Iridium Communications Inc. provides mobile voice and data communications services and products to businesses, the United States and international governments, non-governmental organizations, and consumers worldwide. The company offers postpaid mobile voice and data satellite communications; prepaid mobile voice satellite communications; push-to-talk; broadband data; and Internet of Things (IoT) services. It also provides hosted payload and other data services, such as satellite time and location services; and inbound connections from the public switched telephone network, short message, subscriber identity module, activation, customer reactivation, and other peripheral services. In addition, the company offers voice and data solutions comprising personnel tracking devices; asset tracking devices for equipment, vehicles, and aircrafts; beyond-line-of-sight aircraft communications applications; maritime communications applications; specialized communications solutions for high-value individuals; mobile communications and data devices for the military and other government agencies, such as secure satellite handsets, as well as netted voice, messaging, and paging services; and maintenance services for the United States government's dedicated gateway. Further, it provides satellite handsets, voice and data modems, broadband data devices, and IoT data devices; various accessories for its devices that include batteries, holsters, earbud headphones, portable auxiliary antennas, antenna adaptors, USB data cables, charging units, and others; and engineering and support services. Iridium Communications Inc. sells its products and services to commercial end users through a wholesale distribution network that include service providers, and value-added resellers and manufacturers. The company was formerly known as Iridium Holdings LLC and changed its name to Iridium Communications Inc. in September 2009. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Virginia.

Iridium Communications Inc

Investors in Iridium Communications Inc (Symbol: IRDM) saw new options begin trading this week, for the November 21st expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the IRDM options chain for the new November 21st contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $17.50 strike price has a current bid of $1.15. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $17.50, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $16.35 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of IRDM, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $18.50/share today.
Because the $17.50 strike represents an approximate 5% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 64%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 6.57% return on the cash commitment, or 38.05% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Iridium Communications Inc, and highlighting in green where the $17.50 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $20.00 strike price has a current bid of $1.30. If an investor was to purchase shares of IRDM stock at the current price level of $18.50/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $20.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 15.14% if the stock gets called away at the November 21st expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if IRDM shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Iridium Communications Inc, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing IRDM's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $20.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $20.00 strike represents an approximate 8% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 56%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 7.03% boost of extra return to the investor, or 40.69% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 58%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 64%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 250 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $18.50) to be 52%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

First Week of November 21st Options Trading For Iridium Communications (IRDM)

Looking at the universe of stocks we cover at Dividend Channel, on 9/15/25, Valley National Bancorp (Symbol: VLY), Comerica, Inc. (Symbol: CMA), and Iridium Communications Inc (Symbol: IRDM) will all trade ex-dividend for their respective upcoming dividends. Valley National Bancorp will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.11 on 10/1/25, Comerica, Inc. will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.71 on 10/1/25, and Iridium Communications Inc will pay its quarterly dividend of $0.15 on 9/30/25. As a percentage of VLY's recent stock price of $10.71, this dividend works out to approximately 1.03%, so look for shares of Valley National Bancorp to trade 1.03% lower — all else being equal — when VLY shares open for trading on 9/15/25. Similarly, investors should look for CMA to open 1.03% lower in price and for IRDM to open 0.84% lower, all else being equal.
Below are dividend history charts for VLY, CMA, and IRDM, showing historical dividends prior to the most recent ones declared.
Valley National Bancorp (Symbol: VLY):
Comerica, Inc. (Symbol: CMA):
Iridium Communications Inc (Symbol: IRDM):
In general, dividends are not always predictable, following the ups and downs of company profits over time. Therefore, a good first due diligence step in forming an expectation of annual yield going forward, is looking at the history above, for a sense of stability over time. This can help in judging whether the most recent dividends from these companies are likely to continue. If they do continue, the current estimated yields on annualized basis would be 4.11% for Valley National Bancorp, 4.10% for Comerica, Inc., and 3.34% for Iridium Communications Inc.
In Thursday trading, Valley National Bancorp shares are currently off about 0.1%, Comerica, Inc. shares are up about 0.3%, and Iridium Communications Inc shares are off about 6.4% on the day.
Click here to learn which 25 S.A.F.E. dividend stocks should be on your radar screen »
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Ex-Dividend Reminder: Valley National Bancorp, Comerica and Iridium Communications

Key Points
Joby Aviation continues to make progress toward commencing commercial operations.
Vertical Aerospace is an eVTOL company offers investors an interesting way to play the market, and it trades on a low market cap, suggesting a favorable risk/reward proposition.
The Ark Space Exploration & Innovation ETF continues to rocket higher.
Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) was part of the boom in businesses that went public via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in 2021. But unlike many of those names, the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft company has made investors money -- staging an epic recovery after a multiyear downswing. Joby is up a staggering 219.2% in the last year, at the time of this writing.
Investors who are interested in Joby Aviation may also want to consider Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL), as well as an exchange-traded fund (ETF) -- the Ark Space Exploration & Innovation ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKX). Here's why these two growth stocks and ETF could be worth a closer look now.
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Things have heated up this summer for Joby Aviation
Scott Levine (Joby Aviation): While Joby Aviation is still waiting for the final certifications from the FAA to start ferrying passengers back and forth with its electric air taxi service, it doesn't mean the company is sitting idle. Over the past couple of months, Joby has reported some notable news indicating that the company is working hard to hit the ground running when it receives the requisite FAA certification, making it an eVTOL stock that demands to be on the radar of any investor interested in gaining exposure to the nascent industry.
Most recently, Joby notched an aviation industry first when it completed an eVTOL flight between two U.S. public airports: Marina and Monterey, both of which are in California. Management lauded the accomplishment "a major step as part of Joby's commercial market readiness, highlighting key capabilities across safety, operations, air traffic control, and certification progress."
But there are even bigger developments that the upstart eVTOL company reported this summer. For one, Joby announced its plan to acquire the urban air mobility business of Blade Air Mobility. When the transaction closes (presumably in the next few weeks), Joby will gain immediate market access to infrastructure assets, as well as urban corridors in New York City and Southern Europe.
Diversifying beyond the civilian market, Joby announced a partnership with L3Harris to collaborate on developing hybrid eVTOL aircraft suited for defense applications. Should the partnership with L3Harris, a leading defense contractor, bring a defense aircraft to fruition, it will help Joby diversify its revenue base and mitigate the risk associated with the company's air taxi business.
For investors looking to land an eVTOL stock in their portfolios, Joby is a consideration they can't afford to ignore.
An interesting eVTOL stock you probably haven't heard of
Lee Samaha (Vertical Aerospace): As you can see in the chart, the British eVTOL company's market cap is a mere fraction of its U.S. peers' market cap.
Part of it comes down to Vertical Aerospace's short financial runway. According to CEO Stuart Simpson, "Our cash runway takes us into the middle of 2026 with our cash and cash equivalents as of today, approximately $139 million."
Another part of it is possibly the different regulatory path followed by Vertical Aerospace. The company is seeking certification for its aircraft with the U.K.'s Civil Aviation Authority and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. After this, it will work on certification with the FAA and other regulators worldwide.
However, the good news is that the current capital position will enable the company to "begin the assembly of our next aircraft, our pre-production or certification aircraft, and continue to expand our certification aircraft supply chain." Vertical recently completed the first public-to-airport eVTOL flight by a commercially planned vehicle. It also has 1,500 preorders in place for its aircraft, including from American Airlines and Japan Airlines.
Vertical Aerospace will require capital to complete its aims, and there are no guarantees it will. Still, it offers an interesting option for investors looking to diversify eVTOL holdings, and potentially more upside due to its low valuation.
Shoot for the stars with this high-octane ETF
Daniel Foelber (Ark Space Exploration & Innovation ETF): The Ark Space Exploration & Innovation ETF has been on a tear -- up 36.2% year to date and 78% over the last year. According to Ark Invest's overview of the ETF: "The advisor defines 'Space Exploration' as leading, enabling, or benefiting from technologically enabled products and/or services that occur beyond the surface of the Earth, including autonomous mobility, intelligent devices, advanced battery technologies, 3D printing, reusable rockets, adaptive robotics, and neural networks."
The fund addresses the space theme across industries -- through growth-focused companies as well as legacy industrial companies like L3Harris, Deere, and Komatsu. And like other Ark funds, the ETF is not remotely market-cap-weighted -- meaning that the highest-weighted holdings will be the fund managers' top picks rather than the most valuable companies. The fund's largest holding -- Kratos Defense & Security -- only has a market cap of $11.5 billion compared to $420.3 billion for fifth-place Palantir Technologies.
Vertical take-off and landing plays into the "space theme," with Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and Blade Air Mobility combining for 11.2% of the ETF. The ETF has many recognizable names, but also some companies you may have never heard of -- like unmanned aircraft system maker Aerovironment and satellite giant Iridium Communications -- the third- and fourth-largest holdings by weighting. Again, since the fund isn't market-cap weighted, it can put more conviction in these companies and still have small pieces of megacap growth companies. The fund holds Nvidia and Alphabet, but they only make up 2.7% and 1.7% of the fund, respectively.
The Ark Space Exploration & Innovation ETF sports a relatively high expense ratio at 0.75% -- which is far higher than the expense ratios investors may be used to from passive funds. The key difference is that the Ark Space Exploration & Innovation ETF is actively managed and very nuanced. The higher expense ratio is the fee for the active management, but it has certainly been worth it, given the fund's epic gains.
All told, the Ark Space Exploration & Innovation ETF could be a good pick for investors who are interested in "space" outside just eVTOL.
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Daniel Foelber has positions in Nvidia. Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AeroVironment, Alphabet, Deere & Company , L3Harris Technologies, Nvidia, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Like Joby Aviation? Then You'll Love This eVTOL Growth Stock and ETF.

Looking at the universe of stocks we cover at Dividend Channel, in trading on Monday, shares of Iridium Communications Inc (Symbol: IRDM) were yielding above the 2% mark based on its quarterly dividend (annualized to $0.52), with the stock changing hands as low as $25.71 on the day. Dividends are particularly important for investors to consider, because historically speaking dividends have provided a considerable share of the stock market's total return. To illustrate, suppose for example you purchased shares of the iShares Russell 3000 ETF (IWV) back on 5/31/2000 — you would have paid $78.27 per share. Fast forward to 5/31/2012 and each share was worth $77.79 on that date, a loss of $0.48 or 0.6% decrease over twelve years. But now consider that you collected a whopping $10.77 per share in dividends over the same period, increasing your return to 13.15%. Even with dividends reinvested, that only amounts to an average annual total return of about 1.0%; so by comparison collecting a yield above 2% would appear considerably attractive if that yield is sustainable. Iridium Communications Inc (Symbol: IRDM) is a member of the Russell 3000, giving it special status as one of the largest 3000 companies on the U.S. stock markets.
In general, dividend amounts are not always predictable and tend to follow the ups and downs of profitability at each company. In the case of Iridium Communications Inc, looking at the history chart for IRDM below can help in judging whether the most recent dividend is likely to continue, and in turn whether it is a reasonable expectation to expect a 2% annual yield.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

IRDM Breaks Above 2% Yield Territory

For the quarter ended June 2025, Iridium Communications (IRDM) reported revenue of $216.91 million, up 7.9% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.20, compared to $0.27 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.08% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $214.59 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.23, the EPS surprise was -13.04%.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how Iridium performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
ARPU - Commercial - Voice and data: $46.00 versus $46.60 estimated by four analysts on average.
ARPU - Commercial - IoT data: $7.83 versus the four-analyst average estimate of $8.16.
Billable Subscribers - Total commercial voice and data, IoT data and Broadband service: 2.36 million compared to the 2.37 million average estimate based on four analysts.
Billable Subscribers - Total government voice and data and IoT data service: 128 thousand versus 135.97 thousand estimated by four analysts on average.
Revenue- Subscriber equipment: $19.46 million versus $23.29 million estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -14.6% change.
Revenue- Service: $155.57 million versus $160.09 million estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +2% change.
Revenue- Engineering and support service: $41.88 million versus the six-analyst average estimate of $31.57 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +62.2%.
Revenue- Service- Commercial service revenue: $128.82 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $133.25 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +2.3%.
Revenue- Service- Government service revenue: $26.75 million compared to the $26.73 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +0.9% year over year.
Revenue- Service- Commercial service revenue- Hosted payload and other data service: $14.55 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $15.99 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.8%.
Revenue- Engineering and support service- Government: $39.48 million versus $29.27 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +62.5% change.
Revenue- Engineering and support service- Commercial: $2.4 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.54 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +58.2%.
Shares of Iridium have returned +12.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +5.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Compared to Estimates, Iridium (IRDM) Q2 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

In trading on Friday, shares of Iridium Communications Inc (Symbol: IRDM) crossed below their 200 day moving average of $28.46, changing hands as low as $28.25 per share. Iridium Communications Inc shares are currently trading down about 4.5% on the day. The chart below shows the one year performance of IRDM shares, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, IRDM's low point in its 52 week range is $24.14 per share, with $41.66 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $28.31.
Click here to find out which 9 other dividend stocks recently crossed below their 200 day moving average »
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Iridium Communications Breaks Below 200-Day Moving Average - Notable for IRDM

(RTTNews) - Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) reported a profit for second quarter that Drops, from the same period last year
The company's bottom line came in at $22.0 million, or $0.20 per share. This compares with $32.3 million, or $0.27 per share, last year.
The company's revenue for the period rose 7.9% to $216.91 million from $201.07 million last year.
Iridium Communications Inc. earnings at a glance (GAAP) :
-Earnings: $22.0 Mln. vs. $32.3 Mln. last year. -EPS: $0.20 vs. $0.27 last year. -Revenue: $216.91 Mln vs. $201.07 Mln last year.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Iridium Communications Inc. Announces Drop In Q2 Profit

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. ASTS and Iridium Communications Inc. IRDM are two leading satellite communications services providers. AST SpaceMobile is building the world’s first and only global cellular broadband network in space, accessible directly by standard smartphones (4G-LTE/5G devices) for commercial and government use, leveraging its extensive Intellectual Property and patent portfolio. The SpaceMobile Service is provided by a constellation of high-powered, large phased-array satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) using low-band and mid-band spectrums controlled by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in areas lacking terrestrial network coverage.
Iridium offers dedicated commercial global voice and data communications services to both businesses and governments in the United States as well as globally. It operates one of the largest commercial constellations with a mesh architecture of 66 operational LEO satellites to route traffic using radio frequency crosslinks. The inimitable architecture provides impeccable performance by minimizing the need for ground infrastructure.
Let us delve a little deeper into the companies’ competitive dynamics to understand which of the two is relatively better placed in the industry.
The Case for AST SpaceMobile
AST SpaceMobile has deployed its first five commercial satellites, dubbed Bluebird, in low Earth orbits, marking a key advancement in developing a space-based mobile network infrastructure. These satellites have the largest-ever commercial communications arrays spanning 693 square feet. They offer non-continuous service across the United States using more than 5,600 cells within the premium low-band spectrum. The company boasts a diverse portfolio of more than 3,650 patents and patent-pending claims worldwide for the direct-to-cell satellite ecosystem from space to Earth.
The SpaceMobile service is compatible with all major brands available in the market and connects directly to everyday mobile phones. It is based on a novel technology that delivers broadband connectivity from space to unmodified mobile devices, providing a service to fill cellular coverage gaps in a differentiated approach compared to other space-based communication services. AST SpaceMobile has partnered with leading carriers such as AT&T Inc. T and Verizon Communications Inc. VZ to tap into a pre-existing pool of cell customers and avail funds to help build a worldwide satellite network. This has enhanced cellular coverage in the United States, essentially eliminating dead zones and empowering remote areas of the country with space-based connectivity.
However, unfavorable macroeconomic conditions, including rising inflation, higher interest rates, capital market volatility, tariff imposition and geopolitical conflicts, are negatively impacting the company’s operations. These have led to continued fluctuations in satellite material prices, resulting in increased capital costs and pressure on the company’s financial performance. In addition, AST SpaceMobile faces severe competition from existing and new industry leaders like SpaceX’s Starlink and Globalstar, which are developing satellite communications technology using LEO constellations. In order to combat such competitive pressure, ASTS has to continuously customize its network offerings, enhance the cost-effectiveness of its products and services and boost the satellite data networks, which increases operating costs and reduces margins.
The Case for Iridium
Iridium’s mobile and satellite communication network leverages the advanced interlinked mesh architecture of 66 operational satellites to provide a global reach of its services across numerous territories. The installation of Starlink will allow the company to compete with KU and KA Band satellite operators. The company is likely to witness increasing adoption of its mid-band technology as well as benefit from the introduction of its new IoT transceiver in 2024. The Iridium Satellite Time and Location business is expected to generate more than $100 million in service revenue per year by 2030, offering a more reliable timing and location service to thwart spoofing and GPS jamming.
Iridium provides unrivaled mission-critical communications and maintenance services to all the military branches of the U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) with global coverage, low latency and mobility and security in areas where no terrestrial or wireless means of communications are available. The DoD remains focused on making continued investments in Iridium NEXT, Iridium Certus and other improved services. In the past two years, around a dozen products have been launched across aviation, maritime, land mobile and government sectors. Iridium expects these innovations, along with new consumer-focused applications, to drive broader adoption across industries to attract new users and drive higher IoT ARPU.
However, adverse impacts on the industry owing to the combined pressures of newly imposed tariffs have affected margins. The company expects approximately $3 million in incremental costs this year on a minimum tariff of 10% for imports from Thailand (based on current U.S. trade policies), which could increase to $6-$7 million if tariff policies revert to the originally proposed levels on April 2, 2025.
How Do Zacks Estimates Compare for ASTS & IRDM?
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AST SpaceMobile’s 2025 sales implies year-over-year growth of 1314.6%, while that of EPS suggests a decline of 50%. The EPS estimates have been trending southward over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Iridium’s 2025 sales implies year-over-year growth of 5.4%, while that for EPS indicates an improvement of 9.6%. The EPS estimates have been trending northward over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Price Performance & Valuation of ASTS & IRDM
Over the past year, AST SpaceMobile has gained 268% compared with the industry’s growth of 35%. Iridium has gained 14.6% over the same period.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Iridium looks more attractive than AST SpaceMobile from a valuation standpoint. Going by the price/sales ratio, Iridium’s shares currently trade at 3.57 forward sales, significantly lower than 68.13 for AST SpaceMobile.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ASTS or IRDM: Which is a Better Pick?
AST SpaceMobile and Iridium carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Both companies expect their sales to improve in 2025. Iridium has shown steady revenue and EPS growth for years, while AST SpaceMobile has been facing a bumpy road. In terms of price performance, AST SpaceMobile has excelled compared with Iridium. However, with attractive valuation metrics and earnings growth expectations, Iridium is relatively better placed than AST SpaceMobile, although both appear to be on a level playing field in terms of Zacks Rank. Consequently, Iridium seems to be a better investment option at the moment.
(We are reissuing this article to correct a mistake. The original article, issued on June 17, 2025, should no longer be relied upon.)
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This top pick is a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

ASTS vs. IRDM: Which Satellite Connectivity Stock Should You Bet on? (Revised)

Looking at the underlying holdings of the ETFs in our coverage universe at ETF Channel, we have compared the trading price of each holding against the average analyst 12-month forward target price, and computed the weighted average implied analyst target price for the ETF itself. For the Pacer US Large Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF (Symbol: COWG), we found that the implied analyst target price for the ETF based upon its underlying holdings is $37.79 per unit.
With COWG trading at a recent price near $34.22 per unit, that means that analysts see 10.44% upside for this ETF looking through to the average analyst targets of the underlying holdings. Three of COWG's underlying holdings with notable upside to their analyst target prices are Iridium Communications Inc (Symbol: IRDM), Diamondback Energy, Inc. (Symbol: FANG), and Union Pacific Corp (Symbol: UNP). Although IRDM has traded at a recent price of $28.43/share, the average analyst target is 32.66% higher at $37.71/share. Similarly, FANG has 21.89% upside from the recent share price of $148.85 if the average analyst target price of $181.43/share is reached, and analysts on average are expecting UNP to reach a target price of $248.12/share, which is 11.51% above the recent price of $222.51. Below is a twelve month price history chart comparing the stock performance of IRDM, FANG, and UNP:
Below is a summary table of the current analyst target prices discussed above:
Name
Symbol
Recent Price
Avg. Analyst 12-Mo. Target
% Upside to Target
Iridium Communications Inc
IRDM
$28.43
$37.71
32.66%
Diamondback Energy, Inc.
FANG
$148.85
$181.43
21.89%
Union Pacific Corp
UNP
$222.51
$248.12
11.51%
Are analysts justified in these targets, or overly optimistic about where these stocks will be trading 12 months from now? Do the analysts have a valid justification for their targets, or are they behind the curve on recent company and industry developments? A high price target relative to a stock's trading price can reflect optimism about the future, but can also be a precursor to target price downgrades if the targets were a relic of the past. These are questions that require further investor research.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

We Did The Math COWG Can Go To $38

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. ASTS and Iridium Communications Inc. IRDM are two leading satellite communications services providers. AST SpaceMobile is building the world’s first and only global cellular broadband network in space, accessible directly by standard smartphones (4G-LTE/5G devices) for commercial and government use, leveraging its extensive Intellectual Property and patent portfolio. The SpaceMobile Service is provided by a constellation of high-powered, large phased-array satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) using low-band and mid-band spectrums controlled by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in areas lacking terrestrial network coverage.
Iridium offers dedicated commercial global voice and data communications services to both businesses and governments in the United States as well as globally. It operates one of the largest commercial constellations with a mesh architecture of 66 operational LEO satellites to route traffic using radio frequency crosslinks. The inimitable architecture provides impeccable performance by minimizing the need for ground infrastructure.
With a portfolio of satellite and communications network solutions, both AST SpaceMobile and Iridium have helped to eradicate dead zones by providing space-based connectivity to areas that lack broadband service. Let us delve a little deeper into the companies’ competitive dynamics to understand which of the two is relatively better placed in the industry.
The Case for AST SpaceMobile
AST SpaceMobile has deployed its first five commercial satellites, dubbed Bluebird, in low Earth orbits, marking a key advancement in developing a space-based mobile network infrastructure. These satellites have the largest-ever commercial communications arrays spanning 693 square feet. They offer non-continuous service across the United States using more than 5,600 cells within the premium low-band spectrum. The company boasts a diverse portfolio of more than 3,650 patents and patent-pending claims worldwide for the direct-to-cell satellite ecosystem from space to Earth.
The SpaceMobile service is compatible with all major brands available in the market and connects directly to everyday mobile phones. It is based on a novel technology that delivers broadband connectivity from space to unmodified mobile devices, providing a service to fill cellular coverage gaps in a differentiated approach compared to other space-based communication services. AST SpaceMobile has partnered with leading carriers such as AT&T Inc. T and Verizon Communications Inc. VZ to tap into a pre-existing pool of cell customers and avail funds to help build a worldwide satellite network. This has enhanced cellular coverage in the United States, essentially eliminating dead zones and empowering remote areas of the country with space-based connectivity.
However, unfavorable macroeconomic conditions, including rising inflation, higher interest rates, capital market volatility, tariff imposition and geopolitical conflicts, are negatively impacting the company’s operations. These have led to continued fluctuations in satellite material prices, resulting in increased capital costs and pressure on the company’s financial performance. In addition, AST SpaceMobile faces severe competition from existing and new industry leaders like SpaceX’s Starlink and Globalstar, which are developing satellite communications technology using LEO constellations. In order to combat such competitive pressure, ASTS has to continuously customize its network offerings, enhance the cost-effectiveness of its products and services and boost the satellite data networks, which increases operating costs and reduces margins.
The Case for Iridium
Iridium’s mobile and satellite communication network leverages the advanced interlinked mesh architecture of 66 operational satellites to provide a global reach of its services across numerous territories. The installation of Starlink will allow the company to compete with KU and KA Band satellite operators. The company is likely to witness increasing adoption of its mid-band technology as well as benefit from the introduction of its new IoT transceiver in 2024. The Iridium Satellite Time and Location business is expected to generate more than $100 million in service revenue per year by 2030, offering a more reliable timing and location service to thwart spoofing and GPS jamming.
Iridium provides unrivaled mission-critical communications and maintenance services to all the military branches of the U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) with global coverage, low latency and mobility and security in areas where no terrestrial or wireless means of communications are available. The DoD remains focused on making continued investments in Iridium NEXT, Iridium Certus and other improved services. In the past two years, around a dozen products have been launched across aviation, maritime, land mobile and government sectors. Iridium expects these innovations, along with new consumer-focused applications, to drive broader adoption across industries to attract new users and drive higher IoT ARPU.
However, adverse impacts on the industry owing to the combined pressures of newly imposed tariffs have affected margins. Increased competition from rival companies like Inmarsat, Globalstar and ORBCOMM has increased the need to rapidly innovate to stay ahead of the competition. At the same time, it has spurred a price war, as some of its competitors have been resorting to aggressive discounting to capture market share, squeezing its profitability. Iridium also remains vulnerable to security breaches and cyber-attacks across the aeronautics, energy and maritime industries, emergency services and the military.
How Do Zacks Estimates Compare for ASTS & IRDM?
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AST SpaceMobile’s 2025 sales implies year-over-year growth of 1314.6%, while that of EPS suggests a decline of 50%. The EPS estimates have been trending southward over the past 60 days.
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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Iridium’s 2025 sales implies year-over-year growth of 5.4%, while that for EPS indicates an improvement of 9.6%. The EPS estimates have been trending northward over the past 60 days.
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Price Performance & Valuation of ASTS & IRDM
Over the past year, AST SpaceMobile has gained 268% compared with the industry’s growth of 35%. Iridium has gained 14.6% over the same period.
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Iridium looks more attractive than AST SpaceMobile from a valuation standpoint. Going by the price/sales ratio, Iridium’s shares currently trade at 3.57 forward sales, significantly lower than 68.13 for AST SpaceMobile.
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ASTS or IRDM: Which is a Better Pick?
AST SpaceMobile and Iridium carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Both companies expect their sales to improve in 2025. Iridium has shown steady revenue and EPS growth for years, while AST SpaceMobile has been facing a bumpy road. In terms of price performance, AST SpaceMobile has excelled compared with Iridium. However, with attractive valuation metrics and earnings growth expectations, Iridium is relatively better placed than AST SpaceMobile, although both appear to be on a level playing field in terms of Zacks Rank. Consequently, Iridium seems to be a better investment option at the moment.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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