What happened
VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ VRSN) reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of $443 million, up 5.7 percent from the same quarter in 2025. Operating income was $296 million, compared with $284 million a year earlier. Net income was $213 million. Diluted EPS rose to $2.35 from $2.27. The company said it recognized a $7.5 million pre-tax operating loss tied to certain assets held for sale, which reduced diluted EPS by $0.06.
VeriSign said the rollout of the .web top-level domain is on track. It opened the limited beta phase of Verisign Informed, its high-assurance validation service. The domain name base ended at 182.5 million .com and .net registrations, up 6.1 percent from the end of the third quarter of 2025. It processed 13.1 million new domain name registrations during the quarter, compared with 10.6 million a year earlier.
On October 19, 2026, the board approved a cash dividend of $0.81 per share.
Key numbers
| Metric | Latest | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $443.0 million | from $419.1 million, +$23.9 million | VeriSign third-quarter 2026 earnings release |
| Operating income | $296.5 million | from $284.3 million, +$12.2 million | VeriSign third-quarter 2026 earnings release |
| Net income | $212.6 million | from $212.8 million, -$0.2 million | VeriSign third-quarter 2026 earnings release |
| Diluted EPS | $2.35 | from $2.27, +$0.08 | VeriSign third-quarter 2026 earnings release |
| Cash flow from operations | $268 million | from $308 million, -$40 million | VeriSign third-quarter 2026 earnings release |
Read more: VeriSign (VRSN) stock analysis and investment case
Why it matters
Revenue increased by $23.9 million year over year. That shows the core registry business still grew. Operating income rose from $284 million to $296 million, so profit kept pace with sales. Cash flow from operations was $268 million, down from $308 million in the same quarter of 2025. Deferred revenues totaled $1.46 billion at September 30, 2026.
VeriSign repurchased 0.7 million shares for $189 million in the quarter. It said $1.36 billion remained for future buybacks under a program with no expiration. The quarter included a $7.5 million pre-tax operating loss tied to assets held for sale, and the final .com and .net renewal rate slipped to 75.2 percent from 75.5 percent.
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What's next
VeriSign will host a live conference call today at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) to review the results. The board's $0.81 per share dividend is payable on November 24, 2026, to stockholders of record at the close of business on November 17, 2026. The call is the next scheduled check on whether the quarter's growth holds. If management confirms the growth and renewal trends on the call, the case strengthens.
If it sounds less certain on renewal rates or the assets held for sale, it weakens the story for investors.
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Sources
- VeriSign Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results — Earnings release attached to the current report
- VeriSign Form 8-K dated October 22, 2026 — Current report filing reporting the earnings release
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