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Technology Stocks : VeriSign (VRSN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Edward F. Horst Jr. who wrote (187)	6/8/1998 10:46:00 AM
From: Scott Kessler	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1285

IBM and GTE were already considered VRSN competitors prior to this morning's IBM/Equifax announcement. These 3 companies are the major players in the digital verification/security space (certificates, signatures and ids). I'm definitely not pleased that IBM has strengthened its perceived position. VRSN's major allure prior to the announcement was that unlike IBM and GTE, VRSN is an independent company accounting for such security. Some question whether big brother IBM or GTE could get a company's (perhaps a competitor's) digital security business perceived to involve highly sensitive information. Now, the IBM/Equifax offerings will be perceived as more independent. Obviously, the market is most concerned by a VRSN competitor bolstering its strength. I'd also note that VRSN has been falling along w/ many of the internet plays and starting late last week, analysts were started to upgrade e-commerce stocks falling in sympathy w/ the internet stock correction (see Sterling Commerce). Lastly, in today's WSJ discussion of upcoming IPOs (including Inktomi), one analyst was quoted as saying that VRSN is overvalued are trading not on p/e but p.r.