Is Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) A Good Stock To Buy?

We came across a bullish thesis on Iridium Communications Inc. on Danny’s Substack by Danny Green. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on IRDM. Iridium Communications Inc.’s share was trading at $23.95 as of February 27th. IRDM’s trailing and forward P/E were 22.59  and 21.69 respectively according to Yahoo Finance.

Iridium Communications Inc. provides mobile voice and data communications services and products to businesses, the United States and foreign governments, non-governmental organizations, and consumers in the United States, Canada, and internationally. IRDM is positioning itself for significant long-term growth, targeting $1 billion in service revenue by 2030. While 2025 growth guidance is conservative at 3-5%, the company expects double-digit expansion driven by IoT adoption and its new Direct-to-Device (D2D) and PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing) services.

The planned launch of Iridium NTN Direct in 2026, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites, could unlock a massive consumer market beyond Iridium’s traditional industrial base. Over the next decade, the LEO satellite constellation is expected to remain operational, with management already planning a next-generation 5G/6G architecture to support autonomous systems and critical infrastructure where signal reliability is essential.

Iridium’s competitive advantage lies in its global L-band cross-linked network, which operates independently of local ground stations, providing unmatched coverage in polar regions and deep oceans. While Starlink and AST SpaceMobile are expanding in high-speed broadband, Iridium maintains a moat in low-power, mission-critical connectivity.

Customers, including pilots, mariners, and first responders, value the network for its extreme reliability and ruggedized hardware. The company also reinforces its brand through corporate citizenship initiatives focused on biodiversity tracking and humanitarian aid.

Financially, Iridium offers a compelling 16% free cash flow yield, as its satellite CapEx is largely behind it, making new service revenue highly profitable. Margins are expected to expand with IoT adoption and the shift toward higher-margin data services.

Capital is deployed prudently through dividends, share buybacks, and strategic R&D. Long-term upside could be substantial, with a successful adoption of D2D technology and backup PNT services potentially driving a fivefold increase in value. The market, however, continues to undervalue Iridium, pricing it as a legacy telecom while largely ignoring its growing role as a tech-enabled infrastructure platform.

Previously, we covered a bullish thesis on Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) by Stock Picker’s Corner in October 2024, which highlighted the company’s strong market position, satellite communications growth, and shareholder-friendly buybacks. IRDM’s stock price has depreciated by approximately 19.19% since our coverage. Danny Green shares a similar view but emphasizes long-term upside from IoT adoption, Direct-to-Device services, and Iridium’s global connectivity platform.

Iridium Communications Inc. is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 37 hedge fund portfolios held IRDM at the end of the fourth quarter which was 34 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of IRDM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than IRDM and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None.