IRDM Communication Services

Iridium Communications Inc.

$43.87+0.30%

Price as of close on Nov 3, 2026 · Financials updated Oct 9, 2026

Basics

Sector: Communication Services
Industry: Telecom Services
Country: United States
Market cap: 4.6B USD
Enterprise value: 6.2B USD
Full-time employees: 975

Overall health

Drawback: growing more slowly than most peersgrowing more slowly than peers
Drawback: its shares are priced higher than most peers relative to what it earnspriced higher than peers for its earnings
Drawback: higher risk than most peers: its share price swings more than most peers’ (beta 0.85 vs a peer median of 0.65), though less than the overall market and more debt relative to equity (3.81× vs a peer median of 0.37×)higher risk: bigger price swings (beta 0.85 vs peers 0.65) and more debt vs equity (3.81× vs peers 0.37×)

Ranks #326 of 454 communication services companies (bottom 29%)

See how it ranks against its peers

Worth knowing

Returning more cash than it generates. Paid out $1.0B vs $847M of free cash flow over the 3 fiscal years to 2025.
Iridium Communications returned $1.0B to shareholders over three years, 122% of the free cash flow it produced. That gap has to be covered by cash reserves or new debt, which can't last indefinitely.
Operating margin at a 6-year high. 27% in 2025, the best of the last 6 years.
Iridium Communications kept 27% of revenue as operating profit in 2025, its highest in the 6 years of filings we have.
Profits growing faster than sales. Since 2022: revenue +21%, operating profit +208%.
Since 2022, Iridium Communications's revenue grew 21% while operating profit grew 208%: each extra dollar of sales is adding more profit.
Cash flow well above reported profit. Free cash flow is 3.1× reported profit.
Free cash flow is 3.1× reported profit. Large non-cash charges, such as depreciation, amortization or stock-based pay, reduce reported profit without using cash.

StockQuotient Score

39/ 100

Oct 5 39 → Nov 4 39

Valuation

Is the price right?

36/100

Weak▲ 1 since Oct 27 close

3/3 inputs reported · High confidence

Since last quarter: No major changeValuation also moves with the share price every day.

Why it changed since the Oct 27, 2026 close: Score 35 → 36

Share price -3.9%+1

Each step re-scores the company against its peers as they were on Oct 28, 2026; the parts add up to the change. Price effects on EBITDA yield are approximate.

Why

Close to the peer norm on every measure.

Compare with peers

Behind the score

Sector-normalized EBITDA, earnings, and free cash flow yields.

Earnings yield2.0%

SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Reported value30% base weight · Z-score -0.32Sector median: 0.0294 · MAD: 0.0294

EBITDA yield6.8%

SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Reported value50% base weight · Z-score -0.27Sector median: 0.0857 · MAD: 0.0649

Free cash flow yield6.2%

SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026 · operating cash flow − capital spendingReported value20% base weight · Z-score -0.20Sector median: 0.0740 · MAD: 0.0593

Other data (not scored)

Book yield10.2%

SEC filings · latest balance sheetReported valueInformational · 0% composite weightSector median: 0.4780 · MAD: 0.3375

Growth

Is it growing?

40/100

Moderate

3/3 inputs reported · High confidence

Since last quarter: No major change

Why

Held back by:

▼ EPS growth

Compare with peers

Behind the score

Revenue and earnings-per-share growth over one year, and revenue growth over three years.

Earnings per share growth-17.5%

SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score -0.84Sector median: 0.0878 · MAD: 0.3126

3-year revenue growth4.4%

SEC filings · 3 years to Jun 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score 0.21Sector median: 0.0303 · MAD: 0.0683

Revenue growth3.1%

SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score 0.02Sector median: 0.0299 · MAD: 0.0720

Profitability

Does it earn well?

69/100

Moderate

3/3 inputs reported · High confidence

Since last quarter: ▼ Weaker

Operating margin fell 2.1 points to 23.8%

Why

Stronger than most peers on:

▲ Operating margin
▲ ROA

Compare with peers

Behind the score

Return on invested capital, operating margin, and return on assets.

Operating margin23.8%

SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score 1.97Sector median: 0.0818 · MAD: 0.0789

Return on assets3.6%

SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score 0.29Sector median: 0.0272 · MAD: 0.0318

Return on invested capital8.1%

SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score 0.30Sector median: 0.0598 · MAD: 0.0706

Other data (not scored)

Gross margin71.9%

Yahoo Finance fallback · SEC figure unavailable or out of date · trailing 12 monthsReported valueInformational · 0% composite weightSector median: 0.4656 · MAD: 0.1827

Return on equity19.7%

SEC filings · 12 months to Jun 2026Reported valueInformational · 0% composite weightSector median: 0.0529 · MAD: 0.1007

Risk

Debt, liquidity, price swings

Higher

Higher relative risk

3/3 inputs reported · High confidence

Since last quarter: No major change

Why

Weaker than most peers on:

▼ Debt / equity
▼ Beta

Compare with peers

Behind the score

Relative to sector peers: 0 = lower relative risk · 1 = moderate · 2 = higher. Based on leverage, beta and liquidity.

Beta0.85

Yahoo Finance · 5-year monthly beta vs the marketReported value33% base weight · Z-score -0.67Sector median: 0.6525 · MAD: 0.2880

Current ratio2.78×

SEC filings · latest balance sheetReported value33% base weight · Z-score 2.01Sector median: 1.3848 · MAD: 0.6948

Debt / equity3.81×

SEC filings · latest balance sheetReported value33% base weight · Z-score -10.30Sector median: 0.3697 · MAD: 0.3335

Valuation, growth and profitability scores: higher is better. Risk: 0 is lower, 2 is higher. Risk is a relative proxy, not a bankruptcy probability. Scores depend on available sector peers.

Questions investors ask about Iridium Communications

Is Iridium Communications getting weaker?: Its latest SEC filing (Jul 22, 2026) got weaker in some ways: operating margin fell 2.1 points to 23.8%. Its overall score is unchanged at 39/100 since Oct 28, 2026.
How is Iridium Communications valued vs its peers?: Priced higher than most peers relative to what it earns. Valuation scores 36/100 against 512 communication services peers.
Is Iridium Communications growing?: At about the same pace as its peers. Growth scores 40/100 against 512 communication services peers. Earnings per share growth -17.5% vs a peer median of 8.8% (weaker than 70% of peers).Earnings per share growth -17.5% vs peers 8.8% (weaker than 70% of peers).
How profitable is Iridium Communications?: More profitable than most of its peers. Profitability scores 69/100 against 512 communication services peers. Operating margin 23.8% vs a peer median of 8.2% (stronger than 85% of peers).Operating margin 23.8% vs peers 8.2% (stronger than 85% of peers).
How risky is Iridium Communications?: Higher risk relative to 512 communication services peers, judged on debt, liquidity and share-price swings. Current ratio 2.78× vs a peer median of 1.38× (stronger than 78% of peers).Current ratio 2.78× vs peers 1.38× (stronger than 78% of peers). Debt / equity 3.81× vs a peer median of 0.37× (weaker than 88% of peers).Debt / equity 3.81× vs peers 0.37× (weaker than 88% of peers). A relative measure, not a bankruptcy probability.

Latest filing: what changed

Quarter ended Jun 30, 2026 · filed Jul 22, 2026 · compared with the quarter ended Mar 31, 2026

Got weaker

Operating margin fell 2.1 points to 23.8%

	Previous quarter	Latest quarter	Change
Revenue (12 months)	875.8M USD	884.2M USD	+1.0%
Net income (12 months)	105.6M USD	93.3M USD	−11.6%
Operating margin	25.8%	23.8%	−2.1 pts
Free cash flow (12 months)	304.9M USD	288.3M USD	−5.4%
Cash	111.6M USD	184.2M USD	+65.0%
Shares outstanding	105.7M	106.0M	+0.2%

From the company’s own SEC filings, as filed. Twelve-month figures roll forward one quarter at a time.

Industry valuation context

Sector: Communication Services · 67 companies

Valuations in Communication Services are within their usual range since 2016.

46% of months since 2016 were valued lower than now.
22% of companies are in the most expensive fifth of their own price-to-sales history.
Over 24 months, company values +13% and earnings +11% (medians): earnings grew faster than prices.
Median price-to-sales is −6% vs the whole market, against a usual −7%.

2016Shaded: most expensive fifth of its range2026

Shown for Communication Services: too few Telecom Services companies have a long enough history of their own.

Financials

Fiscal years from SEC annual filings · change vs the prior year

Key ratios	FY 2021	FY 2022	FY 2023	FY 2024	FY 2025	Change
Operating margin	7.5%	10.6%	10.3%	24.1%	27.1%	▲ 2.9 pts
Net margin	-1.5%	1.2%	1.9%	13.6%	13.1%	▼ 0.5 pts
Return on assets (ROA)	-0.3%	0.3%	0.6%	4.2%	4.5%	▲ 0.3 pts
Return on equity (ROE)	-0.7%	0.8%	1.7%	19.6%	24.7%	▲ 5.2 pts
Free cash flow margin	42.4%	37.9%	30.5%	36.8%	34.4%	▼ 2.5 pts
Current ratio	3.90×	2.16×	2.06×	1.73×	2.48×	▲ 43%
Quick ratio	3.63×	1.88×	1.37×	1.25×	1.82×	▲ 45%
Debt to equity	1.23×	1.32×	1.67×	3.11×	3.81×	▲ 23%
Interest coverage	—	—	5.55×	13.63×	16.05×	▲ 18%

IRDM price history

Price history is added with the daily price update and will appear after the next one.

Similar companies

Sector leaderboards

Marvelous Inc.7844.T93/ 100

Telecomunicações Brasileiras S.A. - TelebrasTELB3.SA89/ 100

JYP Entertainment Corporation035900.KQ87/ 100

Bringing the fundamentals into focus…

Overall health

Drawback: growing more slowly than most peersgrowing more slowly than peers

Drawback: its shares are priced higher than most peers relative to what it earnspriced higher than peers for its earnings

Drawback: higher risk than most peers: its share price swings more than most peers’ (beta 0.85 vs a peer median of 0.65), though less than the overall market and more debt relative to equity (3.81× vs a peer median of 0.37×)higher risk: bigger price swings (beta 0.85 vs peers 0.65) and more debt vs equity (3.81× vs peers 0.37×)

Ranks #326 of 454 communication services companies (bottom 29%)

See how it ranks against its peers

Worth knowing

Returning more cash than it generates. Paid out $1.0B vs $847M of free cash flow over the 3 fiscal years to 2025.

Iridium Communications returned $1.0B to shareholders over three years, 122% of the free cash flow it produced. That gap has to be covered by cash reserves or new debt, which can't last indefinitely.

Operating margin at a 6-year high. 27% in 2025, the best of the last 6 years.

Iridium Communications kept 27% of revenue as operating profit in 2025, its highest in the 6 years of filings we have.

Profits growing faster than sales. Since 2022: revenue +21%, operating profit +208%.

Since 2022, Iridium Communications's revenue grew 21% while operating profit grew 208%: each extra dollar of sales is adding more profit.

Cash flow well above reported profit. Free cash flow is 3.1× reported profit.

Free cash flow is 3.1× reported profit. Large non-cash charges, such as depreciation, amortization or stock-based pay, reduce reported profit without using cash.

Questions investors ask about Iridium Communications

Is Iridium Communications getting weaker?

Its latest SEC filing (Jul 22, 2026) got weaker in some ways: operating margin fell 2.1 points to 23.8%. Its overall score is unchanged at 39/100 since Oct 28, 2026.

How is Iridium Communications valued vs its peers?

Priced higher than most peers relative to what it earns. Valuation scores 36/100 against 512 communication services peers.

Is Iridium Communications growing?

At about the same pace as its peers. Growth scores 40/100 against 512 communication services peers. Earnings per share growth -17.5% vs a peer median of 8.8% (weaker than 70% of peers).Earnings per share growth -17.5% vs peers 8.8% (weaker than 70% of peers).

How profitable is Iridium Communications?

More profitable than most of its peers. Profitability scores 69/100 against 512 communication services peers. Operating margin 23.8% vs a peer median of 8.2% (stronger than 85% of peers).Operating margin 23.8% vs peers 8.2% (stronger than 85% of peers).

How risky is Iridium Communications?

Higher risk relative to 512 communication services peers, judged on debt, liquidity and share-price swings. Current ratio 2.78× vs a peer median of 1.38× (stronger than 78% of peers).Current ratio 2.78× vs peers 1.38× (stronger than 78% of peers). Debt / equity 3.81× vs a peer median of 0.37× (weaker than 88% of peers).Debt / equity 3.81× vs peers 0.37× (weaker than 88% of peers). A relative measure, not a bankruptcy probability.

Previous quarter

Latest quarter

Change

Revenue (12 months)

875.8M USD

884.2M USD

+1.0%

Net income (12 months)

105.6M USD

93.3M USD

−11.6%

Operating margin

25.8%

23.8%

−2.1 pts

Free cash flow (12 months)

304.9M USD

288.3M USD

−5.4%

Cash

111.6M USD

184.2M USD

+65.0%

Shares outstanding

105.7M

106.0M

+0.2%

Key ratios

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

FY 2024

FY 2025

Change

Operating margin

7.5%

10.6%

10.3%

24.1%

27.1%

▲ 2.9 pts

Net margin

-1.5%

1.2%

1.9%

13.6%

13.1%

▼ 0.5 pts

Return on assets (ROA)

-0.3%

0.3%

0.6%

4.2%

4.5%

▲ 0.3 pts

Return on equity (ROE)

-0.7%

0.8%

1.7%

19.6%

24.7%

▲ 5.2 pts

Free cash flow margin

42.4%

37.9%

30.5%

36.8%

34.4%

▼ 2.5 pts

Current ratio

3.90×

2.16×

2.06×

1.73×

2.48×

▲ 43%

Quick ratio

3.63×

1.88×

1.37×

1.25×

1.82×

▲ 45%

Debt to equity

1.23×

1.32×

1.67×

3.11×

3.81×

▲ 23%

Interest coverage

—

5.55×

13.63×

16.05×

▲ 18%