How Is VeriSign’s Stock Performance Compared to Other Software Stocks?

Core Viewpoint - VeriSign, Inc. is a critical infrastructure provider in the internet domain name registry sector, with a market cap of $22.5 billion, emphasizing its importance in global internet stability [1]. Company Overview - VeriSign operates and protects the authoritative domain name registries for .com and .net, generating highly recurring, high-margin revenue through domain registration and renewal fees [2]. - The company benefits from long-term agreements with ICANN, which supports its predictable cash flow and limited competitive exposure [2]. - Ongoing investments in cybersecurity and DNS resilience are key components of its business model [2]. Stock Performance - Despite being resilient, VRSN shares have decreased by 21.4% from their 52-week high of $310.60, reached on July 28, and have dropped 15.6% over the past three months [3]. - Year to date, VRSN stock is up 17.9%, and over the past 52 weeks, it has gained 22%, outperforming the SPDR S&P Software & Services ETF's (XSW) 3.6% YTD rise and its 2.3% decline over the same period [4]. Financial Performance - In the third quarter, VeriSign reported a revenue growth of 7.3% year-over-year, totaling $419.1 million, slightly above the analysts' estimate of $416.8 million [5]. - The company registered 171.9 million .com and .net domain registrations, with a net addition of 1.45 million names during the quarter [5]. - Earnings per share (EPS) reached $2.27, a 9.7% increase from the previous year, surpassing the forecast of $2.24 [5]. - Deferred revenue increased by $80 million year-over-year, reaching $1.38 billion, indicating strong demand and renewal momentum [5].