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CTSH vs. VRSN: Cognizant vs. VeriSign Stock Comparison

How do Cognizant (CTSH) 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

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

Company profile comparison for Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Profile ItemCTSHVRSN
NameCognizant Technology Solutions Corp. Class A Common StockVeriSign, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSoftware & ServicesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryIT ServicesIT Services
GICS Sub-IndustryIT Consulting & Other ServicesInternet Services & Infrastructure
Market Capitalization28.93 billion USD27.69 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateJune 19, 1998January 30, 1998
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CTSH
VRSN
GSPC
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Cognizant (CTSH) 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 Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricCTSHVRSN
Total Return (1Y)-10.80%28.37%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)1.40%15.25%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-2.88%5.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CTSH
VRSN
GSPC
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Cognizant (CTSH) 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 Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricCTSHVRSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)43.62%28.25%
Beta (5Y)0.830.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)-56.08%-38.85%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.65M869.64K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CTSH 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 Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricCTSHVRSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.350.85
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.501.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Cognizant (CTSH) earns 17.37% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; VeriSign (VRSN) has no ROE this period.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

17.37%

Max
53.85%
Q3
17.90%
CTSH
17.37%
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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): VRSN does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; CTSH 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 Cognizant (CTSH) at 11.75% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

11.75%

Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
CTSH
11.75%
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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their net margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

VeriSign (VRSN) at 68.62% turns sales into operating profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Cognizant (CTSH) at 16.30% operates around its industry’s norm.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

16.30%

Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
CTSH
16.30%
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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricCTSHVRSN
ROE (TTM)17.37%--
ROA (TTM)10.78%54.90%
Net Margin (TTM)11.75%49.07%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.30%68.62%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.42%88.57%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 6.95% 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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 1.11% 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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricCTSHVRSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.95%6.37%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.80%5.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)1.11%10.13%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)1.12%12.18%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Cognizant (CTSH) at 2.22 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.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

2.22

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
CTSH
2.22
Median
1.67
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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Cognizant (CTSH) 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: Cognizant (CTSH) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14 against its industry range, while VeriSign (VRSN) reports no figure this period.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

0.14

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
CTSH
0.14
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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): VRSN does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; CTSH is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricCTSHVRSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.220.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.14--
Net Debt / EBITDA0.141.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 1.98% and VeriSign (VRSN) at 1.03% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

1.98%

CTSH
1.98%
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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Cognizant (CTSH) at 23.72% 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.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

23.72%

CTSH
23.72%
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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricCTSHVRSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.98%1.03%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)23.72%34.45%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Cognizant (CTSH) at 11.81 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while VeriSign (VRSN) at 33.23 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for CTSH, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

11.81

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
Q1
18.77
CTSH
11.81
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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Cognizant (CTSH) at 1.32 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.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

1.32

Max
17.91
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
CTSH
1.32
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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Cognizant (CTSH) 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 Cognizant (CTSH) reports 1.97, ranking against industry peers normally.

CTSH

Software & Services industry group

1.97

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
Median
4.30
CTSH
1.97
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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Cognizant (CTSH) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Cognizant (CTSH) and VeriSign (VRSN)
MetricCTSHVRSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)11.8133.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.3215.99
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.97-12.13
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)7.19%2.89%