VRSN VERISIGN INC/CA
Price Chart
Executive Summary
Baird upgraded VeriSign (VRSN) from Neutral to Outperform on December 9, 2024, raising its price target to $250 from $200. The stock currently trades at $275.77, 10.3% above Baird's new target, creating an unusual dynamic where the upgrade implies a bearish near-term outlook relative to the current price. Consensus is bullish with 7 Buy ratings (64%) vs 3 Holds and 1 Sell, and a mean target of $304.50 implying 10.4% upside. Baird has an 83% accuracy rate on 6 VRSN calls, making it a top-tier firm for this name. EPS estimates have been revised up over the past 30 days for the current and next quarters, supporting the bullish thesis. However, insider selling is ongoing — CFO Danny McPherson sold $1.36M on April 28, 2026, and director Thomas Indelicarto has sold five times since March 2026. Institutional activity is mixed: Norges Bank initiated a $313M position, while Mawer Investment exited. Short interest is elevated at 57.6% of float, suggesting heavy bearish positioning. The upgrade from a high-accuracy firm is a positive signal, but the stock trading above the new target and persistent insider sales warrant caution. Bottom line: Baird's upgrade adds credibility to the bull case, but the price-target gap and insider selling create a mixed setup for active traders.
Impact Score
Consensus & Targets
Consensus is bullish: 4 Strong Buy, 3 Buy, 3 Hold, 1 Sell (64% Buy-rated). 11 analysts cover VRSN. The consensus direction is positive, but Baird's upgrade aligns with the majority view, reducing its contrarian value.
Current price: $275.77. Consensus mean target: $304.50 (10.4% upside). Median: $299. High: $355 (Baird's current target). Low: $265. Baird's $250 target is below the current price and the low end of consensus, making it the most bearish target among analysts. This is a notable divergence — Baird upgraded but set a target below the stock's trading level.
Recent Analyst Activity
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Price Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-24 | Citigroup | maintain | Buy | $320.00 |
| 2026-04-24 | JP Morgan | maintain | Neutral | $278.00 |
| 2026-04-24 | Baird | maintain | Outperform | $355.00 |
| 2026-04-02 | Citigroup | maintain | Buy | — |
| 2026-02-09 | Citigroup | maintain | Buy | $280.00 |
| 2026-01-06 | JP Morgan | maintain | Neutral | $271.00 |
| 2025-10-28 | JP Morgan | initiate | Neutral | $270.00 |
| 2025-07-01 | Baird | maintain | Outperform | $305.00 |
| 2025-04-25 | Baird | maintain | Outperform | $285.00 |
| 2025-04-01 | Baird | maintain | Outperform | $275.00 |
No upgrades or downgrades in the last 30 days. EPS revisions are positive: 2 upward revisions in the last 7 days for the current quarter and next quarter, and 2 upward revisions for the full year. Estimates are being revised higher, supporting the bullish narrative.
Firm Track Record — Baird
Baird accuracy: 54% on 2555 calls | avg return: 4%
Industry benchmark: mean 51% ± 11%. Top tier: ≥61% (mean + 1σ). Based on 2 firms with ≥5 scored calls.
| Firm | Accuracy | Calls | Avg Return | vs Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baird | 83% | 5/6 | 8.9% | top tier |
| Citigroup | 67% | 2/3 | 15.4% | top tier |
Baird has an 83% accuracy rate (5 correct out of 6 calls) on VRSN, with an average return of 8.9% per call — top-tier performance. Citigroup also has strong accuracy at 67% (2/3). Baird's track record is significantly better than the average firm covering VRSN (54% on 2,555 calls). This upgrade carries above-average credibility.
Earnings Estimates
| Period | EPS Est. | EPS Range | Revenue | Revisions (7d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| +1q | $2.37 | $2.33 — $2.39 | $437.1M | ↑2 ↓0 |
| 0y | $9.46 | $9.35 — $9.52 | $1.7B | ↑2 ↓0 |
| 0q | $2.36 | $2.33 — $2.37 | $434.4M | ↑2 ↓0 |
| +1y | $10.31 | $10.02 — $10.66 | $1.8B | ↑2 ↓0 |
Cross-Platform Signals
Insider selling is a bearish divergence: CFO sold $1.36M on April 28, 2026, and director Indelicarto sold ~$475K across five trades since March 2026. No insider buys. Institutional activity is mixed: Norges Bank initiated a $313M position (bullish), Wells Fargo doubled its stake (+214%), and Two Sigma doubled (+359%). However, Bank of America added 35% and Mawer exited. Short interest is 57.6% of float — extremely high, indicating heavy bearish positioning that could fuel a squeeze if the stock rallies. Congressional trades: none. The insider selling diverges from the bullish analyst signal, reducing conviction.
Actionable Insight
Baird's upgrade from a top-tier firm is a positive catalyst, but the stock trading above the new target and persistent insider selling create a mixed signal. Active traders should watch for a pullback toward $250 before adding long exposure, and monitor short interest for a potential squeeze if the stock breaks above $280.
Documents Analyzed
Report based on filing metadata.
Filters
| Type | Now | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jun 3, 2026
6d ago
|
Insider Cluster
| $293.79 $294.92 | ▲ +0.38% | ▲ +2.98% | $288.25 (−1.89%) |
|
May 21, 2026
19d ago
|
8-K
| $310.00 $306.86 | ▼ −1.01% | ▼ −1.60% | $288.25 (−7.02%) |
|
May 16, 2026
24d ago
|
ANALYST-UPGRADE
| $197.46 $197.53 | ▲ +0.03% | ▲ +0.34% | $288.25 (+45.98%) |
|
Apr 23, 2026
6w ago
|
8-K
| $269.20 $267.90 | ▼ −0.48% | ▼ −0.65% | $288.25 (+7.08%) |
|
Apr 16, 2026
7w ago
|
ANALYST-UPGRADE
| $273.85 $274.05 | ▲ +0.07% | ▼ −1.14% | $288.25 (+5.26%) |
|
Apr 10, 2026
8w ago
|
DEFA14A
| $271.44 $268.34 | ▼ −1.14% | ▼ −2.35% | $288.25 (+6.19%) |
|
Feb 27, 2026
14w ago
|
Insider Cluster
| $227.94 $228.05 | ▲ +0.05% | ▼ −0.01% | $288.25 (+26.46%) |
US Market Status
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