Verisign Inc

NASDAQ:VRSN

Verisign runs the registry for the .com and .net internet domain names and helps keep those names working in the global Domain Name System, or DNS. In simple terms, it is part of the infrastructure that lets people type a web address and reach the right website. It also provides DNS services and security tools that help large organizations keep domain traffic reliable. Its main customers are domain registrars, internet service providers, enterprises, and other organizations that need dependable naming and routing services. Verisign makes money mostly by charging recurring registry fees tied to domain name registrations and renewals, with additional revenue from its DNS and related infrastructure services. Because domain names are renewed over and over, much of its business is based on repeat usage rather than one-time sales. What makes Verisign unusual is that it sits at a very specific choke point in the internet: it is the official registry operator for some of the most widely used domain endings. That role is governed by long-term contracts and technical responsibility, so the business is less like a normal software company and more like a fee-based utility for internet naming.