Q2 26 EPS
$0.09
MISS 68.97%
Est. $0.29
Q2 26 Revenue
$225.2M
BEAT +2.17%
Est. $220.4M
Market Reaction
Did IRDM Beat Earnings? Q2 2026 Results
Iridium Communications delivered a tale of two metrics in Q2 2026, beating on revenue while falling well short on earnings. The satellite communications company posted revenue of $225.24 million, up 3.8% year-over-year and ahead of the $220.45 millio… Read more Iridium Communications delivered a tale of two metrics in Q2 2026, beating on revenue while falling well short on earnings. The satellite communications company posted revenue of $225.24 million, up 3.8% year-over-year and ahead of the $220.45 million consensus estimate, but GAAP earnings of $0.09 per diluted share missed the $0.29 analyst expectation by 68.97%, with the shortfall traced directly to $14.32 million in transaction-related expenses tied to Rocket Lab Corporation's pending $8 billion all-stock acquisition of the company. That deal, announced June 28, has effectively reshaped Iridium's near-term narrative; the company will no longer hold earnings calls or issue financial guidance while the transaction, expected to close in mid-2027, awaits stockholder and regulatory approvals. Subscriber growth remained a bright spot, with total billable subscribers rising 6% year-over-year to 2.63 million, and the post-quarter close of the Aireon acquisition, projected to contribute at least $100 million in annualized service revenue, signals meaningful scale ahead despite the earnings-level turbulence this quarter.
Key Takeaways
- • 9% year-over-year growth in commercial IoT billable subscribers driving IoT data revenue growth
- • Price actions implemented in the prior year driving higher commercial voice and data ARPU
- • Contractual rate increases in EMSS Contract driving government service revenue growth
- • 14% increase in hosted payload and other data service revenue from new data services contracts
IRDM Forward Guidance & Outlook
Iridium will not provide updated financial guidance or hold conference calls in light of the pending acquisition by Rocket Lab. The company expects the EMSS Contract with the U.S. Space Force to be renewed by March 2027. The Aireon acquisition is expected to contribute at least $100 million in annualized service revenue and $30 million in OEBITDA. Iridium NTN Direct, a new standards-based direct-to-device service, is expected to launch later in 2026.
IRDM YoY Financials
Q2 2026 vs Q2 2025, source: SEC Filings
IRDM Revenue by Segment
With YoY comparisons, source: SEC Filings
“Iridium's global network and expanding service portfolio continues to be the gold standard for mission critical applications. We believe vertically integrating with Rocket Lab's industry leading launch and satellite capabilities will allow the combined company to realize even greater ambitions to solve important connectivity challenges around the world.”
— Matt Desch, Q2 2026 Earnings Press Release
IRDM Earnings Trends
IRDM vs Market 30 Day Price Reactions
30-day stock return vs benchmark after each earnings
IRDM EPS Trend
Earnings per share: estimate vs actual
IRDM Revenue Trend
Quarterly revenue: estimate vs actual
IRDM Quarterly Results
6 quarters of earnings data
| Quarter | EPS Est. | EPS Act. | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 26 MISS | $0.29 | $0.09 | -68.97% | $225.2M | +2.17% |
| Q1 26 MISS | $0.28 | $0.20 | -28.57% | $219.1M | -0.06% |
| Q4 25 MISS FY | $0.25 | $0.24 | -4.00% | $212.9M | -2.83% |
| FY Full Year | $1.08 | $1.06 | -1.49% | $871.7M | -0.73% |
| Q3 25 BEAT | $0.25 | $0.35 | +41.13% | $226.9M | +2.16% |
| Q2 25 MISS | $0.24 | $0.20 | -15.79% | $216.9M | +1.28% |
| Q1 25 MISS | $0.28 | $0.27 | -3.57% | $214.9M | +1.45% |