PANW vs. VRSN: Palo Alto Networks vs. VeriSign Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 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

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but PANW is classified in Software while VRSN is classified in IT Services.

Company profile comparison for Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Profile Item	PANW	VRSN
Name	Palo Alto Networks, 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	Systems Software	Internet Services & Infrastructure
Market Capitalization	256.86 billion USD	27.69 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	Nasdaq
Listing Date	July 20, 2012	January 30, 1998
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PANW

VRSN

GSPC

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 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 Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	PANW	VRSN
Total Return (1Y)	53.99%	28.37%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	39.16%	15.25%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	30.80%	5.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PANW

VRSN

GSPC

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 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 Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	PANW	VRSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	51.34%	28.25%
Beta (5Y)	1.00	0.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-36.01%	-38.85%
Avg. Volume (3M)	6.03M	869.64K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

PANW 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 Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	PANW	VRSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.97	0.85
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.49	1.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) earns 1.74% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; VeriSign (VRSN) has no ROE this period.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

1.74%

Max: 53.85%
Q3: 17.90%
Median: 6.59%
PANW: 1.74%
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: --

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): VRSN does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; PANW 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 Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 2.67% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

2.67%

Max: 41.17%
Q3: 15.28%
Median: 4.63%
PANW: 2.67%
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%

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 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 Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 5.40% operates around its industry’s norm.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

5.40%

Max: 46.89%
Q3: 17.64%
Median: 8.73%
PANW: 5.40%
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%

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	PANW	VRSN
ROE (TTM)	1.74%	--
ROA (TTM)	1.40%	54.90%
Net Margin (TTM)	2.67%	49.07%
Operating Margin (TTM)	5.40%	68.62%
Gross Margin (TTM)	70.38%	88.57%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 24.50% 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.

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

VeriSign (VRSN) at 10.13% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at -75.00% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	PANW	VRSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)	24.50%	6.37%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	18.54%	5.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-75.00%	10.13%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-14.50%	12.18%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 0.87 and VeriSign (VRSN) at 0.42 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

0.87

Max: 5.11
Q3: 2.77
Median: 1.67
Q1: 1.01
PANW: 0.87
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

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 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: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09 against its industry range, while VeriSign (VRSN) reports no figure this period.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

0.09

Max: 2.52
Q3: 1.13
Median: 0.40
PANW: 0.09
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: --

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

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	PANW	VRSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.87	0.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.09	--
Net Debt / EBITDA	-0.32	1.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 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.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

PANW: 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%

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 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.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

0.00%

PANW: 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%

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	PANW	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 Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 784.60 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for PANW’s trailing earnings.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

784.60

PANW: 784.60
Max: 112.94
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

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: VeriSign (VRSN) at 15.99 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Palo Alto Networks (PANW) at 22.37 prices even higher, above its industry range.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

22.37

PANW: 22.37
Max: 17.91
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

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 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 Palo Alto Networks (PANW) reports 9.30, ranking against industry peers normally.

PANW

Software & Services industry group

9.30

Max: 16.63
PANW: 9.30
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

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) vs. VeriSign (VRSN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Software & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Palo Alto Networks (PANW) and VeriSign (VRSN)
Metric	PANW	VRSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)	784.60	33.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)	22.37	15.99
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	9.30	-12.13
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.65%	2.89%