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ACN vs. VRSN: Accenture vs. VeriSign Stock Comparison

How do Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN) both belong to the IT Services industry, though ACN is classified under IT Consulting & Other Services while VRSN falls under Internet Services & Infrastructure.

Company profile comparison for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Profile ItemACNVRSN
NameAccenture plcVeriSign, Inc.
Country/RegionIrelandUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryIT ServicesIT Services
GICS Sub-IndustryIT Consulting & Other ServicesInternet Services & Infrastructure
Market Capitalization153.89 billion USD27.69 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJuly 19, 2001January 30, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ACN
VRSN
GSPC
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricACNVRSN
Total Return (1Y)7.87%28.37%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-4.56%15.25%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-5.20%5.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ACN
VRSN
GSPC
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricACNVRSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)50.02%28.25%
Beta (5Y)1.000.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)-68.17%-38.85%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.18M869.64K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ACN and VRSN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricACNVRSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.070.85
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.101.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Accenture (ACN) earns 26.03% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; VeriSign (VRSN) has no ROE this period.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

26.03%

Max
53.85%
ACN
26.03%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

--

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
VRSN
--
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): VRSN does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; ACN is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

VeriSign (VRSN) at 49.07% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Accenture (ACN) at 11.28% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

11.28%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
ACN
11.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

49.07%

VRSN
49.07%
Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

VeriSign (VRSN) at 68.62% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Accenture (ACN) at 17.83% also operates in the top quartile.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

17.83%

Max
46.89%
ACN
17.83%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

68.62%

VRSN
68.62%
Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricACNVRSN
ROE (TTM)26.03%--
ROA (TTM)10.95%54.90%
Net Margin (TTM)11.28%49.07%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.83%68.62%
Gross Margin (TTM)32.05%88.57%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Accenture (ACN) at 6.47% and VeriSign (VRSN) at 6.37% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Accenture (ACN) at 11.60% and VeriSign (VRSN) at 10.13% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricACNVRSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.47%6.37%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.98%5.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)11.60%10.13%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)7.98%12.18%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Accenture (ACN) at 1.43 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while VeriSign (VRSN) at 0.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for VRSN.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

1.43

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
ACN
1.43
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

0.42

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
Q1
1.01
VRSN
0.42
Min
0.03
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Accenture (ACN) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40 against its industry range, while VeriSign (VRSN) reports no figure this period.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

0.40

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
ACN
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

--

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
VRSN
--
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): VRSN does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; ACN is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricACNVRSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.430.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.40--
Net Debt / EBITDA0.041.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Accenture (ACN) at 2.49% and VeriSign (VRSN) at 1.03% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

2.49%

ACN
2.49%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

1.03%

VRSN
1.03%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Accenture (ACN) at 48.08% and VeriSign (VRSN) at 34.45% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

48.08%

ACN
48.08%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

34.45%

VRSN
34.45%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricACNVRSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.49%1.03%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)48.08%34.45%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Accenture (ACN) at 19.21 and VeriSign (VRSN) at 33.23 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

19.21

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
ACN
19.21
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

33.23

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
VRSN
33.23
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Accenture (ACN) at 2.07 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while VeriSign (VRSN) at 15.99 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

2.07

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
ACN
2.07
Min
0.02

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

15.99

Max
17.91
VRSN
15.99
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

VeriSign (VRSN) reports a negative P/B ratio of -12.13, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Accenture (ACN) reports 4.91, ranking against industry peers normally.

ACN

Software & Services industry group

4.91

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
ACN
4.91
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90

VRSN

Software & Services industry group

-12.13

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
VRSN
-12.13
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Accenture (ACN) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Accenture (ACN) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricACNVRSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.2133.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.0715.99
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.91-12.13
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.94%2.89%