Iridium Successfully Tests World's First Satellite Network Service with NTN Direct
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 21 2026
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Should l Buy IRDM?
Source: Newsfilter
- Global Coverage Capability: The Iridium NTN Direct service achieves 100% global coverage through its low-Earth orbit satellite network, enabling mobile network operators to eliminate coverage gaps without additional infrastructure, thereby enhancing subscriber retention and unlocking new revenue streams.
- Technological Innovation: The successful test utilized new 5G waveform algorithms to transmit the first mobile-originated message, showcasing Iridium's technological leadership in global communications and is expected to accelerate the market adoption of standardized, space-enabled IoT solutions.
- Broad Market Applications: Iridium NTN Direct is designed to meet diverse needs in both consumer and industrial markets, including emergency messaging, asset tracking, and remote infrastructure maintenance, further expanding Iridium's market potential and business scope.
- Partner Integration: Collaboration with Nordic Semiconductor enables the integration of low-power modules, facilitating the deployment of globally connected devices and is expected to accelerate Iridium's goal of achieving commercial service by 2026.
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Analyst Views on IRDM
Wall Street analysts forecast IRDM stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
2 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 22.390
Low
16.00
Averages
25.83
High
37.00
Current: 22.390
Low
16.00
Averages
25.83
High
37.00
About IRDM
Iridium Communications Inc. operates the mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. The Company enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, it delivers a portfolio of solutions for markets that require global communications. Its principal vertical lines of business include land mobile, maritime, aviation, IoT, hosted payloads and other data services, which includes navigation and timing (PNT), and the United States government. Its products include Iridium 9555, Iridium Extreme satellite phones, Iridium Extreme PTT, Iridium GO! Iridium GO!, and others. It provides voice and data communications services to businesses, the United States and foreign governments, non-governmental organizations, and consumers via its satellite network, which has an architecture of 66 operational satellites with in-orbit spares and related ground infrastructure.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Strong Free Cash Flow: The company reported nearly $300 million in free cash flow for 2025, with projections of $318 million for 2026, indicating a solid capacity for capital returns and investment in new services.
- Strategic Investment Focus: CEO highlighted ongoing investments in four key growth areas, including narrowband IoT and national security, expecting to create over $200 million in revenue opportunities by 2030, showcasing confidence in future growth.
- Product Launch Plans: Iridium plans to introduce several new products, including maritime Iridium Certus GMDSS terminals and Iridium NTN Direct for global narrowband IoT, further solidifying its leadership position in the market.
See More
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- Capital Expenditure and Debt Management: Capital expenditures for 2025 totaled $100.3 million, with net debt at $1.7 billion, reflecting effective financial leverage management while maintaining a net leverage ratio of 3.4 times, ensuring future investment capacity.
See More
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- Service Revenue Growth: Service revenue accounted for 75% of total revenue, reaching $158.9 million, demonstrating stability driven by growth in the commercial IoT sector, despite overall revenue stagnation, highlighting the company's ongoing market appeal.
- User Growth: The total number of billable subscribers reached 2.537 million by the end of Q4 2025, reflecting a 3% year-over-year increase, although slightly down from 2.542 million in the previous quarter, indicating positive progress in attracting new users.
- Future Outlook: The company projects service revenue growth to remain flat to 2% for 2026 and plans to shift incentive compensation entirely to cash, which is expected to negatively impact OEBITDA by $17 million, leading to an anticipated OEBITDA range of $480 million to $490 million, reflecting a new financial management strategy.
See More
