Verisign Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

Rhea-AI Summary

VeriSign (NASDAQ: VRSN) reported its Q4 and full-year 2024 financial results. Q4 revenue increased 3.9% to $395 million, with operating income of $264 million. Q4 net income was $191 million with diluted EPS of $2.00, compared to $265 million and $2.60 EPS in Q4 2023.

For full-year 2024, revenue grew 4.3% to $1.56 billion with operating income of $1.06 billion. Annual net income was $786 million with diluted EPS of $8.00. The company ended 2024 with $600 million in cash and equivalents, generating $903 million in operating cash flow.

The company renewed its .com Registry Agreement with ICANN through November 2030. Domain name registrations decreased 2.1% year-over-year to 169.0 million. The Q3 2024 renewal rate was 72.2%, down from 73.5% in Q3 2023. During 2024, VRSN repurchased 6.6 million shares for $1.21 billion.

Positive

• Revenue increased 4.3% to $1.56 billion in 2024
• Operating income grew to $1.06 billion from $1.00 billion
• Operating cash flow improved to $903 million from $854 million
• .com Registry Agreement renewed through 2030
• Share repurchases of $1.21 billion in 2024

Negative

• Domain name base decreased 2.1% year-over-year
• Domain renewal rate declined to 72.2% from 73.5%
• Q4 net income decreased to $191 million from $265 million
• Cash and equivalents decreased by $326 million to $600 million

Insights

Financial Analyst

Verisign's Q4 2024 performance presents a nuanced picture of stability amid shifting market dynamics. The 3.9% revenue growth to $395 million demonstrates pricing power and business model resilience, while operating margins remain robust at 66.8%, showcasing operational excellence.

The $903 million operating cash flow for 2024, up 5.7% from 2023, underscores the company's exceptional cash generation capabilities. This financial strength is strategically deployed through aggressive share repurchases, with $1.21 billion spent in 2024, representing approximately 5.7% of shares outstanding.

However, the 2.1% decline in domain name registrations and lower renewal rates warrant attention. This trend reflects both market maturation and potential macroeconomic pressures on small businesses and entrepreneurs. The successful renewal of both the .com Registry Agreement and NTIA Cooperative Agreement through 2030 provides important long-term visibility and maintains Verisign's monopolistic position in .com domain management.

The company's fortress-like balance sheet with $600 million in cash and marketable securities, combined with $1.02 billion remaining in share repurchase authorization, positions it well for continued shareholder returns. The decrease in cash balance from 2023 reflects aggressive capital return rather than operational concerns.

The slight uptick in new domain registrations (9.5M vs 9.0M YoY) amid overall base decline suggests stabilization potential, though monitoring renewal rates in coming quarters will be important for assessing growth trajectory. The company's unmatched 27-year uptime record reinforces its critical infrastructure status and pricing power in contract negotiations.

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 fourth quarter and full year 2024.

Fourth Quarter Financial Results

VeriSign, Inc. and subsidiaries (“Verisign”) reported revenue of $395 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, up 3.9 percent from the same quarter in 2023. Operating income was $264 million for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to $256 million for the same quarter of 2023. Verisign reported net income of $191 million and diluted earnings per share (diluted “EPS”) of $2.00 for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to net income of $265 million and diluted EPS of $2.60 for the same quarter in 2023. Net income for the fourth quarter of 2023 included the recognition of certain income tax benefits that were noted in the Q4 2023 earnings release issued on Feb. 8, 2024, which increased net income by $69.3 million and increased diluted EPS by $0.68.

2024 Financial Results

Verisign reported revenue of $1.56 billion for 2024, up 4.3 percent from 2023. Operating income was $1.06 billion for 2024 compared to $1.00 billion in 2023. Verisign reported net income of $786 million and diluted EPS of $8.00 for 2024, compared to net income of $818 million and diluted EPS of $7.90 in 2023. Net income for the full year of 2023 included the recognition of certain income tax benefits, noted above, which increased net income by $69.3 million and increased diluted EPS by $0.67.

“In 2024 we extended our unparalleled record of uninterrupted availability for .com and .net resolution to more than 27 years. We also successfully renewed our .com registry agreement with ICANN and the Cooperative Agreement with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration,” said Jim Bidzos, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Financial Highlights

• Verisign ended 2024 with cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities of $600 million, a decrease of $326 million from year-end 2023.
• Cash flow from operations was $232 million for the fourth quarter of 2024 and $903 million for the full year of 2024 compared with $204 million for the same quarter in 2023 and $854 million for the full year of 2023.
• Deferred revenues as of Dec. 31, 2024, totaled $1.30 billion, an increase of $58 million from year-end 2023.
• During the fourth quarter of 2024, Verisign repurchased 1.4 million shares of its common stock for $260 million. During the full year of 2024, Verisign repurchased 6.6 million shares of its common stock for $1.21 billion. As of Dec. 31, 2024, there was $1.02 billion remaining for future share repurchases under the share repurchase program which has no expiration date.

Business Highlights

• On Nov. 27, 2024, Verisign announced the renewal of the .com Registry Agreement with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), pursuant to which Verisign will remain the sole registry operator for the .com registry through Nov. 30, 2030.
• On Nov. 29, 2024, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced the renewal of the Cooperative Agreement with Verisign for a six-year term.
• Verisign ended the fourth quarter of 2024 with 169.0 million .com and .net domain name registrations in the domain name base, a 2.1 percent decrease from the end of the fourth quarter of 2023, and a net decrease of 0.5 million registrations during the fourth quarter of 2024.
• In the fourth quarter of 2024, Verisign processed 9.5 million new domain name registrations for .com and .net, as compared to 9.0 million for the same quarter in 2023.
• The final .com and .net renewal rate for the third quarter of 2024 was 72.2 percent compared to 73.5 percent for the same quarter in 2023. Renewal rates are not fully measurable until 45 days after the end of the quarter.

Today’s Conference Call

Verisign will host a live conference call today at 4:30 p.m. (EST) to review the fourth quarter and full year 2024 results. The call will be accessible by direct dial at (888) 676-VRSN (U.S.) or (786) 789-4797 (international), conference ID: Verisign. A listen-only live web cast of the conference call and accompanying slide presentation will also be available at https://investor.verisign.com. An audio archive of the call will be available at https://investor.verisign.com/events.cfm. This news release and the financial information discussed on today’s conference call are available at https://investor.verisign.com.

About Verisign

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

Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, attempted security breaches, cyber-attacks, and DDoS attacks against our systems and services; the introduction of undetected or unknown defects in our systems or services; vulnerabilities in the global routing system; system interruptions or system failures; damage or interruptions to our data centers, data center systems or resolution systems; risks arising from our operation of root servers and our performance of the Root Zone Maintainer functions; any loss or modification of our right to operate the .com and .net gTLDs; changes or challenges to the pricing provisions of the .com Registry Agreement; new or existing governmental laws and regulations in the U.S. or other applicable non-U.S. jurisdictions; new laws, regulations, directives or ICANN policies that require us to obtain and maintain personal information of registrants; economic, legal, regulatory, and political risks associated with our international operations; unfavorable changes in, or interpretations of, tax rules and regulations; risks from the adoption of ICANN’s consensus and temporary policies, technical standards and other processes; the weakening of, changes to, the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance; the outcome of claims, lawsuits, audits or investigations; lower economic growth, particularly in China; our ability to compete in the highly competitive business environment in which we operate; changes in internet practices and behavior and the adoption of substitute technologies, or the negative impact of wholesale price increases; our ability to expand our services into developing and emerging economies; our ability to maintain strong relationships with registrars and their resellers; our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly skilled employees; and our ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights. More information about potential factors that could affect our business and financial results is included in our filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2023, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and, when filed, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2024. Verisign undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this announcement.

©2025 VeriSign, Inc. All rights reserved. VERISIGN, the VERISIGN logo, and other trademarks, service marks, and designs are registered or unregistered trademarks of VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and in foreign countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

VERISIGN, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In millions, except par value) (Unaudited)
	December 31, 2024				December 31, 2023
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	206.7			$	240.1
Marketable securities		393.2				686.3
Other current assets		63.9				61.9
Total current assets		663.8				988.3
Property and equipment, net		224.5				233.2
Goodwill		52.5				52.5
Deferred tax assets		281.3				301.0
Deposits to acquire intangible assets		145.0				145.0
Other long-term assets		39.4				29.0
Total long-term assets		742.7				760.7
Total assets	$	1,406.5			$	1,749.0
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$	257.8			$	257.4
Deferred revenues		973.5				931.1
Current senior notes		299.8				—
Total current liabilities		1,531.1				1,188.5
Long-term deferred revenues		330.7				315.0
Long-term senior notes		1,492.5				1,790.2
Long-term tax and other liabilities		10.1				36.3
Total long-term liabilities		1,833.3				2,141.5
Total liabilities		3,364.4				3,330.0
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders’ deficit:
Preferred stock—par value $.001 per share; Authorized shares: 5.0; Issued and outstanding shares: none		—				—
Common stock and additional paid-in capital—par value $.001 per share; Authorized shares: 1,000.0; Issued shares: 355.2 at December 31, 2024 and 354.9 at December 31, 2023; Outstanding shares: 95.0 at December 31, 2024 and 101.3 at December 31, 2023		10,645.3				11,808.0
Accumulated deficit		(12,600.7	)			(13,386.4	)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(2.5	)			(2.6	)
Total stockholders’ deficit		(1,957.9	)			(1,581.0	)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ deficit	$	1,406.5			$	1,749.0

VERISIGN, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (In millions, except per share data) (Unaudited)
	Three Months Ended December 31,								Year Ended December 31,
	2024				2023				2024				2023
Revenues	$	395.4			$	380.4			$	1,557.4			$	1,493.1
Costs and expenses:
Cost of revenues		48.4				48.5				191.4				197.3
Research and development		24.9				22.9				96.7				91.0
Selling, general and administrative		58.3				52.7				211.1				204.2
Total costs and expenses		131.6				124.1				499.2				492.5
Operating income		263.8				256.3				1,058.2				1,000.6
Interest expense		(18.8	)			(18.8	)			(75.3	)			(75.3	)
Non-operating income, net		3.1				14.1				39.0				51.2
Income before income taxes		248.1				251.6				1,021.9				976.5
Income tax (expense) benefit		(56.6	)			13.1				(236.2	)			(158.9	)
Net income		191.5				264.7				785.7				817.6
Other comprehensive (loss) income		(0.1	)			0.4				0.1				0.1
Comprehensive income	$	191.4			$	265.1			$	785.8			$	817.7
Earnings per share:
Basic	$	2.00			$	2.60			$	8.01			$	7.91
Diluted	$	2.00			$	2.60			$	8.00			$	7.90
Shares used to compute earnings per share
Basic		95.6				101.8				98.1				103.4
Diluted		95.7				102.0				98.2				103.5

VERISIGN, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (In millions) (Unaudited)
	Year Ended December 31,
	2024				2023
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$	785.7			$	817.6
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation of property and equipment		36.9				44.1
Stock-based compensation expense		61.1				59.7
Amortization of discount on investments in debt securities		(21.1	)			(27.8	)
Other, net		3.6				3.3
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Other assets		(12.4	)			(1.5	)
Other liabilities		(28.9	)			(2.2	)
Deferred revenues		58.1				27.0
Net deferred income taxes		19.6				(66.4	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		902.6				853.8
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from maturities and sales of marketable securities		1,195.1				1,278.9
Purchases of marketable securities		(880.7	)			(1,330.5	)
Purchases of property and equipment		(28.1	)			(45.8	)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		286.3				(97.4	)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repurchases of common stock		(1,225.6	)			(901.4	)
Proceeds from employee stock purchase plan		12.3				12.3
Payment of excise tax on repurchases of common stock		(8.2	)			—
Other financing activities		—				(0.7	)
Net cash used in financing activities		(1,221.5	)			(889.8	)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		(0.8	)			(0.1	)
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		(33.4	)			(133.5	)
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period		245.5				379.0
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period	$	212.1			$	245.5
Supplemental cash flow disclosures:
Cash paid for interest	$	72.8			$	72.8
Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds received	$	230.5			$	239.7

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250206145135/en/

Investor Relations: David Atchley, datchley@verisign.com, 703-948-3447

Media Relations: David McGuire, davmcguire@verisign.com, 703-948-3800

Source: VeriSign, Inc.

FAQ

What was VeriSign's (VRSN) revenue growth in Q4 2024?

VeriSign's revenue grew 3.9% to $395 million in Q4 2024 compared to Q4 2023.

How many shares did VRSN repurchase in 2024?

VeriSign repurchased 6.6 million shares for $1.21 billion during 2024.

What is the current domain name renewal rate for VRSN?

The .com and .net renewal rate for Q3 2024 was 72.2%, down from 73.5% in Q3 2023.

How long is VeriSign's new .com Registry Agreement valid?

The renewed .com Registry Agreement with ICANN is valid through November 30, 2030.

What was VRSN's full-year 2024 net income?

VeriSign reported a net income of $786 million for the full year 2024.