VeriSign’s Net Income Increases Fivefold

VeriSign Inc., the main operator of the Internet-address database, said first-quarter profit jumped fivefold and sales surged as more companies and people used its Web services.

Net income soared to $49.2 million, or 19 cents a share, from $9.1 million, or 4 cents, a year earlier, the company said. Sales rose 75% to $401 million.

Excluding some costs, profit was 25 cents a share, topping 21 cents, the average estimate of 23 analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call.