Compare Stocks › MSFT vs VRSN
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) vs VeriSign, Inc. (VRSN)
MSFT
Microsoft Corporation
$389.02
VS
VRSN
VeriSign, Inc.
$239.65
Rewards
MSFT
- ★Microsoft Corporation has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
- ★Gross margin of 68.6% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
- ★Microsoft Corporation scores 88/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.
VRSN
- ★Gross margin of 88.1% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
- ★VeriSign, Inc. scores 100/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.
- ★Share count has been reduced by 13% over the past 4 years through buybacks, increasing each share's claim on earnings.
Risks
MSFT
- ⚠FCF yield of 2.5% is below 3%, meaning the market is pricing in substantial future growth to justify the current price.
VRSN
- ⚠Each dollar of retained earnings has produced only $0.31 of market value — shareholders may have been better served by dividends.
- ⚠PEG ratio of 2.30 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.
- ⚠Altman Z-Score of -5.16 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
Key Valuation Metrics
Learn more →MSFT
VRSN
Valuation
$71.61B
Free Cash Flow
$823.70M
2.48%
FCF Yield
3.71%
24.33
Trailing P/E
27.17
20.64
Forward P/E
23.54
Quality & Moat
22.10%
ROIC
48.74%
26.05%
ROE
N/A
68.59%
Gross Margin
88.15%
0.41
PEG Ratio
2.30
Balance Sheet Safety
0.32
Debt / Equity
N/A
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
0.19
Net Debt / EBITDA
1.06
0.94%
Dividend Yield
1.35%
MSFT: 5Ties: 1VRSN: 4
MSFTVRSN
Historical Fundamentals
Learn more →MSFT
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
VRSN
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.
$1 Retained Earnings Test
Learn more →MSFT
$9.18
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$196.68B
Δ Market Cap
+$1.81T
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
VRSN
$0.31
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Value Destroyer
Σ Retained
$2.21B
Δ Market Cap
+$694.3M
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis
Learn more →MSFT
0.5% Overvalued
Price is 0.5% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $389.02
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $387.10
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
VRSN
38.8% Overvalued
Price is 38.8% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $239.65
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $172.65
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth
Learn more →MSFT
What growth rate is the market pricing in at $389?
+12.6%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +17.4%
The market implies +12.6% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.
Standard FCF implies +17.4%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.
VRSN
What growth rate is the market pricing in at $240?
+12.5%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +12.5%
The market implies +12.5% Owner Earnings growth, above historical trends.
Standard FCF implies a demanding +12.5%, reflecting heavy growth investment.
Economic Moat Score
Learn more →MSFT
88/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
Wide moat driven primarily by revenue predictability. Reinvestment Efficiency is the area most vulnerable to competitive pressure.
Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
VRSN
100/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. ROIC Consistency is the standout factor.
Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
Forensic Accounting
Learn more →MSFT
-2.51
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone
M-Score Trend
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
VRSN
-3.13
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone
M-Score Trend
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
Ownership Breakdown
Learn more →MSFT
Insiders 0.1%Institutions 76.0%Retail & Other 23.9%
No. of Institutional Holders8,055
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
VRSN
Insiders 10.6%Institutions 90.5%
No. of Institutional Holders1,247
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
Insider Buying Activity
Learn more →MSFT
1
Buys (3M)
2
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $3.44M
STANTON JOHN W.
Director
$1.99M
@ $397.35 · 2026-02-18
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$1.45M
@ $377.47 · 2025-04-23
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
VRSN
1
Buys (3M)
3
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $24,932
ARMSTRONG COURTNEY D.
Director
$4,912
@ $223.27 · 2026-02-27
GORELICK JAMIE S
Director
$16,051
@ $267.52 · 2025-05-29
ARMSTRONG COURTNEY D.
Director
$3,969
@ $283.50 · 2025-05-28
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY, INC.
Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security
$4.10M
@ $204.71 · 2025-01-03
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY, INC.
Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security
$15.57M
@ $203.62 · 2024-12-30
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY, INC.
Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security
$28.55M
@ $199.05 · 2024-12-24
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY, INC.
Beneficial Owner of more than 10% of a Class of Security
$45.40M
@ $193.77 · 2024-12-19
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.
Insider Selling Activity
Learn more →MSFT
1
Sells (3M)
13
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $172.43M
HOGAN KATHLEEN T
Officer
$5.05M
@ $409.55 · 2026-03-06
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.36M
@ $478.72 · 2025-12-04
ALTHOFF JUDSON
Officer
$6.27M
@ $491.52 · 2025-12-02
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$19.97M
@ $518.64 · 2025-11-03
NADELLA SATYA
Chief Executive Officer
$75.32M
@ $504.78 · 2025-09-03
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$2.56M
@ $527.32 · 2025-08-12
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.39M
@ $463.00 · 2025-06-03
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$460,008
@ $460.01 · 2025-05-30
HOGAN KATHLEEN T
Officer
$9.76M
@ $453.77 · 2025-05-21
ALTHOFF JUDSON
Officer
$7.33M
@ $458.18 · 2025-05-19
COLEMAN AMY
Officer
$5.99M
@ $452.04 · 2025-05-15
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$1.68M
@ $438.44 · 2025-05-05
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$35.30M
@ $435.84 · 2025-05-05
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.12M
@ $447.41 · 2024-12-09
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$874,634
@ $437.32 · 2024-12-04
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.50M
@ $428.76 · 2024-12-02
ALTHOFF JUDSON
Officer
$10.43M
@ $417.00 · 2024-11-22
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$414,720
@ $414.72 · 2024-11-22
YOUNG CHRISTOPHER DAVID
Officer
$3.05M
@ $423.66 · 2024-11-12
HOGAN KATHLEEN T
Officer
$7.16M
@ $411.86 · 2024-09-10
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$1.03M
@ $411.04 · 2024-09-10
SMITH BRADFORD LEE
President
$16.10M
@ $402.59 · 2024-09-09
HOOD AMY E
Chief Financial Officer
$15.60M
@ $410.55 · 2024-09-05
NADELLA SATYA
Chief Executive Officer
$32.02M
@ $408.63 · 2024-09-04
NUMOTO TAKESHI
Officer
$235,535
@ $416.14 · 2024-06-03
ALTHOFF JUDSON
Officer
$10.64M
@ $425.68 · 2024-05-23
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
VRSN
8
Sells (3M)
44
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $42.38M
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$79,886
@ $240.62 · 2026-03-10
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$115,426
@ $231.78 · 2026-03-03
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$36,394
@ $219.24 · 2026-02-10
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$124,042
@ $249.08 · 2026-02-03
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.24M
@ $248.45 · 2026-01-15
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$123,859
@ $248.71 · 2026-01-13
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$41,500
@ $250.00 · 2026-01-09
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$79,956
@ $240.83 · 2026-01-06
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.19M
@ $243.06 · 2025-12-18
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.20M
@ $244.00 · 2025-12-11
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$125,285
@ $250.07 · 2025-12-09
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$126,563
@ $252.62 · 2025-12-02
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.24M
@ $248.73 · 2025-11-20
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.25M
@ $249.88 · 2025-11-13
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$165,821
@ $248.24 · 2025-11-12
CALYS JOHN D
Chief Financial Officer
$242,955
@ $242.71 · 2025-11-07
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$81,670
@ $244.52 · 2025-11-04
MCPHERSON DANNY R
Officer
$592,175
@ $236.87 · 2025-10-31
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.36M
@ $262.18 · 2025-10-23
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.38M
@ $264.40 · 2025-10-16
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$131,723
@ $262.92 · 2025-10-14
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$135,706
@ $270.87 · 2025-10-07
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$575,925
@ $287.96 · 2025-09-18
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.01M
@ $287.67 · 2025-09-17
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.56M
@ $284.36 · 2025-09-11
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$141,422
@ $282.28 · 2025-09-09
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$135,500
@ $270.46 · 2025-09-02
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.43M
@ $269.68 · 2025-08-21
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.39M
@ $265.18 · 2025-08-14
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$132,514
@ $264.50 · 2025-08-12
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$135,020
@ $269.50 · 2025-08-05
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.54M
@ $281.70 · 2025-07-17
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.58M
@ $286.22 · 2025-07-10
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$143,837
@ $287.10 · 2025-07-08
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$145,373
@ $290.17 · 2025-07-01
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.55M
@ $282.87 · 2025-06-18
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.50M
@ $278.29 · 2025-06-12
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$140,541
@ $280.52 · 2025-06-10
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$137,995
@ $275.44 · 2025-06-03
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$141,282
@ $282.00 · 2025-05-27
BIDZOS DEMETRIOS JAMES
Chief Executive Officer
$2.53M
@ $280.73 · 2025-05-22
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$141,172
@ $281.78 · 2025-05-20
BUCHALTER YEHUDA ARI
Director
$170,274
@ $283.79 · 2025-05-06
CALYS JOHN D
Officer
$112,788
@ $281.97 · 2025-05-02
CALYS JOHN D
Officer
$103,590
@ $231.74 · 2025-02-24
COTE KATHLEEN A
Director
$690,000
@ $230.00 · 2025-02-18
MCPHERSON DANNY R
Officer
$1.27M
@ $230.73 · 2025-02-18
MCPHERSON DANNY R
Officer
$402,573
@ $192.43 · 2024-12-02
CALYS JOHN D
Officer
$198,800
@ $186.49 · 2024-11-07
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$233,320
@ $190.00 · 2024-10-15
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$466,640
@ $190.00 · 2024-09-27
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$699,960
@ $190.00 · 2024-07-29
MCPHERSON DANNY R
Officer
$204,168
@ $170.14 · 2024-05-17
BUCHALTER YEHUDA ARI
Director
$272,023
@ $170.01 · 2024-05-10
BUCHALTER YEHUDA ARI
Director
$170.00
@ $170.00 · 2024-05-07
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$116,660
@ $190.00 · 2024-04-11
INDELICARTO THOMAS C
General Counsel
$116,660
@ $190.00 · 2024-04-02
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.
🎭 Mr. Market's Mood
Learn more →MSFT
😐Neutral(43/100)
"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"
Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
VRSN
😐Neutral(51/100)
"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"
Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
⚖️ Buffett Signal
Learn more →MSFT
⚪Awaiting DCF Data
The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.
DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (43)
VRSN
⚪Awaiting DCF Data
The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.
DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (51)