GWRE vs. VRSN: Guidewire Software vs. VeriSign Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Guidewire Software (GWRE) 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

Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but GWRE is classified in Software while VRSN is classified in IT Services.

Company profile comparison for Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Profile Item	GWRE	VRSN
Name	Guidewire Software Inc.	VeriSign, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Information Technology	Information Technology
GICS Industry Group	Software & Services	Software & Services
GICS Industry	Software	IT Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Application Software	Internet Services & Infrastructure
Market Capitalization	13.34 billion USD	27.69 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	January 25, 2012	January 30, 1998
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GWRE

VRSN

GSPC

Guidewire Software (GWRE) 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 Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	GWRE	VRSN
Total Return (1Y)	-25.97%	28.37%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	21.68%	15.25%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	4.78%	5.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GWRE

VRSN

GSPC

Guidewire Software (GWRE) 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 Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	GWRE	VRSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	62.03%	28.25%
Beta (5Y)	0.99	0.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-60.79%	-38.85%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.29M	869.64K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

GWRE 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 Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	GWRE	VRSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.49	0.85
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.68	1.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Guidewire Software (GWRE) earns 10.51% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; VeriSign (VRSN) has no ROE this period.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

10.51%

Max: 53.85%
Q3: 17.90%
GWRE: 10.51%
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: --

Guidewire Software (GWRE) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): VRSN does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; GWRE 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 Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 9.44% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

9.44%

Max: 41.17%
Q3: 15.28%
GWRE: 9.44%
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%

Guidewire Software (GWRE) 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 Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 15.16% operates around its industry’s norm.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

15.16%

Max: 46.89%
Q3: 17.64%
GWRE: 15.16%
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%

Guidewire Software (GWRE) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	GWRE	VRSN
ROE (TTM)	10.51%	--
ROA (TTM)	3.54%	54.90%
Net Margin (TTM)	9.44%	49.07%
Operating Margin (TTM)	15.16%	68.62%
Gross Margin (TTM)	64.21%	88.57%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 22.70% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while VeriSign (VRSN) at 6.37% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Guidewire Software (GWRE) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 101.23% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while VeriSign (VRSN) at 10.13% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for GWRE.

Guidewire Software (GWRE) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	GWRE	VRSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)	22.70%	6.37%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	17.68%	5.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)	101.23%	10.13%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	12.18%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 1.79 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.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

1.79

Max: 5.11
Q3: 2.77
GWRE: 1.79
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

Guidewire Software (GWRE) 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: Guidewire Software (GWRE) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60 against its industry range, while VeriSign (VRSN) reports no figure this period.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

0.60

Max: 2.52
Q3: 1.13
GWRE: 0.60
Median: 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: --

Guidewire Software (GWRE) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): VRSN does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; GWRE is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	GWRE	VRSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.79	0.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.60	--
Net Debt / EBITDA	-0.38	1.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Guidewire Software (GWRE) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile VeriSign (VRSN) reports a yield of 1.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

GWRE: 0.00%
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%

Guidewire Software (GWRE) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Guidewire Software (GWRE) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile VeriSign (VRSN) reports a payout of 34.45%, ranking against industry peers normally.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

GWRE: 0.00%
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%

Guidewire Software (GWRE) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	GWRE	VRSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	1.03%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	34.45%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

VeriSign (VRSN) at 33.23 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 99.02 sits in the richer quartile — GWRE needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

99.02

Max: 112.94
GWRE: 99.02
Q3: 60.32
Median: 32.91
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

Guidewire Software (GWRE) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Guidewire Software (GWRE) at 9.04 and VeriSign (VRSN) at 15.99 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

9.04

Max: 17.91
GWRE: 9.04
Q3: 8.78
Median: 4.25
Q1: 2.23
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

Guidewire Software (GWRE) 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 Guidewire Software (GWRE) reports 11.09, ranking against industry peers normally.

GWRE

Software & Services industry group

11.09

Max: 16.63
GWRE: 11.09
Q3: 8.50
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

Guidewire Software (GWRE) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Guidewire Software (GWRE) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	GWRE	VRSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)	99.02	33.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)	9.04	15.99
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	11.09	-12.13
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.57%	2.89%