WallStSmart

Fortinet Inc (FTNT)vsVeriSign Inc (VRSN)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Fortinet Inc generates 322% more annual revenue ($7.11B vs $1.68B). VRSN leads profitability with a 50.0% profit margin vs 27.5%. FTNT appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 3.32. FTNT earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 67/100 (B-).

FTNT

Strong Buy

67

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 8.0Profit: 9.5Value: 4.7Quality: 5.5
Piotroski: 5/9Altman Z: 1.50

VRSN

Buy

52

out of 100

Grade: C-

Growth: 6.0Profit: 8.5Value: 3.7Quality: 5.5
Piotroski: 6/9Altman Z: -8.96
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

FTNTUndervalued (+45.4%)

Margin of Safety

+45.4%

Fair Value

$265.15

Current Price

$149.67

$115.48 discount

UndervaluedFair: $265.15Overvalued

Intrinsic value data unavailable for VRSN.

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

FTNT6 strengths · Avg: 9.0/10
Return on EquityProfitability
197.5%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 197 in profit

Operating MarginProfitability
31.3%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 31.3%

Market CapQuality
$109.06B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Profit MarginProfitability
27.5%9/10

Keeps 28 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Revenue GrowthGrowth
20.1%8/10

Revenue surging 20.1% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
28.6%8/10

Earnings expanding 28.6% YoY

VRSN3 strengths · Avg: 10.0/10
Profit MarginProfitability
50.0%10/10

Keeps 50 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
68.4%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 68.4%

Debt/EquityHealth
-0.8110/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Areas to Watch

FTNT4 concerns · Avg: 2.5/10
Altman Z-ScoreHealth
1.504/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

PEG RatioValuation
3.322/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

P/E RatioValuation
57.7x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Price/BookValuation
110.9x2/10

Trading at 110.9x book value

VRSN4 concerns · Avg: 2.8/10
P/E RatioValuation
31.0x4/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Return on EquityProfitability
0.0%3/10

ROE of 0.0% — below average capital efficiency

PEG RatioValuation
3.382/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
-8.962/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : FTNT

The strongest argument for FTNT centers on Return on Equity, Operating Margin, Market Cap. Profitability is solid with margins at 27.5% and operating margin at 31.3%. Revenue growth of 20.1% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bull Case : VRSN

The strongest argument for VRSN centers on Profit Margin, Operating Margin, Debt/Equity. Profitability is solid with margins at 50.0% and operating margin at 68.4%.

Bear Case : FTNT

The primary concerns for FTNT are Altman Z-Score, PEG Ratio, P/E Ratio. A P/E of 57.7x leaves little room for execution misses.

Bear Case : VRSN

The primary concerns for VRSN are P/E Ratio, Return on Equity, PEG Ratio.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

FTNT profiles as a growth stock while VRSN is a mature play — different risk/reward profiles.

FTNT carries more volatility with a beta of 0.92 — expect wider price swings.

FTNT is growing revenue faster at 20.1% — sustainability is the question.

FTNT generates stronger free cash flow (1.0B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

FTNT scores higher overall (67/100 vs 52/100), backed by strong 27.5% margins and 20.1% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

Fortinet Inc

TECHNOLOGY · SOFTWARE - INFRASTRUCTURE · USA

Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. It develops and sells cybersecurity solutions, including but not limited to physical products such as firewalls, plus software and services such as anti-virus protection, intrusion prevention systems and endpoint security components.

VeriSign Inc

TECHNOLOGY · SOFTWARE - INFRASTRUCTURE · USA

Verisign Inc. is an American company based in Reston, Virginia, United States that operates a diverse array of network infrastructure, including two of the Internet's thirteen root nameservers. Verisign also offers a range of security services, including managed DNS, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack mitigation and cyber-threat reporting.

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