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IRIRDM

Iridium Communications Inc.

$IRDM·$5.3B·Telecommunications Services·Communication Services
$46.60-2.2%YTD+183.2%1Y+89.4%
Mentions · last 7 days
2026-08-20: 8 posts2026-08-21: 0 posts2026-08-22: 3 posts46+7%
Price updated 2d ago·X counts updated 8d ago
IRIRDM
$IRDMIridium Communications Inc.
$46.60-2.18%46 posts+7%
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.

Driven by hypeCooling offAI verdict · as of 2026-08-25

Catching its breath after a run — could pick back up or fade from here.

Up 183% YTD on Rocket Lab's pending acquisition — insiders dumped over $20M in one week and a shareholder-investigation press release hit today.

Iridium Communications operates a satellite constellation providing mobile voice and data to government, maritime, aviation, and IoT customers. The stock is up 183% year-to-date and 90% over trailing year, driven by Rocket Lab (RKLB) pending acquisition news — RKLB cleared antitrust waiting periods, filed the S-4, and is seeking FCC license transfer approval.

  • Massive insider selling on August 17-18 hit the tape today: Director Thomas Fitzpatrick sold 209,233 shares at $50.22 ($10.5M) and 15,046 more at $49.20 ($740K) on Aug 18; Director Suzanne McBride sold 85,454 at $50.28 ($4.3M); CEO Kathleen Morgan sold 33,192 at $50.35 ($1.7M); Timothy Last (officer) sold 19,521 at $50.34 ($983K); Kapalka sold 13,473 at $50.51 ($681K); Olson 8,000 at $50.61 ($405K) — that's over $20M coordinated selling at the top
  • On August 24 (today) Brodsky & Smith issued a shareholder investigation notice — early legal-inquiry activity on the acquisition, which is a common step but adds an overhang
  • Q1 2026 revenue was $219M (up 2% year-over-year); Q2 EPS of $0.09 missed the $0.28 estimate by 68% — meaningful operational stumble
  • Analyst 2026 revenue estimate is $911M on $1.06 EPS, growing to $950M / $1.36 EPS in 2027 — the stock at $47.30 is 44.8x forward, priced for the RKLB deal to close on the current terms
  • On August 4 a 13D/A disclosed a 9.44% activist stake — additional strategic-holder positioning
  • Free cash flow yield 6.1% at $5.3B market cap — decent underlying economics
  • Beta 0.88 — historically defensive despite the recent volatility

The deal is the story; the insider selling suggests they think the market has fully priced it.

Agrees with X sentimentX is bullish on the RKLB acquisition mechanics (S-4 filed, FCC approval sought, ~$2B ATM redirected). Fair on the deal; the $20M coordinated insider selling and the shareholder-inquiry filing today are the specific risk signals X hasn't yet weighted.

What to watch: The FCC license transfer approval timeline and any RKLB deal-terms modification — a delay or renegotiation would compress the current premium quickly.

On the calendar: 2026-10-22 — Q3 earnings

X sentiment

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

Bullish sentiment7 posts analyzed · as of 2026-08-29

Iridium chatter is bullish and event-driven. RKLB's $8B IRDM acquisition — S-4/A locked, Sept 24 IRDM shareholder vote, HSR cleared, FCC filed, $3.6B bridge at ~8%, IRDM holders capped at max 0.4 shares + $27 cash — is on track for mid-2027 close. A Brodsky & Smith fiduciary-duty investigation is treated as posturing; the collar + $224M break fee are called out as protections.

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 revenue tied directly to the primary demand driver in telecommunications services.

Industry benchmark

18-name peer basket
+22.9%YTD
+33.1%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
Q2 2026Jul 22, 2026$0.09$0.28-68.1%
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%
Next earningsThu, Oct 22·consensus EPS $0.29

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 3 analysts
FYRevenueRangeEPSRangeAnalysts
FY26$911.1M$882.8M – $945.3M$1.06$0.92 – $1.243
FY27$950.4M$894.7M – $1.0B$1.36$1.11 – $2.173
FY28$1.0B$1.0B – $1.0B$1.63$1.58 – $1.692
FY29$1.0B$997.1M – $1.1B$2.30$2.23 – $2.391
FY30$1.1B$1.1B – $1.1B$3.21$3.11 – $3.331

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.1.3×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.-3.4%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.+39.9%Latest close vs the 200-day simple moving average. Positive = long-term trend is up.

Float & profile

FloatMid float · 93.3M shFree-float shares — the slice of issued stock actually available to trade. Lower buckets squeeze harder on a catalyst.Traded today1.6% 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

SellAug 18Thomas FitzpatrickDirector15.0K sh$740KSellAug 17Thomas FitzpatrickDirector209.2K sh$10.5MSellAug 17Last Timothy JamesEVP, Sales & Marketing19.5K sh$983KSellAug 17Timothy KapalkaCAO Iridium Satellite LLC13.5K sh$681KSellAug 17Suzanne E. McbrideChief Operations Officer85.5K sh$4.3MSellAug 17Kathleen A. MorganChief Legal Officer33.2K sh$1.7MSellAug 17Eric T OlsonDirector8.0K sh$405KSellApr 6Timothy KapalkaCAO Iridium Satellite LLC2.0K sh$67KSellApr 2Timothy KapalkaCAO Iridium Satellite LLC3.8K sh$117K
+ 36 other (19 awards · 14 inkinds · 2 gifts · 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
Free, forever. No credit card.

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

8-KCharter amendmentAug 108-K — Item 5.03: Charter amendment · Item 7.01: Press release / Reg FD
AI summary

Iridium Communications (IRDM) disclosed two actions by its Board on August 10, 2026. First, the Board amended the company's bylaws to add an exclusive forum selection provision: Delaware Chancery Court (or federal Delaware district court if Chancery lacks jurisdiction) for derivative and fiduciary-duty actions, and the federal U.S. district courts for Securities Act 1933 claims. Second, under Item 7.01, the Board declared a cash dividend of $0.15 per common share, payable September 30, 2026 to stockholders of record as of a date to be determined.

SC 13D/AActivist amendmentAug 4SC 13D/A
AI summary

Securities Exchange filed a amended Schedule 13D disclosing significant beneficial ownership of IRDM. The filer reported owning approximately 9.44 % of IRDM's outstanding shares. The aggregate position value is approximately $0.001. 13D filings are required when a party acquires more than 5% of a company with intent to engage management, and may signal activist interest or strategic accumulation in IRDM.

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.

+ 35 other (20 425s · 5 13Gs · 3 proxys · 2 earnings 8-Ks) in window

Recent news

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

Rocket Lab Falls 6% as SpaceX Flags Iridium Deal to the FCC, Intuitive Machines Slides 5%247wallst.com·2d agoBRODSKY & SMITH SHAREHOLDER UPDATE: Notifying Investors of the Following Investigations: Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq – FULC), Weave Communications, Inc. (NYSE – WEAV), Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq – IRDM), Bio-Techne Corporation (Nasdaq – TECH)globenewswire.com·6d ago13,447,338 Shares in Iridium Communications Inc $IRDM Acquired by BlackRock Inc.defenseworld.net·8d agoWhy Is Iridium (IRDM) Up 1.7% Since Last Earnings Report?zacks.com·9d agoAs Starlink Passes 11,000 Satellites, These 5 Stocks Will Feel It First247wallst.com·11d ago

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Voices on X · top 11 · last 7 days

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