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On its third quarter of 2026 earnings call, held on Oct. 22, 2026, VeriSign (VRSN -1.40%) announced that its domain name base reached 183 million names with a record 13.1 million new registrations in the quarter. Expanding the domain base drives recurring software revenue for the company's core top-level domain (TLD) registry business, which manages internet address extensions such as .com and .net. Three things management said on the earnings call stand out.

1. Artificial Intelligence Tools Are Accelerating Domain Name RegistrationsArtificial intelligence software helps creators launch websites quickly, which boosts demand for domain names. Management increased its full-year 2026 domain base growth target to between 6.5% and 7% as customer demand picked up across key regions.

The factors driving the solid domain name based trends of the past several quarters further accelerated during the third quarter. Registrars have successfully engaged with our marketing programs and are focused on customer acquisition, plus AI tools are making content and website creation faster and easier.
-- Jim Bidzos, Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer2. The Imminent Launch of .web Unlocks Unregulated Pricing OpportunitiesThe company prepares to launch .web in early 2027 following a limited registration period. Unlike its regulated .com contract, the new extension allows management to set premium pricing and flexible marketing promotions.

As we shared last quarter, the .web registry agreement allows for pricing flexibility, including premium names, which we intend to use.
-- Jim Bidzos, Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer3. VeriSign Informed Expands Infrastructure Services Into Security CredentialsManagement introduced VeriSign Informed (VI), a validation service designed to verify digital credentials used in encryption and corporate network security. The service runs on existing infrastructure and targets commercial delivery in the first half of 2027.

On October 5th, we announced VeriSign Informed, or VI, a security service to support the use of critically and widely used digital credentials. There are many use cases for these credentials: authorized network access by users in corporate networks, secure email, secure software distribution, including app updates, and on billions of financial chip cards worldwide.
-- Jim Bidzos, Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive OfficerLooking AheadDomain query volume continues to grow across its global domain name system (DNS), and management is not hiding its satisfaction with the core domain registry operation.

We are pleased with the results of our core DNS business in Q3. We believe that our record of more than 29 years of uninterrupted .com and .net DNS global availability contributes to our domain growth by establishing and maintaining .com and .net as highly reliable and trusted TLDs, now processing approximately 800 billion DNS queries per day on average, returning cryptographically protected answers within milliseconds. With this unparalleled record of availability, reliability, and performance, we use the term "high assurance" to describe our services.
-- Jim Bidzos, Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive OfficerThe business relies on a 29-year track record of continuous internet availability, strict pricing discipline, and high-margin infrastructure scaling. Management remains focused on leveraging this network for new digital security products and returning capital to shareholders.

We have always seen ourselves as a critical infrastructure service provider that prioritizes security, stability, and resiliency. That focus has delivered profitable growth for the company and our focus will not change.
-- Jim Bidzos, Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive OfficerThe Motley Fool has positions in and recommends VeriSign. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Buffett Trims Apple, Bets Big on Alphabet Ahead of RetirementVeriSign NASDAQ: VRSN reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of $443 million, up 5.7% from a year earlier, as demand for .com and .net domain names continued to accelerate. The company raised and narrowed its full-year outlook for domain-name-base growth to 6.5% to 7%.

The combined .com and .net domain-name base reached 182.5 million names at the end of the quarter, an increase of 6.1% year over year. The base expanded by 3.4 million names from the prior quarter, while new registrations totaled a record 13.1 million, compared with 12.7 million in the second quarter and 10.6 million in the year-ago period.

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Why These 3 Market-Beaters Are Backing Up Their Buyback TrucksExecutive Chairman, President and CEO Jim Bidzos said registrars’ customer-acquisition efforts, VeriSign marketing programs and the adoption of artificial-intelligence tools have contributed to registration growth. He said AI can make it easier to find a domain name, build a website and maintain online content.

“The ongoing strength in new registrations attests to the vital role that domain names play in discovering content and establishing digital credibility,” Bidzos said.

Financial Results and Guidance 3 American Outperformers Are Lifting and Initiating DividendsThird-quarter operating income was $296 million, up 4.2% from a year earlier and flat sequentially. Net income was $213 million, unchanged from the same period last year and down from $217 million in the second quarter. Diluted earnings per share were $2.35, compared with $2.27 a year earlier and $2.38 in the prior quarter.

Operating expenses totaled $147 million, up from $135 million in the prior-year quarter. CFO John Calys said the company recognized a $7.5 million pre-tax operating loss tied to certain assets held for sale, accounting for most of the sequential increase in expenses. The charge reduced current-quarter EPS by $0.06.

Operating cash flow was $268 million and free cash flow was $261 million, compared with $308 million and $303 million, respectively, a year earlier. Calys attributed the year-over-year decline primarily to higher cash taxes and increased payments to employees and vendors, partly offset by greater customer cash collections.

VeriSign ended the quarter with $476 million in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. Over the last 12 months, it returned $1.14 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. The company had $1.36 billion remaining under its share-repurchase authorization at quarter-end.

The board approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.81 per share, payable Nov. 24 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 17. VeriSign said it intends to continue paying a quarterly dividend.

Full-year revenue guidance: $1.755 billion to $1.760 billion. Full-year operating income guidance: $1.188 billion to $1.192 billion, including the $7.5 million third-quarter asset-related expense. Expected net interest expense and non-operating expense: $59 million to $65 million. Expected capital expenditures: $55 million to $65 million. Expected GAAP effective tax rate: 22% to 25%. Renewal Trends and Pricing VeriSign expects its third-quarter renewal rate to be 74.3%, down from 75.4% a year ago. Management said the decline reflects a greater share of first-time renewing domains following strong new-registration activity over the past year.

Calys said first-time renewal rates have remained in the mid-40% range, while renewal rates for previously renewed names have remained in the mid-80% range. He said the increasing proportion of first-time renewing domains naturally lowers the overall renewal rate, although the company has not seen significant changes in either cohort’s renewal behavior.

Bidzos added that VeriSign’s analysis indicates many recent registrations fall within the company’s “online presence” cohort, which he described as its best-renewing cohort.

Management also said it had not seen a significant increase in registrar retail pricing following the April announcement of a .com price increase. Calys said average registrar pricing changes over the subsequent three months were around 1% or less. The company had not observed significant early renewal activity ahead of the price increase’s Nov. 1 effective date.

David Atchley, vice president of finance and corporate treasurer, reiterated that VeriSign expects about half of the .com price increase to be reflected in 2027 revenue, with most of the remaining impact expected in 2028.

.web Launch and VeriSign Informed VeriSign said it is preparing to launch the .web top-level domain after its delegation into the internet’s root zone. The company plans to begin the required 30-day sunrise period in mid-December, followed by a limited registration period beginning in mid-January that could extend into early April 2027. General availability is expected after that period.

During the limited registration period, most holders of .com domains will have an opportunity to register an exact-match .web domain. VeriSign said it is finalizing pricing and expects to communicate its plans to registrars in the coming weeks. The .web registry agreement permits pricing flexibility, including premium-name pricing.

Bidzos said .web’s position as a short and generic top-level domain, combined with VeriSign’s infrastructure, should provide an enduring value proposition beyond any near-term timing advantage over future new top-level-domain launches.

The company also discussed VeriSign Informed, a certificate-status security service announced Oct. 5. The service is designed to provide current information on whether digital certificates have been revoked, supporting use cases including network access, secure email, software distribution and web certificates.

Bidzos said the service is already operational within VeriSign’s infrastructure and that expenses associated with it are included in financial results through 2026 guidance. The company expects to finalize pricing by year-end and begin production service delivery in the first half of 2027. VeriSign Informed is currently entering a beta phase, according to management.

About VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN)VeriSign, Inc NASDAQ: VRSN provides internet infrastructure services that support the global domain name system. The company operates the authoritative registry for the .com and .net top-level domains and provides registry services for certain other domains, helping maintain the databases that connect domain names with internet addresses.

The company's services include domain name registry operations, domain name registration-related support for accredited registrars, and infrastructure designed to improve the availability, stability, and security of internet naming services.

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 third quarter of 2026. VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Verisign”) reported revenue of $443 million for the third quarter of 2026, up 5.7 percent from the same quarter in 2025. Operating income was $296 million for the third quarter of 2026, compared to $284 million for the same quarter of 2025. Verisi.

VeriSign (VRSN - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.41 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.42 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.27 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -0.41%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this internet infrastructure services provider would post earnings of $2.36 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.38, delivering a surprise of +0.85%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

VeriSign, which belongs to the Zacks Internet - Software and Services industry, posted revenues of $443 million for the quarter ended September 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.28%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $419.1 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four 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 26.5% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 13.3%.

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 favorable. 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 #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform 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 $2.47 on $450.48 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $9.59 on $1.76 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 35% 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.

Nebius Group (NBIS - Free Report) , another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026.

This an AI-centric cloud platform is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.53 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -35.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 5.8% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.

Nebius Group's revenues are expected to be $914.15 million, up 525.7% from the year-ago quarter.

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Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

VeriSign (VRSN - Free Report) could be a solid choice for investors given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.

The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company's changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.

Individual investors often find it hard to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, since these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time. In these situations, the Zacks rating system comes in handy because of the power of a changing earnings picture in determining near-term stock price movements.

As such, the Zacks rating upgrade for VeriSign is essentially a positive comment on its earnings outlook that could have a favorable impact on its stock price.

Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock PricesThe change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, and the near-term price movement of its stock are proven to be strongly correlated. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.

For VeriSign, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade fundamentally mean an improvement in the company's underlying business. And investors' appreciation of this improving business trend should push the stock higher.

Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate RevisionsEmpirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, so it could be truly rewarding if such revisions are tracked for making an investment decision. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.

The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Earnings Estimate Revisions for VeriSignThis internet infrastructure services provider is expected to earn $9.59 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2026, which represents no year-over-year change.

Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for VeriSign. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 1.3%.

Bottom LineUnlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.

You can learn more about the Zacks Rank here >>>

The upgrade of VeriSign to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.

D. James Bidzos, Executive Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of VeriSign, Inc. (VRSN -0.79%), sold 3,300 shares of common stock on September 15, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summaryMetricValueTransaction value~$979,000Shares sold (directly held)3,300Post-transaction shares (directly held)388,327Post-transaction value$115.43 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($296.58); post-transaction value based on September 15, 2026 market close ($297.26).

Key questionsWhat is the scale of the remaining equity position held by D. James Bidzos?
Following the disposition of 3,300 shares, the executive retains a direct stake of ~388,000 shares, representing a 0.43% ownership interest in the $27.1 billion company.How does the execution price compare to the current market valuation?
The shares were sold at a weighted average price of $296.58, while the stock was priced at $298.46 as of the September 16, 2026 market close.What are the operational focuses of VeriSign as defined in recent disclosures?
VeriSign provides fundamental internet infrastructure and domain name registration services, acting as the root zone maintainer and operating two of the 13 global internet root servers.Company OverviewMetricValueShare Price (as of market close 2026-09-16)$298.46Market Capitalization$27.1 billionRevenue (TTM)$1.7 billionNet Income (TTM)$850.0 millionCompany SnapshotVeriSign operates as the authoritative registry operator for the .com and .net top-level domains, generating recurring revenue through domain name registrations and renewals while maintaining critical internet infrastructure as a root zone maintainer and operator of two of the thirteen global internet root servers.The company employs a high-margin, subscription-based business model wherein it derives revenue from registry services fees paid by registrars and domain registrants, supported by its monopolistic position in managing the world's most widely used domain extensions.VeriSign serves a global customer base consisting of domain registrars, internet service providers, enterprises, and individual domain registrants who depend on its infrastructure to maintain web presence and ensure the stability and security of internet navigation systems.VeriSign is a critical infrastructure provider commanding a dominant market position with $1.7 billion in TTM revenue. The company's competitive moat derives from its exclusive contracts to operate the .com and .net registries, which collectively represent the largest and most economically valuable domain extensions globally.

With net income of $850.0 million on TTM revenue, VeriSign demonstrates substantial operating leverage and profitability characteristic of essential internet infrastructure businesses with limited competitive threats.

What this transaction means for investorsThe September 15 sale of VeriSign stock by CEO D. James Bidzos was a market-timed discretionary transaction. That said, the disposition represented a marginal liquidity event by the executive, as it comprised just 0.84% of his directly-held equity stake before the filing.

Bidzos retains over 388,000 direct shares, post-sale. This is a sizable sum, and ensures his continued alignment with shareholder interests. In fact, VeriSign returned over 100% of its free cash flow in the second quarter to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases. The company maintains a solid forward dividend yield of 1.2%, an appealing amount for a technology enterprise, given most tech businesses offer meager dividends, if at all.

VeriSign is doing well. Bidzos announced the company was raising its 2026 full-year guidance as it grew Q2 revenue to $434.6 million, up from the prior year's $409.9 million. This growth was helped by a 5% year-over-year increase in .com and .net domain name registrations in Q2 to 179.1 million.

Robert Izquierdo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends VeriSign. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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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 #3 (Hold) 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 0.1% over the past four weeks.

For fiscal 2026, two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.03 to $9.59 per share. VRSN boasts an average earnings surprise of +1.5%.

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

Corient Private Wealth LP grew its holdings in shares of VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report) by 2,587.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 78,951 shares of the information services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 76,013 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LP owned approximately 0.09% of VeriSign worth $19,861,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of VRSN. California State Teachers Retirement System raised its position in VeriSign by 30,008.2% in the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 34,563,589 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $8,694,816,000 after acquiring an additional 34,448,791 shares in the last quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc purchased a new position in shares of VeriSign in the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,261,494,000. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in shares of VeriSign in the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,116,154,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 1.4% in the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 2,818,151 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $699,916,000 after purchasing an additional 38,800 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of VeriSign in the fourth quarter valued at about $312,900,000. 92.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at VeriSign In related news, EVP John Calys sold 500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.56, for a total transaction of $140,780.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 31,087 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,752,855.72. This represents a 1.58% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Thomas C. Indelicarto sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $289.16, for a total transaction of $144,580.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 32,895 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,511,918.20. This represents a 1.50% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 36,500 shares of company stock worth $10,096,482 in the last 90 days. 0.56% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts have issued reports on VRSN shares. Wedbush increased their target price on shares of VeriSign from $324.00 to $341.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 1st. Zacks Research raised VeriSign from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of VeriSign in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on VeriSign from $308.00 to $316.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, July 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $333.00. Check Out Our Latest Report on VRSN

VeriSign Stock Performance Shares of VRSN opened at $298.60 on Tuesday. VeriSign, Inc. has a 1 year low of $208.86 and a 1 year high of $312.48. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $283.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $272.39. The company has a market capitalization of $26.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.39 and a beta of 0.70.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The information services provider reported $2.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.36 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $434.60 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $433.19 million. VeriSign had a negative return on equity of 39.20% and a net margin of 49.76%.VeriSign’s revenue was up 6.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.21 EPS. Equities analysts expect that VeriSign, Inc. will post 9.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

VeriSign Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 27th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th were paid a $0.81 dividend. This represents a $3.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 19th. VeriSign’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.14%.

VeriSign Company Profile (Free Report)

VeriSign, Inc (NASDAQ: VRSN) is a global provider of internet infrastructure and domain name registry services. The company operates the authoritative registry for the .com and .net top-level domains, maintaining the systems that support the registration and resolution of millions of internet addresses worldwide.

VeriSign’s services include domain registry operations, Domain Name System (DNS) services, DNS security and stability solutions, and related internet infrastructure. Its systems help domain name registrars, businesses, governments and internet users access websites and online services reliably.

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B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG acquired a new stake in shares of VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 4,573 shares of the information services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $1,150,000.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. DV Equities LLC purchased a new position in VeriSign during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Addison Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in VeriSign in the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. lifted its stake in VeriSign by 429.2% in the 3rd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 127 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. boosted 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 valued at $50,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Activest Wealth Management boosted its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 788.0% during the 4th quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 222 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 197 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.90% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at VeriSign In other news, CEO D James Bidzos sold 3,300 shares of VeriSign stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $297.47, for a total transaction of $981,651.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 439,339 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $130,690,172.33. The trade was a 0.75% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 36,500 shares of company stock worth $10,059,796 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.56% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In VRSN has been the topic of several research reports. Zacks Research raised VeriSign from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of VeriSign in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on VeriSign from $308.00 to $316.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Wedbush lifted their price objective on VeriSign from $318.00 to $324.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, VeriSign has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $328.75. Read Our Latest Research Report on VeriSign

VeriSign Price Performance VRSN stock opened at $281.80 on Monday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $272.60 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $264.63. VeriSign, Inc. has a twelve month low of $208.86 and a twelve month high of $312.48. The firm has a market cap of $25.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.56 and a beta of 0.70.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The information services provider reported $2.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.36 by $0.02. VeriSign had a net margin of 49.76% and a negative return on equity of 39.20%. The firm had revenue of $434.60 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $433.19 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.21 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 6.0% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that VeriSign, Inc. will post 9.56 EPS for the current year.

VeriSign Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 27th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be paid a $0.81 dividend. This represents a $3.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 19th. VeriSign’s dividend payout ratio is currently 35.14%.

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.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than VeriSign VIG, VYM, and VYMI: Which Vanguard Dividend ETF Is Right for You? 3 Closed-End Funds to Maximize Dividend Payments Rocket Lab’s Sell-Off Is Fading—Is It Finally Safe to Buy? $27 Billion in Buybacks: 3 Stocks Betting Their Strong Runs Aren’t Over Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VRSN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report).

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BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 8,412,124 shares of the information services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $2,116,154,000. BlackRock Inc. owned about 9.32% of VeriSign as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of VeriSign during the fourth quarter valued at about $312,900,000. Hawk Ridge Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in VeriSign during the 4th quarter valued at about $149,686,000. Deutsche Bank AG bought a new position in VeriSign during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $145,362,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in VeriSign in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $126,420,000. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in VeriSign by 14.1% in the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 4,020,169 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $976,700,000 after purchasing an additional 496,674 shares during the last quarter. 92.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets VRSN has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of VeriSign from $295.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of VeriSign from $308.00 to $316.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, July 24th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of VeriSign from $305.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of VeriSign in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, Wedbush boosted their price objective on shares of VeriSign from $318.00 to $324.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $328.75.

Read Our Latest Analysis on VeriSign VeriSign Stock Down 1.3% NASDAQ:VRSN opened at $273.03 on Thursday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $272.61 and its 200 day simple moving average is $264.18. The stock has a market cap of $24.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.61 and a beta of 0.70. VeriSign, Inc. has a twelve month low of $208.86 and a twelve month high of $312.48.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The information services provider reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.36 by $0.02. VeriSign had a net margin of 49.76% and a negative return on equity of 39.20%. The business had revenue of $434.60 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $433.19 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.21 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that VeriSign, Inc. will post 9.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

VeriSign Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 27th. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be paid a $0.81 dividend. This represents a $3.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 19th. VeriSign’s dividend payout ratio is presently 35.14%.

Insider Transactions at VeriSign In other VeriSign news, CEO D James Bidzos sold 3,300 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $297.47, for a total value of $981,651.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 439,339 shares in the company, valued at $130,690,172.33. This trade represents a 0.75% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 36,500 shares of company stock valued at $10,059,796 over the last ninety days. 0.56% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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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The Internet-Software & Services industry is currently benefiting from businesses and governments modernizing existing infrastructure while continuing to move existing workflows online and increasing spending on cloud-based technologies. Artificial intelligence is inducing increased technology spending, but its benefits are not equally distributed. While driving demand for automation, infrastructure and cybersecurity solutions, it is greatly adding to uncertainties by disrupting existing business models, commoditizing some offerings and increasing competition. To make matters worse, customer budgets are geared towards expenditure with a quick return on investment. As a result, analyst estimates remain conservative and valuation appears rich.

 In this background, Verisign (VRSN - Free Report) stands out because of its structural advantages that ensure steady, high-margin inflows despite market uncertainties. Donnelley Financial (DFIN - Free Report) may also be worth keeping an eye on because it has some compelling technology and is migrating to a subscription model with increased customer stickiness.

About the Industry The Internet Software & Services industry is a relatively small industry primarily involved in enabling platforms, networks, solutions and services for online businesses, including online communication, commerce, data analysis, cybersecurity, collaboration and digital infrastructure, and facilitating customer interaction and use of Internet based services. Most companies operate under Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or platform models, where customers access applications through web browsers or APIs rather than installing software locally. 

Top Themes Driving the Industry Cloud adoption is one of the most powerful long-term drivers of the Internet Software & Services industry. Companies are steadily replacing traditional on-premise software — which required local servers, maintenance and large upfront investments — with cloud-based applications delivered over the internet. Cloud platforms allow organizations to scale usage up or down quickly, reduce IT infrastructure costs and deploy software updates automatically without operational disruption. This shift also enables faster innovation, as employees and customers can access systems securely from any location or device. For software providers, cloud delivery transforms revenue from one-time license sales into recurring subscriptions, improving visibility and customer lifetime value. Because migrating systems is complex and costly, customers tend to remain on chosen platforms for years, creating high switching costs and durable revenue streams across the industry.The level of technology adoption by businesses impacts growth. Companies continue to build platforms facilitating the development and use of artificial intelligence, scrambling to digitize operations, customer interactions and internal workflows to improve efficiency and competitiveness. This in turn accelerates the adoption of technology that can help collect and analyze data, whether on premise or in the cloud.  AI and advanced analytics are becoming embedded in software platforms, enabling automation, predictive decision-making and personalization. Internet software platforms automate processes such as payments, analytics, marketing and compliance, making them essential operating tools rather than optional technology. However, AI is also creating significant uncertainties. It is automating certain processes that were earlier handled with software or personal services, thus disrupting operating models. By facilitating software development, it is also lowering the barriers to entry for some players thus increasing competition. While this is making AI adoption imperative, it is increasing cost. As a result, AI adoption is not having the same effect on all players, making it harder to forecast its impact for the industry as a whole.Cybersecurity and Identity Protection are fast-growing segments of the market. As economic activity rapidly moves online, the number of digital identities, transactions and connected systems has also increased with a corresponding increase in exposure to cybercrime and fraud. Businesses now handle sensitive customer data, financial transactions and remote access across cloud environments, making security and identity verification mission-critical rather than optional IT spending. As cyberattacks, account takeovers and synthetic identity fraud become more sophisticated, organizations must invest in software that can continuously monitor users, verify identities, detect suspicious behavior and comply with tightening regulatory requirements. The stricter data protection and compliance standards are forcing companies to adopt specialized security and risk-management platforms. Because these risks evolve constantly, security solutions require ongoing updates and monitoring, driving recurring subscription demand. This creates sustained growth for Internet software providers offering cybersecurity, fraud prevention and identity intelligence tools embedded directly into digital workflows.Given the colorful international politics and the resultant volatility in international markets, there is notable impact on the performance of each player. Companies increasingly prefer a subscription-based model, which improves revenue visibility and makes the business less lumpy. Innovation is very important, but not enough to drive growth. This model improves customer retention and allows providers to expand revenue through upgrades, pricing actions and usage growth over time. Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Deteriorating Prospects The Zacks Internet – Software & Services industry is housed within the broader Zacks Computer and Technology sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #180, which places it in the bottom 27% of over 245 Zacks-classified industries.

The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates that there are some hindrances to growth at the moment. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

The aggregate estimate revisions trend is telling. Estimates for fiscal year 2026 have dropped 7.6%, while those for 2027 have dropped 23.9% over the past year. Estimates for both years have moved around quite a bit, with the greatest decline by far coming in September 2025, and then, again in August 2026.

Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and valuation picture.

Industry's Stock Market Performance Is Lagging For most of the past year, the Zacks Internet – Software & Services Industry has traded at a discount to both the broader Zacks Computer and Technology Sector and the S&P 500. While it was more or less level with the others up to November, it has underperformed the others since then.

Overall, the industry returned 20.7% over the past year compared with the broader sector’s return of 31.7% and the S&P 500’s 22.9%.

One-Year Price Performance

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Industry's Valuation is Rich On the basis of forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, we see that the industry is currently trading at 26.54X, at a premium to its median level of 23.2X, a 27.5% premium to the S&P 500 and a 22% premium to the broader technology sector. Technology stocks usually trade at a higher multiple because investors pay a higher premium for innovation. The downward revision to earnings estimates appear to be disappointing investors.

The industry has traded in the range of 20.36X to 29.73X over the past year, as the chart below shows.

Forward 12 Month Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

2 Stocks Worth Considering Verisign, Inc. (VRSN - Free Report) : Reston, VA-based VeriSign provides Internet infrastructure services, exclusively operating the domain name registries for .com and .net under agreements with ICANN. The company builds and maintains highly specialized domain name system (DNS) infrastructure that handles massive volumes of queries while maintaining high reliability and resilience against cyberattacks, outages and other technological disruptions.

The company enjoys a monopoly-like position for the .com and .net registries, the combined volumes of which rose 5.1% to 179.1 million in the last quarter. Continued Internet adoption and businesses’ preference for the .com domain support continued growth in the installed base and generate steady recurring revenue. The huge installed base and supporting infrastructure create a competitive moat because would be difficult for a competitor to simultaneously build the necessary infrastructure, secure the required regulatory agreements and also persuade businesses to switch from established .com domains, which are often integral to their brand identity and online presence. Verisign enjoys very strong renewal rates, exceeding 76% in the last quarter, despite price increases. It is contractually permitted to increase the wholesale prices it charges registrars by up to 7% in four of the six years of the current .com contract that expires in 2030 (up to 10% every year for the current .net contract expiring in 2029). The business also scales profitably, with 67% of the revenue generated falling through to the operating profit line while its capital-light model allows it to expand the domain base without requiring significant incremental investment. Therefore, the company generates very solid cash flow.   

While the business is very attractive right now, it’s worth noting that the .com base is mature, making sustained growth increasingly dependent on domain renewals, new registrations and contractual price increases. New businesses have a growing number of alternatives, including other TLDs like .ai and .shop, country-code domains as well as alternative ways of establishing an online presence such as through platforms like Shopify, social commerce platforms and apps. The company's competitive moat is also partly dependent on its regulatory and contractual dependencies on ICANN and the U.S. government, which could become less favorable when these agreements are renegotiated or renewed.

Shares of this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company have gained 5.8% over the past year. Verisign’s earnings for the June quarter beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.9% and the preceding four quarter average surprise was 1.5%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 has increased 9 cents to $9.56 in the last 30 days while that for 2027 increased 50 cents to $10.71. Analysts currently expect 2026 revenue and earnings to grow a respective 5.9% and 8.5%. Estimates for the following year are currently expected to grow 8.7% and 12%.

Price and Consensus: VRSN

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN - Free Report) : Lancaster, PA-based Donnelley is a financial technology and compliance software company that helps public companies, investment firms and capital market participants manage regulatory reporting and investor communications. Originally a financial-printing business spun off from R.R. Donnelley, DFIN is transforming into a cloud-software provider focused on automating complex disclosure, compliance and transaction workflows.

Its most Important Products (in order of importance) are

·ActiveDisclosure — A cloud platform for creating and filing SEC and financial reports; core recurring revenue engine and highest customer stickiness.Venue — Virtual data room software used for IPOs and M&A due diligence; drives growth during strong deal markets.·Arc Suite — Compliance and reporting platform for investment managers and funds; provides steady, regulation-driven subscription revenue.eBrevia — AI contract-analysis tool that automates legal document review; enhances deal workflows and future AI expansion potential.Software revenue continues to grow strongly toward the management-targeted 60% mix by 2028. The recurring, subscriptions-based software revenue is expected to generate higher margins and more predictable cash flow. Increasing regulatory complexity and reporting requirements across the world is a structural tailwind, as compliance is mandatory and there is reluctance to switch vendors once regulatory workflows are embedded. Historically, deal activity (IPOs, M&A) has been cyclical and the company has benefited from stronger capital market activity. Therefore, under the current revenue model, software is adding stable recurring revenue at attractive margins, transactional revenue is adding volume, while the legacy business provides cash flow and customer relationships that support the transition toward higher-value software. Significant operating leverage, along with higher software revenue, should allow margins to expand at a higher rate than revenue growth. Share buybacks provide liquidity to investors and boost the EPS.

On the downside, the software transition carries significant execution risk. How the company manages this is a big question considering that software growth has moderated in recent quarters and the software mix is currently at around 44%, meaning that there is still some way to go to reach the 60% target. As regards product performance, ActiveDisclosure has maintained consistently strong growth while Venue has not really done that well. Despite the growing software mix, quarterly revenues and margins can still fluctuate significantly with increases or decreases in deal activity. Additionally, the market is fragmented, with relatively low barriers to entry; and technology-enabled, AI-powered and self-filing solutions add to the competition.

The shares appear significantly undervalued compared to the broader industry and also the S&P 500. This may create an opportunity if execution improves.

Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have lost 17.7% over the past year. The company posted a positive surprise of 6.7% in the last quarter, taking the four-quarter average surprise to 31.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 remains unchanged in the last 30 days. The 2027 earnings estimate increased 10 cents to $5.40. Revenues are expected to increase 2.4% this year with earnings growing 15.1%. Earnings are currently expected to grow 11.1% the following year on the back of 2.9% revenue growth.

Price and Consensus: DFIN

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Posted by Defense World Staff on Aug 10th, 2026

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of “Buy” from the six research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, four have given a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $328.75.

Several analysts have recently commented on VRSN shares. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on VeriSign from $305.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Citigroup upped their price target on VeriSign from $295.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Wedbush increased their price target on VeriSign from $318.00 to $324.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Zacks Research upgraded VeriSign from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of VeriSign from $308.00 to $316.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, July 24th.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on VRSN

VeriSign Stock Performance VeriSign stock opened at $294.56 on Monday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $274.16 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $262.38. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.95 and a beta of 0.70. VeriSign has a 1-year low of $208.86 and a 1-year high of $312.48.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The information services provider reported $2.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.36 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $434.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $433.19 million. VeriSign had a net margin of 49.76% and a negative return on equity of 39.20%. The firm’s revenue was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.21 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that VeriSign will post 9.56 EPS for the current year.

VeriSign Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 27th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be given a $0.81 dividend. This represents a $3.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 19th. VeriSign’s dividend payout ratio is presently 35.14%.

Insider Buying and Selling at VeriSign In other news, CEO D James Bidzos sold 3,300 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $296.54, for a total value of $978,582.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 409,639 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $121,474,349.06. This represents a 0.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Thomas C. Indelicarto sold 500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $292.20, for a total value of $146,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 35,051 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,241,902.20. This represents a 1.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 32,700 shares of company stock worth $8,996,716. Insiders own 0.56% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of VeriSign during the 2nd quarter worth $2,116,154,000. Norges Bank bought a new stake in VeriSign in the 4th quarter valued at about $312,900,000. Hawk Ridge Capital Management LP bought a new stake in VeriSign in the 4th quarter valued at about $149,686,000. Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new stake in VeriSign during the second quarter valued at about $145,362,000. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in VeriSign during the second quarter valued at about $126,420,000. Institutional investors own 92.90% of the company’s stock.

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.

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VeriSign (VRSN) now appears to be a buy, with recent Q2 results and the .web domain delegation strengthening the growth outlook. AI is boosting domain registrations, with management guiding for 5.2%-6.0% base growth in 2026 and a pending price hike supporting double-digit profit growth potential. The .web domain and upcoming cybersecurity products offer incremental upside, though their full impact remains uncertain but additive rather than essential to the thesis.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 24th, 2026

Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC cut its stake in shares of VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report) by 29.4% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 23,082 shares of the information services provider’s stock after selling 9,622 shares during the quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC’s holdings in VeriSign were worth $5,788,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Advisors Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 25.3% during the first quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 198 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC raised its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 12.3% in the first quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 1,232 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $313,000 after buying an additional 135 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 104.5% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 4,125 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $1,047,000 after buying an additional 2,108 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 122.1% in the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,358 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $852,000 after buying an additional 1,846 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC lifted its position in 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 buying an additional 186 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.90% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes VRSN has been the subject of several research reports. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of VeriSign in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Wedbush initiated coverage on VeriSign in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $318.00 price target on the stock. Citigroup raised their price target on VeriSign from $295.00 to $320.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of VeriSign from $305.00 to $355.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of VeriSign from $285.00 to $308.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $325.25.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on VeriSign

Key Stories Impacting VeriSign Here are the key news stories impacting VeriSign this week:

Positive Sentiment: VeriSign reported Q2 2026 earnings of $2.38 per share, slightly ahead of the $2.36 consensus, and revenue of about $435 million, also edging estimates. Article Title Positive Sentiment: Revenue rose 6% year over year, helped by steady demand for domain names, and operating income improved to $296 million from $281 million a year ago. Article Title Positive Sentiment: The company reaffirmed or updated full-year 2026 revenue guidance to roughly $1.7 billion-$1.8 billion, suggesting continued growth expectations. Positive Sentiment: VeriSign also announced that .web has been delegated into the DNS root zone, with Verisign as the registry operator, which could support longer-term domain registry growth. Article Title Neutral Sentiment: The Q2 earnings call transcript and conference-call materials may offer additional color on margins, demand trends, and capital return plans, but they do not change the core headline numbers. Article Title Insider Activity In other news, EVP Thomas C. Indelicarto sold 250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $269.23, for a total transaction of $67,307.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 36,051 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,706,010.73. This trade represents a 0.69% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO D James Bidzos sold 3,300 shares of VeriSign stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $266.09, for a total value of $878,097.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 422,839 shares in the company, valued at $112,513,229.51. This trade represents a 0.77% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 26,300 shares of company stock valued at $7,125,942 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.56% of the company’s stock.

VeriSign Stock Performance Shares of NASDAQ VRSN opened at $261.58 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $23.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.90 and a beta of 0.71. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $276.89 and a 200 day moving average price of $259.11. VeriSign, Inc. has a 52-week low of $208.86 and a 52-week high of $312.48.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 23rd. The information services provider reported $2.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.36 by $0.02. VeriSign had a net margin of 49.95% and a negative return on equity of 39.98%. The company had revenue of $434.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $433.19 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.21 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that VeriSign, Inc. will post 9.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About VeriSign (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, Inc. (VRSN) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Internet services company VeriSign on Thursday reported a 6% increase in its ​second-quarter revenue, driven by steady demand ‌for domain names.

VeriSign (VRSN - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.38 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.36 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.21 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +0.85%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this internet infrastructure services provider would post earnings of $2.2 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.34, delivering a surprise of +6.36%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

VeriSign, which belongs to the Zacks Internet - Software and Services industry, posted revenues of $434.6 million for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.05%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $409.9 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three 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 8.1% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 9.6%.

What's Next for VeriSign?While VeriSign has underperformed 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 $2.39 on $440.52 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $9.45 on $1.75 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 28% 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, Tyler Technologies (TYL - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on July 29.

This information management software provider is expected to post quarterly earnings of $3.09 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +6.2%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.5% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.

Tyler Technologies' revenues are expected to be $646.95 million, up 8.5% from the year-ago quarter.

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, today announced that.web has been deleg

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 21st, 2026

California Public Employees Retirement System reduced its holdings in shares of VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report) by 7.2% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 202,628 shares of the information services provider’s stock after selling 15,659 shares during the period. California Public Employees Retirement System owned approximately 0.22% of VeriSign worth $50,325,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. DV Equities LLC acquired a new stake in shares of VeriSign during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. increased its position in VeriSign by 429.2% in the 3rd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 127 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares during the period. Advisors Asset Management Inc. increased its position in VeriSign by 25.3% in the 1st quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 198 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $50,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the period. Activest Wealth Management raised its stake in VeriSign by 788.0% during the 4th quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 222 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $54,000 after acquiring an additional 197 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its stake in VeriSign by 120.8% during the 4th quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 234 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $57,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares during the last quarter. 92.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CEO D James Bidzos sold 3,300 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $266.09, for a total value of $878,097.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 422,839 shares in the company, valued at $112,513,229.51. This trade represents a 0.77% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Thomas C. Indelicarto sold 250 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 8th. The shares were 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 owned 36,051 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,706,010.73. This represents a 0.69% decrease in their position. 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 three months, insiders sold 26,300 shares of company stock valued at $7,125,942. 0.56% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

VeriSign Trading Down 0.0% Shares of VRSN opened at $277.61 on Tuesday. VeriSign, Inc. has a twelve month low of $208.86 and a twelve month high of $312.48. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $278.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $258.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $25.26 billion, a PE ratio of 30.68 and a beta of 0.71.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The information services provider reported $2.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.04. VeriSign had a negative return on equity of 39.98% and a net margin of 49.95%.The company had revenue of $428.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $424.50 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.10 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that VeriSign, Inc. will post 9.45 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have weighed in on VRSN. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted 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. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on VeriSign from $305.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, April 24th. Citigroup increased their price target on VeriSign from $295.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of VeriSign in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, Wedbush assumed coverage on shares of VeriSign in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $318.00 price objective on the stock. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $325.25.

View Our Latest Stock Report on VeriSign

About VeriSign (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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Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 20th, 2026

Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its position in VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report) by 208.5% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 13,385 shares of the information services provider’s stock after buying an additional 9,046 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp’s holdings in VeriSign were worth $3,324,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. DV Equities LLC bought a new position in VeriSign in the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. raised its position in shares of VeriSign by 429.2% during the third quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 127 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the period. Advisors Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of VeriSign by 25.3% during the first quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 198 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. Activest Wealth Management lifted its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 788.0% in the 4th quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 222 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac acquired a new stake in VeriSign in the 4th quarter valued at $58,000. 92.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of VeriSign in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Wedbush assumed coverage on shares of VeriSign in a report on Thursday. They set an “outperform” rating and a $318.00 price objective for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of VeriSign from $285.00 to $308.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of VeriSign from $305.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price target on shares of VeriSign from $295.00 to $320.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Four investment 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, VeriSign has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $325.25.

Get Our Latest Analysis on VeriSign

Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CEO D James Bidzos sold 3,300 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $297.47, for a total transaction of $981,651.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 439,339 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $130,690,172.33. This represents a 0.75% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Danny R. Mcpherson sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $271.02, for a total transaction of $1,355,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 35,195 shares in the company, valued at $9,538,548.90. This trade represents a 12.44% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 26,300 shares of company stock valued at $7,125,942. Insiders own 0.56% of the company’s stock.

VeriSign Price Performance Shares of NASDAQ VRSN opened at $277.66 on Monday. VeriSign, Inc. has a 52 week low of $208.86 and a 52 week high of $312.48. The company has a market cap of $25.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.68 and a beta of 0.71. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $278.74 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $258.44.

VeriSign (NASDAQ:VRSN – Get Free Report) last released 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 negative return on equity of 39.98% and a net margin of 49.95%.The company had revenue of $428.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $424.50 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.10 EPS. VeriSign’s quarterly revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that VeriSign, Inc. will post 9.45 EPS for the current year.

About VeriSign (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 (VRSN +0.48%) runs the plumbing of the modern internet, ensuring user requests reach the right destination reliably. Thanks to its exclusive regulatory agreements, the company operates the core registry infrastructure for all .com and .net domains, a monopoly position that comes with pricing power and nearly zero marginal costs.

This is a capital-light tollbooth that collected $1.1 billion in free cash flow on just $1.7 billion in revenue last year. Yet, for a business of this quality, the stock has been stuck in neutral, underperforming the broader market by around 30% over the past year.

The fundamentals of the business remain as strong as ever, but the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots has changed how users navigate the internet, and the upcoming renewal of its core contract creates an overhang for the stock.

Image source: Getty images.

Growth today, disruption tomorrow? For now, the adoption of AI has been a net positive for VeriSign. Management reports that new AI-powered tools are lowering the barrier to creating websites, helping drive a rebound in registration growth after a period of stagnation.

The domain base grew 3.7% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, and Domain Name System (DNS) traffic on its network has roughly tripled over the past three years. But this near-term tailwind is just the initial stage of a much larger transformation.

The risk is that AI eventually changes how people use the internet, potentially reducing the value of a web address.

If we increasingly interact with AI agents that browse and transact on our behalf, the .com address could become less relevant. Management's counterargument is that these agents will still need a trusted, stable identifier to verify content.

A regulatory moat intact, though the terms remain up for debate Compounding the AI uncertainty is the renewal of VeriSign's .net and .com contracts with internet regulators, which expire in 2029 and 2030, respectively. While the company has a presumptive right of renewal and has successfully navigated this process for decades, there are risks, particularly around pricing.

The company has long been seen as a "utility-like" tech company, but long-term investors will eventually begin to weigh the risk associated with its regulatory moat, especially as critical renewals approach. The marginal buyer of the stock, who is needed to push the stock higher, may stay on the sidelines until there is more clarity.

Today's Change

(

0.48

%) $

1.23

Current Price

$

257.13

For a company with mid-single-digit revenue growth, the stock is not cheap. At around 27 times forward earnings, the likelihood of a favorable outcome in which the monopoly remains intact is already being priced in.

The result is a high-quality company with clouds lingering overhead. We should have a much better grasp of AI's impact on the web well before its key agreements expire.

For now, it's a great business to admire, but a tough stock to buy.

E. Ohman J or Asset Management AB acquired a new stake in VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 2,985 shares of the information services provider's stock, valued at approximately $725,000. Other institutional investors and hedge

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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 announced that its live earnings teleconference for the first quarter 2026 will take place on Thursday, April 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.

The teleconference will be accessible by direct dial at (888) 676-VRSN (U.S.) or (646) 769-9200 (international), conference ID: Verisign. A listen-only live webcast of the earnings conference call 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.

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.

©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.

More News From VeriSign, Inc.

Back to Newsroom

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 7th, 2026

Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC decreased its holdings in shares of VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN – Free Report) by 19.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 32,704 shares of the information services provider’s stock after selling 7,792 shares during the quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC’s holdings in VeriSign were worth $7,866,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Strategy Asset Managers LLC acquired a new position in shares of VeriSign in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $654,000. Allianz Asset Management GmbH raised its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 11.5% in the 3rd quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 357,611 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $99,977,000 after buying an additional 36,829 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 9.6% in the 3rd quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 27,719 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $7,749,000 after buying an additional 2,435 shares in the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 30.0% in the 3rd quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 80,494 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $22,504,000 after buying an additional 18,584 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc raised its holdings in shares of VeriSign by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 675,608 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $188,880,000 after buying an additional 11,440 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.90% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at VeriSign In other news, EVP Thomas C. Indelicarto sold 498 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $249.08, for a total value of $124,041.84. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 30,115 shares in the company, valued at $7,501,044.20. This trade represents a 1.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO D James Bidzos sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.20, for a total value of $1,241,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 416,099 shares in the company, valued at $103,275,771.80. This represents a 1.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 9,158 shares of company stock worth $2,258,666 over the last 90 days. 0.84% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

VeriSign Stock Performance NASDAQ VRSN opened at $274.51 on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $236.38 and a 200-day moving average of $247.32. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.16 and a beta of 0.70. VeriSign, Inc. has a 52 week low of $208.86 and a 52 week high of $310.60.

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

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades VRSN has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Citigroup increased their target price on VeriSign from $280.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Zacks Research raised VeriSign from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Weiss Ratings raised VeriSign from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Friday, March 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on VeriSign from $270.00 to $271.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $297.00.

View Our Latest Research Report on VRSN

About VeriSign (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.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than VeriSign

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