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ASTS vs. VRSN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated

Here’s a clear look at ASTS and VRSN, comparing key factors like performance, valuation metrics, dividends, and financial strength. It’s built for investors or anyone curious to see how these two stocks match up.

Company Overview

VRSN stands out with 26.39 billion USD in market value—about 3.38× ASTS’s market cap of 7.81 billion USD.

ASTS’s beta of 2.04 points to much larger expected swings compared to VRSN’s calmer 0.80, suggesting both higher upside and downside potential.

SymbolASTSVRSN
Company NameAST SpaceMobile, Inc.VeriSign, Inc.
CountryUSUS
SectorTechnologyTechnology
IndustryCommunication EquipmentSoftware - Infrastructure
CEOMr. Abel AvellanMr. D. James Bidzos
Price23.83 USD281.08 USD
Market Cap7.81 billion USD26.39 billion USD
Beta2.040.80
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
IPO DateNovember 1, 2019January 30, 1998
ADRNoNo

Performance Comparison

This chart compares the performance of ASTS and VRSN over the past year by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each (starting one year ago).

Hover over the lines to see the investment’s value and total return (%) at specific dates.

Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

Valuation Metrics Comparison

The section examines key financial ratios to assess the valuation of ASTS and VRSN based on earnings, cash flow, sales, and book value. Pay attention to the following notable points where extreme values stand out.

  • ASTS posts a negative P/E of -16.37, reflecting last year’s net loss, while VRSN at 33.62 signals healthy earnings.
  • VRSN shows a negative forward PEG of -0.34, signaling expected earnings contraction, while ASTS at 8.02 maintains analysts’ projections for stable or improved profits.
  • VRSN carries a sub-zero price-to-book ratio of -18.93, indicating negative equity. In contrast, ASTS (P/B 6.96) has positive book value.
  • ASTS has a negative Price-to-Free Cash Flow ratio of -21.60, signaling it consumed more cash than it produced over the last year—an important liquidity warning. In contrast, VRSN (P/FCF 29.12) indicates positive free cash flow generation.
SymbolASTSVRSN
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM)-16.3733.62
Forward PEG Ratio (TTM)8.02-0.34
Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM)1684.9716.75
Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM)6.96-18.93
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM)-21.6029.12
EV-to-EBITDA (TTM)-15.0124.24
EV-to-Sales (TTM)1500.2917.53
EV-to-Free Cash Flow (TTM)-19.2430.46

Dividend Comparison

ASTS offers a 0% dividend yield, suggesting it may be reinvesting available cash back into the business for future growth, while VRSN provides a 0.27% dividend yield, giving investors a steady income stream.

SymbolASTSVRSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.27%

Financial Strength Metrics Comparison

This section dives into the financial resilience of ASTS and VRSN, spotlighting key metrics like liquidity, leverage, and debt coverage. Check out the standout observations below where notable differences or extremes pop up.

  • VRSN’s current ratio of 0.56 indicates its assets may not cover near-term debts, whereas ASTS at 10.62 maintains healthy liquidity.
  • VRSN posts a quick ratio of 0.56, indicating limited coverage of short-term debts from its most liquid assets—while ASTS at 10.62 enjoys stronger liquidity resilience.
  • VRSN has negative equity (debt-to-equity ratio -1.28), suggesting asset shortfalls, whereas ASTS at 0.02 preserves healthier equity coverage.
  • VRSN carries a debt-to-assets ratio of 1.24, suggesting substantial asset funding via debt, while ASTS at 0.01 opts for a more conservative financing structure.
SymbolASTSVRSN
Current Ratio (TTM)10.620.56
Quick Ratio (TTM)10.620.56
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM)0.02-1.28
Debt-to-Assets Ratio (TTM)0.011.24
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)39.5413.94