13 Companies that Just Started Paying Dividends

3. VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 44

Dividend Initiation Announcement: April 23, 2025

On January 6, JPMorgan analyst Alexei Gogolev raised his price objective on VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN) to $271 from $270. The analyst kept a Neutral rating on the stock. In a research note, he pointed to steady improvement in the .com domain business. VeriSign data shows the .com domain base reached 161M total domains as of December 31, up 3% from a year earlier. The firm said it is “encouraged” by the gradually stronger trends in .com and reflected that improvement in its model. At the same time, JPMorgan continues to view the shares as fairly valued.

VeriSign operates the core infrastructure behind the .com and .net internet domains worldwide. Its primary role is managing domain name registry databases so websites reliably connect when someone types a .com or .net address. The company works under long-term agreements with groups such as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and the US Department of Commerce, which set strict standards around reliability and pricing.

Trust sits at the center of the business. VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN)’s core services have operated for nearly three decades without downtime, a track record that matters when the entire internet depends on it. Key drivers include contract renewals, strong operational security, and the company’s dominant position in its core registries. Continued investment in technology also plays a role in protecting and expanding the franchise.

Regulatory compliance remains a constant focus, especially as global rules evolve and cyber threats grow more complex. Targeted spending on research and development supports that effort and helps ensure the infrastructure behind .com and .net remains stable and secure.