell‑side conviction in continued domain growth and cash returns. Benzinga: Analysts Raise Forecasts Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raises price target (small upside) — JPMorgan nudged its target to $278 and kept a neutral rating, a moderate endorsement that tempers downside risk from the print. Benzinga: JPMorgan Note Neutral Sentiment: Dividend and capital returns remain intact — VeriSign declared a quarterly dividend ($0.81) and continues share‑repurchase activity, supporting the income/cash‑return story but unlikely to move the stock materially on its own. Neutral Sentiment: Industry backdrop — DNIB reported global domain registrations rose sequentially, reinforcing the secular demand picture for registry services. Business Wire: DNIB Domain Report Negative Sentiment: Investor focus on renewal-mix and forward growth — Post‑earnings selling appears tied to management commentary about tougher renewal comparisons later in 2026 (a higher mix of first‑time renewals) and uncertainty over domain net‑adds cadence, prompting repositioning and profit‑taking. Quiver Quant: Post‑Earnings Slide Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and positioning shifts — Recent disclosures show heavy insider sales activity and mixed institutional flows (some large funds trimming positions), which can amplify near‑term downside pressure after a rally. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on VRSN. Zacks Research raised shares of VeriSign from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of VeriSign from $295.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of VeriSign from $273.00 to $278.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on shares of VeriSign from $305.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of VeriSign from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $317.67.

View Our Latest Stock Report on VeriSign

VeriSign Stock Performance The firm has a market capitalization of $24.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.75 and a beta of 0.70. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $246.64 and its 200 day moving average is $246.75.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The information services provider reported $2.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.04. VeriSign had a net margin of 49.95% and a negative return on equity of 40.69%. The firm had revenue of $428.90 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $424.50 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.10 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that VeriSign, Inc. will post 9.28 EPS for the current fiscal year.

VeriSign Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 27th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, May 19th will be paid a dividend of $0.81 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, May 19th. This represents a $3.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. VeriSign’s payout ratio is currently 36.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling at VeriSign In related news, EVP Thomas C. Indelicarto sold 498 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.08, for a total value of $124,041.84. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 30,115 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,501,044.20. This represents a 1.63% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 2,490 shares of company stock worth $626,690. 0.56% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of VeriSign A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Advisors Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 25.3% during the 1st quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 198 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the period. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC lifted its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 12.3% during the 1st quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 1,232 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $313,000 after acquiring an additional 135 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 104.5% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 4,125 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $1,047,000 after acquiring an additional 2,108 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 122.1% during the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,358 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $852,000 after acquiring an additional 1,846 shares during the period. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC lifted its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 2.0% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 9,346 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $2,373,000 after acquiring an additional 186 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.90% of the company’s stock.

About VeriSign (Get Free Report)

VeriSign, Inc (NASDAQ: VRSN) is an internet infrastructure company that operates critical components of the global Domain Name System (DNS) and provides cybersecurity-related services. The company is best known as the authoritative registry operator for the .com and .net top-level domains, maintaining the central databases and zone files that enable domain name resolution for millions of websites. VeriSign’s registry role is performed under contractual agreements with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and involves high-availability, highly secure operations to support continuous internet connectivity.

In addition to its registry business, VeriSign offers a suite of services designed to protect and accelerate DNS and internet traffic for enterprises and service providers.

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VeriSign trades at reasonably high-20s earnings multiples, supported by strong margins and return on invested capital. VRSN's investment case hinges on whether generative AI is a threat or tailwind, with valuation sensitivity to AI-driven market perceptions. Growth from .com and .net is mature; future upside depends on AI-driven infrastructure demand and successful expansion into new domains.

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Stock to Watch: VeriSign (VRSN - Free Report) Based in Reston, VA, VeriSign Inc. is a leading provider of domain name registry services and internet infrastructure. Its only reportable segment includes Registry Services.

VRSN is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Computer and Technology stock. VRSN has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 7.7% over the past four weeks.

One analyst revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.21 to $9.49 per share. VRSN also boasts an average earnings surprise of +1.9%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, VRSN should be on investors' short list.