PSTG vs. VRSN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at PSTG and VRSN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | PSTG | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Pure Storage, Inc. | VeriSign, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals | IT Services |
| Market Capitalization | 30.61 billion USD | 25.02 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | October 6, 2015 | January 30, 1998 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of PSTG and VRSN by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | PSTG | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 5.54% | -2.74% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 60.01% | -7.55% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 128.00% | 4.87% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 81.49% | 45.29% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 11.13% | -4.18% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 51.62% | 29.44% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 3.07M | 0.67M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.92M | 0.80M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 74.10% | 28.36% |
| Beta | 1.24 | 0.79 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
PSTG
10.55%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 56.93%
- Q3
- 27.52%
- Median
- 9.18%
- Q1
- 5.14%
- Min
- -1.04%
PSTG’s Return on Equity of 10.55% is on par with the norm for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
VRSN
113.55%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 32.78%
- Q3
- 19.28%
- Median
- 13.86%
- Q1
- 5.50%
- Min
- -10.00%
VRSN’s Return on Equity of 113.55% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the IT Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
PSTG
4.15%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 16.15%
- Q3
- 7.95%
- Median
- 4.80%
- Q1
- 2.20%
- Min
- -0.29%
PSTG’s Net Profit Margin of 4.15% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
VRSN
50.03%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 19.71%
- Q3
- 11.01%
- Median
- 6.66%
- Q1
- 2.96%
- Min
- -6.22%
VRSN’s Net Profit Margin of 50.03% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the IT Services industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
PSTG
2.26%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 20.70%
- Q3
- 10.74%
- Median
- 6.27%
- Q1
- 4.07%
- Min
- 1.97%
PSTG’s Operating Profit Margin of 2.26% is in the lower quartile for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
VRSN
67.89%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 22.44%
- Q3
- 14.90%
- Median
- 8.82%
- Q1
- 4.91%
- Min
- -9.89%
VRSN’s Operating Profit Margin of 67.89% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the IT Services industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | PSTG | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 10.55% | 113.55% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.56% | 55.87% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.15% | 50.03% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 2.26% | 67.89% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 69.17% | 87.88% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
PSTG
1.65
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 3.37
- Q3
- 2.04
- Median
- 1.41
- Q1
- 0.98
- Min
- 0.11
PSTG’s Current Ratio of 1.65 aligns with the median group of the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
VRSN
0.54
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 3.17
- Q3
- 2.00
- Median
- 1.47
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.52
VRSN’s Current Ratio of 0.54 falls into the lower quartile for the IT Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
PSTG
0.00
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 1.54
- Q3
- 0.85
- Median
- 0.32
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, PSTG’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
VRSN
1.07
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 3.11
- Q3
- 1.55
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.17
- Min
- 0.00
VRSN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.07 is typical for the IT Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
PSTG
-2.95
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 143.63
- Q3
- 76.01
- Median
- 19.47
- Q1
- 5.91
- Min
- -23.93
PSTG has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -2.95. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
VRSN
27.96
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 129.00
- Q3
- 56.00
- Median
- 11.69
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- -28.15
VRSN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 27.96 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the IT Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | PSTG | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.65 | 0.54 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.42 | 0.50 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.00 | 1.07 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -2.95 | 27.96 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
PSTG
0.00%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 4.33%
- Q3
- 3.29%
- Median
- 1.76%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PSTG currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
VRSN
0.00%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 2.79%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.58%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VRSN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
PSTG
0.00%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 142.87%
- Q3
- 77.17%
- Median
- 40.90%
- Q1
- 3.87%
- Min
- 0.00%
PSTG has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
VRSN
0.00%
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 107.85%
- Q3
- 52.62%
- Median
- 22.53%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VRSN has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | PSTG | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
PSTG
218.96
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 43.10
- Q3
- 28.67
- Median
- 19.23
- Q1
- 15.53
- Min
- 9.46
At 218.96, PSTG’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
VRSN
31.08
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 56.41
- Q3
- 33.17
- Median
- 23.17
- Q1
- 16.18
- Min
- 6.62
VRSN’s P/E Ratio of 31.08 is within the middle range for the IT Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
PSTG
9.10
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 5.63
- Q3
- 3.18
- Median
- 1.10
- Q1
- 0.49
- Min
- 0.04
With a P/S Ratio of 9.10, PSTG trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
VRSN
15.55
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 5.99
- Q3
- 4.26
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.12
With a P/S Ratio of 15.55, VRSN trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the IT Services industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
PSTG
13.94
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 13.94
- Q3
- 6.87
- Median
- 1.88
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.32
PSTG’s P/B Ratio of 13.94 is in the upper tier for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
VRSN
11.17
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 12.34
- Q3
- 7.54
- Median
- 3.84
- Q1
- 2.52
- Min
- 0.88
VRSN’s P/B Ratio of 11.17 is in the upper tier for the IT Services industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | PSTG | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 218.96 | 31.08 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 9.10 | 15.55 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 13.94 | 11.17 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 55.48 | 26.16 |