VRSN vs. WDC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at VRSN and WDC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | VRSN | WDC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | VeriSign, Inc. | Western Digital Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | IT Services | Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals |
| Market Capitalization | 25.50 billion USD | 45.55 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | January 30, 1998 | October 31, 1978 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of VRSN and WDC 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 | VRSN | WDC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -3.99% | 12.48% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -4.66% | 98.71% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 7.53% | 224.78% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 45.39% | 161.24% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -2.36% | 9.37% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 31.90% | 191.43% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.73M | 10.97M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.82M | 7.61M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 28.47% | 41.99% |
| Beta | 0.79 | 1.83 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
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.
WDC
21.49%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 56.93%
- Q3
- 27.52%
- Median
- 9.18%
- Q1
- 5.14%
- Min
- -1.04%
WDC’s Return on Equity of 21.49% 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.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
WDC
14.23%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 16.15%
- Q3
- 7.95%
- Median
- 4.80%
- Q1
- 2.20%
- Min
- -0.29%
A Net Profit Margin of 14.23% places WDC in the upper quartile for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
WDC
22.10%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 20.70%
- Q3
- 10.74%
- Median
- 6.27%
- Q1
- 4.07%
- Min
- 1.97%
WDC’s Operating Profit Margin of 22.10% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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 | VRSN | WDC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 113.55% | 21.49% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 55.87% | 9.38% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 50.03% | 14.23% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 67.89% | 22.10% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 87.88% | 38.00% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
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.
WDC
1.08
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 3.37
- Q3
- 2.04
- Median
- 1.41
- Q1
- 0.98
- Min
- 0.11
WDC’s Current Ratio of 1.08 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.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
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.
WDC
0.85
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 1.54
- Q3
- 0.85
- Median
- 0.32
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
WDC’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.85. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
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.
WDC
2.04
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 143.63
- Q3
- 76.01
- Median
- 19.47
- Q1
- 5.91
- Min
- -23.93
In the lower quartile for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, WDC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.04 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | VRSN | WDC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.54 | 1.08 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.50 | 0.84 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.07 | 0.85 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 27.96 | 2.04 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
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.
WDC
0.00%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 4.33%
- Q3
- 3.29%
- Median
- 1.76%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WDC 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)
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.
WDC
15.60%
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 142.87%
- Q3
- 77.17%
- Median
- 40.90%
- Q1
- 3.87%
- Min
- 0.00%
WDC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 15.60% is within the typical range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | VRSN | WDC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 15.60% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
VRSN
31.84
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 56.41
- Q3
- 33.17
- Median
- 23.17
- Q1
- 16.18
- Min
- 6.62
VRSN’s P/E Ratio of 31.84 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.
WDC
24.56
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 43.10
- Q3
- 28.67
- Median
- 19.23
- Q1
- 15.53
- Min
- 9.46
WDC’s P/E Ratio of 24.56 is within the middle range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals 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)
VRSN
15.93
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 5.99
- Q3
- 4.26
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.12
With a P/S Ratio of 15.93, 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.
WDC
3.49
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 5.63
- Q3
- 3.18
- Median
- 1.10
- Q1
- 0.49
- Min
- 0.04
WDC’s P/S Ratio of 3.49 is in the upper echelon for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
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.
WDC
3.99
Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals Industry
- Max
- 13.94
- Q3
- 6.87
- Median
- 1.88
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.32
WDC’s P/B Ratio of 3.99 is within the conventional range for the Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | VRSN | WDC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 31.84 | 24.56 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 15.93 | 3.49 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 11.17 | 3.99 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 26.80 | 32.85 |