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Verisign Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 ResultsVeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), a global leader in domain names and internet security, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2017. Fourth Quarter GAAP Financial Results VeriSign, Inc. and subsidiaries ("Verisign") reported revenue of $296 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, up 3.2 percent from the same quarter in 2016. Verisign reported net income of $103 million and diluted earnings per share (diluted "EPS") of $0.83 for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to net income of $106 million and diluted EPS of $0.84 for the same quarter in 2016. The operating margin was 59.7 percent for the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to 59.0 percent for the same quarter in 2016. Fourth Quarter Non-GAAP Financial Results Verisign reported, on a non-GAAP basis, net income of $119 million and diluted EPS of $0.96 for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to net income of $115 million and diluted EPS of $0.92 for the same quarter in 2016. The non-GAAP operating margin was 64.1 percent for the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to 63.9 percent for the same quarter in 2016. A table reconciling the GAAP to the non-GAAP results (which excludes items described below) is appended to this release. 2017 GAAP Financial Results For the year ended Dec. 31, 2017, Verisign reported revenue of $1.17 billion, up 2.0 percent from $1.14 billion in 2016. Verisign reported net income of $457 million and diluted EPS of $3.68 in 2017, compared to net income of $441 million and diluted EPS of $3.42 in 2016. The operating margin for 2017 was 60.7 percent compared to 60.1 percent in 2016. 2017 Non-GAAP Financial Results Verisign reported, on a non-GAAP basis, net income of $492 million and diluted EPS of $3.96 for 2017, compared to net income of $465 million and diluted EPS of $3.61 for 2016. The non-GAAP operating margin for 2017 was 65.3 percent compared to 64.5 percent for 2016. Impact of Tax Legislation The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("Tax Act") was enacted on Dec. 22, 2017. Fourth quarter and full year 2017 GAAP financial results include a net $9 million tax expense increase resulting from the Tax Act. This increase is comprised of a provisional income tax expense of $196 million consisting of one-time U.S. taxes on accumulated foreign earnings triggered by the Tax Act and related foreign withholding taxes, both net of resulting previously unrecognized foreign tax credits, offset by an income tax benefit of $187 million resulting from the revaluation of net deferred tax liabilities from 35 percent to the 21 percent U.S. federal income tax rate in the Tax Act. The provisional income tax expense on accumulated foreign earnings reflects our current best estimate, which may be adjusted over the course of 2018. By early second quarter of 2018, Verisign intends to repatriate approximately $1.1 billion of cash held by foreign subsidiaries, net of withholding taxes, based on current exchange rates. "2017 was another solid year for Verisign. There was further expansion of the domain name base and revenues; we generated and efficiently returned value to shareholders; and we renewed the .net registry agreement for another six years, until 2023. We protected, grew and managed the business in 2017," said Jim Bidzos, Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. Financial Highlights
Business Highlights
Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Adjusted EBITDA Verisign provides quarterly and annual financial statements that are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Along with this information, management typically discloses and discusses certain non-GAAP financial information in quarterly earnings releases, on investor conference calls and during investor conferences and related events. This non-GAAP financial information does not include the following types of financial measures that are included in GAAP: stock-based compensation, unrealized gain/loss on the contingent interest derivative on the subordinated convertible debentures, and non-cash interest expense. Non-GAAP net income is decreased by amounts accrued, if any, during the period for contingent interest payable resulting from upside or downside triggers related to the subordinated convertible debentures and is adjusted for an income tax rate of 25 starting from the second quarter of 2017, and 26 percent for other periods presented herein, both of which differ from the GAAP income tax rate. On a quarterly basis, Verisign also provides Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure and is calculated in accordance with the terms of the indentures governing Verisign's senior notes. Adjusted EBITDA refers to net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, unrealized gain / loss on the contingent interest derivative on the subordinated convertible debentures and unrealized gain / loss on hedging agreements and gain on the sale of a business. Management believes that this non-GAAP financial data supplements the GAAP financial data by providing investors with additional information that allows them to have a clearer picture of Verisign's operations and financial performance and the comparability of Verisign's operating results from period to period. The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for results prepared in accordance with GAAP. The tables appended to this release include a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial information to the comparable financial information reported in accordance with GAAP for the given periods. Today's Conference Call Verisign will host a live conference call today at 4:30 p.m. (EST) to review the fourth quarter and full year 2017 results. The call will be accessible by direct dial at (888) 676-VRSN (U.S.) or (323) 794-2149 (international), conference ID: Verisign. A listen-only live web cast of the conference call and accompanying slide presentation will also be available at https://investor.verisign.com. An audio archive of the call will be available at https://investor.verisign.com/events.cfm. This news release and the financial information discussed on today's conference call are available at https://investor.verisign.com. About Verisign Verisign, a global leader in domain names and internet security, enables internet navigation for many of the world's most recognized domain names and provides protection for websites and enterprises around the world. Verisign ensures the security, stability and resiliency of key internet infrastructure and services, including the .com and .net domains and two of the internet's root servers, as well as performs the root zone maintainer function for the core of the internet's Domain Name System (DNS). Verisign's Security Services include Distributed Denial of Service Protection and Managed DNS. To learn more about what it means to be Powered by Verisign, please visit Verisign.com. VRSNF Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, whether the U.S. Department of Commerce will approve any exercise by us of our right to increase the price per .com domain name, under certain circumstances, the uncertainty of whether we will be able to demonstrate to the U.S. Department of Commerce that market conditions warrant removal of the pricing restrictions on .com domain names and the uncertainty of whether we will experience other negative changes to our pricing terms; the failure to renew key agreements on similar terms, or at all; new or existing governmental laws and regulations in the U.S. or other applicable foreign jurisdictions; system interruptions, security breaches, attacks on the internet by hackers, viruses, or intentional acts of vandalism; the uncertainty of the impact of changes to the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance; changes in internet practices and behavior and the adoption of substitute technologies; the success or failure of the evolution of our markets; the operational and other risks from the introduction of new gTLDs by ICANN and our provision of back-end registry services; the highly competitive business environment in which we operate; whether we can maintain strong relationships with registrars and their resellers to maintain their marketing focus on our products and services; challenging global economic conditions; economic, legal and political risk associated with our international operations; our ability to protect and enforce our rights to our intellectual property and ensure that we do not infringe on others' intellectual property; the outcome of legal or other challenges resulting from our activities or the activities of registrars or registrants, or litigation generally; the impact of our new strategic initiatives, including our IDN gTLDs; whether we can retain and motivate our senior management and key employees; and the impact of unfavorable tax rules and regulations. More information about potential factors that could affect our business and financial results is included in our filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Verisign undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this announcement. ©2018 VeriSign, Inc. All rights reserved. VERISIGN, the VERISIGN logo, and other trademarks, service marks, and designs are registered or unregistered trademarks of VeriSign, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and in foreign countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
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