Our analysis rates VRSN at 46/100 on fundamental strength, reflecting mixed financial conditions and a "Sell" outlook. At 5/9 on the Piotroski scale, VRSN shows a blend of financial strengths and areas of concern. With an Altman Z-Score of -18.40, VRSN falls into the distress zone, a signal of heightened financial risk. Earnings analysis shows neutral earnings momentum.
| F1 | Positive ROA | ✓ Pass |
| F3 | Improving ROA | ✓ Pass |
| F5 | Decreasing Leverage | ✗ Fail |
| F6 | Improving Liquidity | ✗ Fail |
| F7 | No Dilution | ✓ Pass |
| F8 | Improving Gross Margin | ✓ Pass |
| F9 | Improving Asset Turnover | ✓ Pass |
Piotroski F-Score is a 9-point scoring system developed by accounting professor Joseph Piotroski to assess the financial strength of a company. It evaluates profitability (ROA, operating cash flow, accruals), leverage and liquidity (debt ratio, current ratio, share dilution), and operating efficiency (gross margin, asset turnover). Scores of 7–9 indicate strong fundamentals, while 0–3 suggest weakness.
Altman Z-Score is a formula developed by professor Edward Altman that predicts the probability of a company entering bankruptcy within two years. It combines five financial ratios — working capital, retained earnings, EBIT, market capitalization, and revenue — all relative to total assets. A score above 2.99 suggests the company is financially safe, while below 1.81 indicates distress. The Z-Score is not applicable to financial-sector companies (banks, insurance).
Earnings Momentum tracks quarter-over-quarter trends in EPS growth, revenue, and profit margins to assess whether a company's financial trajectory is improving or deteriorating. Short Sentiment evaluates bearish market positioning using short interest as a percentage of float, days to cover, and short volume trends — a high score (inverted) indicates bullish sentiment.