Warren Buffett’s 10 Longest-Held Stocks

7. VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN)

Warren Buffett’s First Major Purchase: 2012 

Berkshire Hathaway’s stake in Q3 2024: $2.43 billion

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN), based in Reston, Virginia, is a global provider of network infrastructure and domain name registry services, acting as the exclusive registry for the .com and .net domains. It also serves as one of the tech-sector stocks in Warren Buffett’s diversified portfolio.

In its Q3 2024 earnings call, VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN) reported a 3.8% year-over-year revenue increase to $391 million. Despite this growth, the company saw a dip in its total domain name base and forecasted lower renewal rates. On the other hand, earnings per share rose by 13.1% to $2.07, and the company announced plans to launch new marketing programs aimed at boosting growth in its domain name base.

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN) is also in discussions with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) about .com domain pricing and the overall ecosystem health, while preparing for the renewal of the .com registry and the introduction of the new Top-Level Domain (TLD) .web.

Baron Asset Fund stated the following regarding VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN) in its first quarter 2024 investor letter:

VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN), a global provider of internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, manages the .com and .net domains. Shares of VeriSign declined because of continued weakness in new domain registrations, stemming largely from weaker demand in China. We believe that VeriSign maintains an exceptional competitive position and the contractual ability to raise prices. Longer term, we are encouraged by VeriSign’s opportunity to win the rights to administer the “.web” domain, produce substantial free cash flow, and generate attractive capital returns as it continues to prioritize share buybacks.