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IRIRDM

Iridium Communications Inc.

$IRDM·$5.7B·Telecommunications Services·Communication Services
$46.68+0.2%YTD+166.0%1Y+54.8%
Mentions · last 7 days
2026-07-09: 15 posts2026-07-10: 19 posts2026-07-11: 12 posts2026-07-12: 17 posts2026-07-13: 16 posts2026-07-14: 20 posts2026-07-15: 20 posts120-12%
Price updated 13m ago·X counts updated 2d ago
IRIRDM
$IRDMIridium Communications Inc.
$46.68+0.15%120 posts-12%
AI analysisFundamentalsVoices on X
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AI verdict & sentimentAI analysisGenerated by AI from underlying data

Top X posts

Today's AI verdict on what's driving $IRDM, plus how loud the X conversation is and which way it's leaning.

AI analysis

TickerTalks’ read on the fundamentals and what’s driving the move.

Hinges on a big eventEvent coming upAI verdict · as of 2026-07-16

A known event soon (earnings, a ruling, etc.) will likely decide the next move.

Iridium agreed to be acquired by Rocket Lab in an $8B deal and completed the Aireon buyout ahead of the July 22 print.

Iridium Communications operates a low-earth-orbit satellite constellation providing global voice, data, and IoT connectivity, $5.68B market cap, with Q2 2026 earnings due 2026-07-22.

  • Q1 revenue was $219M, up 1.9% year-over-year with sequential growth of 2.9%, and EPS $0.20 missed the $0.27 consensus by 25.9% — the print reflects one-time items during the year of major strategic activity.
  • On June 28, Iridium entered an Agreement and Plan of Merger with Rocket Lab in a two-step merger — Iridium becomes an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary; Motley Fool flagged $8B valuation.
  • Morgan Stanley's Kristine Liwag reiterated Buy on Rocket Lab (RKLB) with $105 PT, framing the deal as space-industry consolidation.
  • On July 7, Iridium completed acquisition of the remaining 61% of Aireon Holdings for ~$366.7M — a strategic buy-in of the aircraft-surveillance data business.
  • On July 14, Iridium announced commercial availability of the Iridium PNT ASIC (resilient GNSS-protection chip) — real product-catalog expansion into PNT.
  • Gross margin 62.5%, operating margin 25.8%, trailing ROIC 7.2% — solid operating economics.
  • Iridium won't host a Q2 call due to the pending Rocket Lab transaction — filing-only event.
  • The stock is up 55% over twelve months and 178% year-to-date — the tape has already re-rated for the RKLB merger.

The setup is an M&A-arbitrage trade — spread economics, regulatory approvals, and closing timeline drive the return.

Agrees with X sentimentX posters describe the setup as bullish acquisition-integration, note IRDM will not host a Q2 call due to the pending RKLB transaction, and cite Morgan Stanley's Kristine Liwag reiterating Buy on RKLB with a $105 PT calling the Iridium deal transformational. That aligns directly with the June 28 merger agreement and the July 7 Aireon buyout — sentiment tracks the visible corporate-action catalysts.

What to watch: July 22 Q2 earnings (filing-only, no call) — revenue trajectory versus the +1.9% Q1 pace, Aireon integration timing and financial contribution, Iridium PNT ASIC customer traction, and any updates on the Rocket Lab merger closing timeline. Regulatory-approval milestones for the RKLB transaction are the load-bearing catalyst.

On the calendar: 2026-07-22 Q2 earnings filing (no call); Rocket Lab merger regulatory-approval timing is the primary catalyst.

X sentiment

What the X crowd is saying right now — descriptive, summarised from the day’s posts.

Bullish sentiment8 posts analyzed · as of 2026-07-15

Iridium Communications chatter is bullish acquisition-integration. IRDM to release Q2 2026 earnings on July 22 but will not host a conference call due to the pending RKLB acquisition transaction. Morgan Stanley's Kristine Liwag reiterated Buy on RKLB with $105 PT, calling the IRDM acquisition transformational - reshaping Rocket Lab into a fully integrated space-infrastructure play. Autonomous systems support via IRDM+RKLB global reach for innovative new products/services. Community broadly long RKLB via the IRDM acquisition thesis.

Read the AI verdict + X sentiment for $IRDM

  • One-line verdict on what's driving the move — fundamentals, momentum, both, or an event
  • Next dated catalyst when there is one (earnings, deal closing, activist clock)
  • X crowd read with bullish/bearish call + post volume
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What it does

Plain-English summary of the business — what they sell and how they make money.

Operates the only truly global LEO satellite constellation providing voice, IoT, and broadband connectivity including to polar regions.

Industry overviewAI analysisGenerated by AI from underlying data

Where Telecommunications Services sits in its cycle right now — and what that implies for $IRDM.

Telecommunications Services · Communication Services

No material change from last week — IRDM's only truly global LEO constellation and GSAT's Apple SOS partnership represent a new service layer that neither cable nor wireless incumbents can match.

What this means for $IRDM

Direct beneficiary — Operates the only truly global LEO satellite constellation providing voice, IoT, and broadband connectivity including to polar regions; core operations sit in the path of the LEO satellite global coverage and Apple SOS emergency positioning.

Industry benchmark

19-name peer basket
+6.2%YTD
+28.0%1Y

Fundamentals & catalyst

Profitability, valuation, and the next earnings event — at a glance, with rule-of-thumb signals.

Key ratios

P/E
47.5How much investors are paying per dollar of profit the company actually earned in the last 12 months. Lower means the stock looks cheaper relative to earnings.~15–25 is typical for the S&P 500; high-growth names trade 30+; hyper-growth or speculative can be 100+ or negative.
ROIC
7.2%What percentage return the business earns on every dollar of capital (equity + debt) deployed in operations. The cleanest measure of business quality.Above ~15% is high-quality; consistently above 25% suggests a real moat. Below the company's cost of capital is value-destroying.
Op margin
25.8%Operating profit (after sales, marketing, R&D, and overhead but before interest and taxes) as a percentage of revenue. The clearest view of how well the underlying business is run.Mature business above 20% is healthy; software businesses can run 30%+; commodity / retail businesses operate in single digits.
FCF yield
6.1%Free cash flow (operating cash flow minus capex) divided by the company's market cap. The cash-on-cash return you'd get owning the whole business at today's price.Above ~5% is attractive; below ~2% means you're paying up for growth. Capital-light businesses (software) run higher than capital-heavy ones (utilities).
P/S
5.7Same idea as P/E but per dollar of revenue. Useful for companies that aren't profitable yet, where P/E is meaningless.Under ~2 is cheap; software / SaaS often runs 8–15; well above 20 implies the market is pricing in very high future growth.
ROE
22.8%Net income as a percentage of shareholders' equity. Similar to ROIC but counts only the equity side.Above 20% is strong, but can be inflated by leverage — a heavily indebted company can show high ROE with weak underlying ROIC.
Gross margin
62.5%Revenue minus the direct cost of producing what was sold, as a percentage of revenue. The first read on whether the product is structurally profitable.Software / SaaS is typically 70%+; consumer goods 30–50%; commodity / hardware businesses can be under 20%.
D/E
0.0Total debt divided by shareholders' equity. Measures how much the business runs on borrowed money versus owner capital.Under 1 is conservative; 1–2 is typical for mature businesses; over 2 is leveraged and more sensitive to interest rates.

Past earnings

QuarterReportedActualEstimateSurprise
Q1 2026Apr 23, 2026$0.20$0.27-25.9%
Q4 2025Feb 12, 2026$0.24$0.23+4.3%
Q3 2025Oct 23, 2025$0.35$0.26+34.6%
Q2 2025Jul 24, 2025$0.20$0.23-13.0%
Next earningsWed, Jul 22·consensus EPS $0.26

Quarterly trend

QuarterRevenueYoYGrossOpEPSFCF
Q1 FY26$219.1M+1.9%77.3%23.2%$0.20$41.7M
Q4 FY25$212.9M-0.0%79.1%25.9%$0.24$75.1M
Q3 FY25$226.9M+6.7%48.7%30.9%$0.35$79.2M
Q2 FY25$216.9M+7.9%45.7%23.2%$0.20$108.9M

Forward consensus

5-year forecast · up to 7 analysts
FYRevenueRangeEPSRangeAnalysts
FY26$886.1M$870.0M – $930.4M$1.15$0.98 – $1.417
FY27$903.6M$870.5M – $1.0B$1.36$1.14 – $2.057
FY28$927.8M$889.1M – $966.6M$1.66$1.18 – $2.134
FY29$1.0B$998.4M – $1.1B$2.30$2.23 – $2.483
FY30$1.1B$1.1B – $1.1B$3.21$3.12 – $3.463

Setup & momentum

Volume, range, and moving-average position — the technical setup driving short-term moves.

Right now

Vol vs 30dToday's traded share volume divided by the average over the prior 30 trading days. ≥3× signals unusual interest; below 1× is quiet.0.6×Today's traded share volume divided by the average over the prior 30 trading days. ≥3× signals unusual interest; below 1× is quiet.
52w rangeWhere the latest close sits between the 52-week low (0%) and high (100%). Above 80% is extended; below 30% is basing or in a downtrend.75%Where the latest close sits between the 52-week low (0%) and high (100%). Above 80% is extended; below 30% is basing or in a downtrend.
vs 50d MALatest close vs the 50-day simple moving average. Positive = short-term trend is up.-0.7%Latest close vs the 50-day simple moving average. Positive = short-term trend is up.
vs 200d MALatest close vs the 200-day simple moving average. Positive = long-term trend is up.+62.2%Latest close vs the 200-day simple moving average. Positive = long-term trend is up.

Float & profile

FloatMid float · 93.1M shFree-float shares — the slice of issued stock actually available to trade. Lower buckets squeeze harder on a catalyst.Traded today1.9% of floatToday's volume as a percent of the free float. Above 5% on a single day is unusually high turnover for the available share count.β0.885-year weekly beta vs the S&P 500. Above 1.5 means the stock typically moves more than the index; below 0.8 moves less.

Insider activity

Recent open-market buys and sells by officers and directors — flagged when multiple insiders cluster.

Recent transactions

SellApr 6Timothy KapalkaCAO Iridium Satellite LLC2.0K sh$67KSellApr 2Timothy KapalkaCAO Iridium Satellite LLC3.8K sh$117K
+ 57 other (34 awards · 22 inkinds · 1 return) in window

See when $IRDM insiders are putting their own money in

  • Real-time open-market buys and sells from Form 4 filings
  • Cluster-buy detection when multiple insiders pile in at once
  • 30 / 60 / 180-day windows so you can spot building conviction
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SEC filings

Material 8-K, 13D, S-3, and 424B5 events from the last 180 days — the filings that actually move the price.

Recent material filings

3New insider — initial holdingsJul 133
AI summary

An officer or director of Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) filed an initial Form 3 on July 13, 2026, disclosing shares held in a retirement or trust account with no pecuniary interest. This filing establishes the reporting person's initial Section 16(a) position. The reporting person's name and specific securities were not detailed in the excerpt.

8-KMaterial agreementJul 78-K — Item 1.01: Material agreement · Item 2.03: Material debt obligation · Item 5.02: Officer or director change · Item 7.01: Press release / Reg FD
AI summary

Iridium Communications completed the acquisition of the remaining 61% interest in Aireon Holdings that it did not already own, for total consideration of approximately $366.7 million, structured as 50% cash (approximately $183.4 million) and 50% as an interest-free seller note. Aireon operates a global aircraft surveillance system using Iridium's satellite constellation and generates recurring data services revenue from aviation authorities. Full ownership of Aireon is expected to be immediately accretive to Iridium's free cash flow as all Aireon revenue consolidates into Iridium's financials.

8-KMaterial agreementJun 298-K — Item 1.01: Material agreement · Item 7.01: Press release / Reg FD
AI summary

Iridium Communications entered an Agreement and Plan of Merger with Rocket Lab Corporation on June 28, 2026, in a two-step merger where Iridium ultimately becomes an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Rocket Lab. This is distinct from the simultaneous Joby/Rocket Lab merger; Rocket Lab is concurrently acquiring both Iridium (satellite communications) and Joby (urban air mobility), making this a massive multi-target acquisition.

8-KOfficer or director changeMay 208-K — Item 5.02: Officer or director change · Item 5.07: Shareholder vote · Item 7.01: Press release / Reg FD
AI summary

Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) filed an 8-K on May 20, 2026 reporting a personnel change (Item 5.02), annual shareholder meeting vote results (Item 5.07), and a Regulation FD disclosure (Item 7.01). Iridium is a McLean, Virginia-based satellite communications company operating the global Iridium NEXT constellation listed on Nasdaq. The concurrent Reg FD disclosure likely accompanies the personnel announcement with an investor presentation; executive changes at a satellite operator can be material if at the C-suite level.

8-KMaterial agreementMay 148-K — Item 1.01: Material agreement · Item 7.01: Press release / Reg FD
AI summary

IRDM entered into a purchase agreement (8-K Item 1.01, dated 2026-05-14). Material definitive agreement — investors should review the full exhibit for covenants, conditions, and use of proceeds.

SC 13D/AActivist amendmentApr 2SC 13D/A
AI summary

Baralonco Limited filed an amended Schedule 13D on IRDM disclosing beneficial ownership (10,000,000.00 shares) as of 2026-04-02. The filer's stated intent is passive investment with no plan to influence control of the company.

8-KPress release / Reg FDMar 58-K — Item 7.01: Press release / Reg FD
8-KOfficer or director changeFeb 278-K — Item 5.02: Officer or director change
+ 28 other (15 425s · 5 13Gs · 2 earnings 8-Ks · 2 proxys) in window

Recent news

Latest headlines from major outlets, sourced and timestamped — context for whatever just moved.

These 2 Space Stocks Skyrocketed 388% and 174% in 2025: Here's 1 Reason I Wouldn't Buy in 2026.fool.com·1d agoIRDM Alert: Monsey Firm of Wohl & Fruchter Investigating Fairness of the Proposed Sale of Iridium Communications to Rocket Lab Corporationglobenewswire.com·1d agoIridium Communications (IRDM) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week's Releasezacks.com·2d agoIridium Announces Commercial Availability of Iridium PNT ASIC, Bringing Resilient GNSS Protection to Devices Worldwideprnewswire.com·4d agoWhat Does Rocket Lab's $8 Billion Iridium Acquisition Signal for the New Space Stock Era?fool.com·4d ago

In themes

Explore the broader themes this ticker is being talked about under.

Space Economy

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Voices on X · top 6 · last 7 days

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