VeriSign: Record Domains, CEO Sells Five Straight Weeks
VeriSign reported record Q2 domain registrations of 12.7 million, nearly doubled free cash flow to $213M, and raised full-year domain base growth guidance to 5.2%-6%. CEO D. James Bidzos sold 3,300 sh
VeriSign Posts Record Domains, CEO Sells Every Week
NEW YORK, August 8 —
VeriSign, Inc. (VRSN) reported a record 12.7 million new domain registrations in Q2 2026, nearly doubled its free cash flow year-over-year, and raised its full-year guidance. In the same window, CEO D. James Bidzos sold 3,300 shares on five consecutive weekly trading dates, including post-earnings sessions, with no insider purchases recorded across the period.
- Q2 free cash flow reached $213M, nearly double $109M in Q2 2025; revenue rose 6% year-over-year to $435M.
- CEO Bidzos sold exactly 3,300 shares on each of five consecutive weeks, July 7 through August 4, at $263.64, $299.47.
- .web delegated to VeriSign with full pricing flexibility; commercial launch targeted late 2026 or early 2027, no 2026 revenue guided.
The Monopoly That Keeps Compounding
VeriSign operates the .com and .net registries, the world's two largest top-level domains, under an exclusive ICANN cooperative agreement that has run at 100% uptime for 29 consecutive years. The business runs on 926 employees and an 88.5% gross margin against $1.71 billion in trailing revenue, structured closer to an infrastructure utility than a software company and suited to DCF analysis. Q2 2026 extended the pattern: 12.7 million new registrations against 10.4 million a year earlier, lifting the combined base to 179.1 million names. Diluted EPS of $2.38 marked three consensus beats in four quarters; management raised full-year domain base growth guidance to 5.2%, 6%.
Five Weeks, Zero Buys
Per SEC Form 4 filings, CEO D. James Bidzos sold exactly 3,300 shares weekly from July 7 through August 4, five consecutive weeks at prices from $263.64 to $299.47 per share. The July 28 and August 3-4 tranches came after the Q2 report, not before. CFO John Calys sold 500 shares on July 28; General Counsel Thomas Indelicarto sold 1,250 shares across three separate dates. All sales appear to fall under pre-set Rule 10b5-1 plans, which executives typically establish months in advance, limiting their evidentiary value as a directional timing signal. No insider purchases appear anywhere in the period.
| Ticker | Mkt cap | Fwd P/E | 52-wk |
|---|---|---|---|
| VRSN | $26.6B | 26.8x | +10.1% |
| CHKP | $13.1B | 11.3x | -29.3% |
| NTAP | $37.1B | 19.3x | +79.0% |
| AKAM | $15.9B | 15.4x | +56.6% |
| VRTS | $1.1B | 6.7x | -12.8% |
| INTU | $89.0B | 11.9x | -53.9% |
What .web Changes, and When
For VeriSign's growth story beyond .com, .web matters most. Unlike .com, whose pricing is governed by the ICANN cooperative agreement, .web operates under a standard registry contract with complete pricing flexibility and the ability to sell premium domain names, capabilities absent from the existing business. The TLD was delegated into the global DNS root zone following resolution of prior disputes; commercial launch through channel partners is targeted for late 2026 or early 2027, with management guiding to no significant .web revenue in 2026. The Q3 renewal rate and first .web registrar signings are the next checkpoints. Run the free VeriSign, Inc. deep-dive → VeriSign's latest numbers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How did VeriSign perform in Q2 2026?
VeriSign posted record Q2 new domain registrations of 12.7 million, lifting the combined .com and .net base to 179.1 million names. Revenue rose 6% year-over-year to $435M and free cash flow nearly doubled to $213M from $109M a year earlier. Diluted EPS of $2.38 marked three consensus beats in four quarters, and management raised full-year domain base growth guidance to 5.2% to 6%.
Why is VeriSign's CEO selling stock every week?
CEO D. James Bidzos sold exactly 3,300 shares on each of five consecutive weeks, July 7 through August 4, at prices ranging from $263.64 to $299.47. The sales appear to fall under pre-set Rule 10b5-1 plans, which executives typically establish months in advance, limiting their value as a directional timing signal. Two tranches, on July 28 and August 3 to 4, came after the Q2 earnings report, and no insider purchases were recorded across the entire period.
When will VeriSign launch the .web domain?
VeriSign is targeting a commercial launch of the .web top-level domain through channel partners in late 2026 or early 2027, after it was delegated into the global DNS root zone following resolution of prior disputes. Management guided to no meaningful .web revenue in 2026. Unlike .com, .web carries complete pricing flexibility and the ability to sell premium domain names.
How does VeriSign's business model work?
VeriSign operates the .com and .net domain registries under an exclusive ICANN cooperative agreement, a structure it has run at 100% uptime for 29 consecutive years. The company employs 926 people and runs an 88.5% gross margin against $1.71 billion in trailing revenue, structured closer to an infrastructure utility than a software company.
VeriSign reported all-time record new domain registrations of 12.7 million and raised its full-year 2026 guidance after Q2 earnings on July 23. In the same window, CEO D. James Bidzos sold 3,300 shares on five consecutive weekly trading dates — before and after the report — with the CFO and General Counsel also selling and no insider purchases recorded across the entire 90-day period.