What Happened?
Shares of satellite communications provider jumped 6% in the afternoon session after the company announced successful on-air testing of its new direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service, a key milestone as it prepared for a commercial launch in 2026.
Iridium reported that its Iridium NTN Direct℠ service had completed successful two-way message transmissions using its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network. This development marked a significant step forward as the company readied itself for beta testing. The service, which will not require special devices, aimed to provide connectivity directly to standard smartphones and other devices, representing a major new market opportunity for the company.
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What Is The Market Telling Us
Iridium’s shares are very volatile and have had 23 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The previous big move we wrote about was about 22 hours ago when the stock gained 2.7% on the news that President Trump cooled fears of a transatlantic trade war by calling off scheduled tariffs on European allies.
The rally followed a productive meeting in Davos with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, where a "framework of a future deal" regarding Greenland and the Arctic region was established. By explicitly ruling out the use of military force and suspending the 10% tariffs previously set for February 1st, the administration provided the "sigh of relief" the market desperately needed after Tuesday's sharp sell-off. Technology and semiconductor leaders like Nvidia and AMD spearheaded the recovery as investors quickly pivoted back into growth stocks. The "Sell America" trade from the prior session reversed sharply, with the Nasdaq Composite jumping 1.5% and the S&P 500 erasing its 2026 losses. This rebound was further supported by a stabilization in the bond market; as tariff-related inflation fears subsided, the 10-year Treasury yield retreated from its recent highs, creating a more favorable backdrop for equity valuations across the board.
Iridium is up 18.5% since the beginning of the year, but at $21.04 per share, it is still trading 35.6% below its 52-week high of $32.66 from February 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Iridium’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $429.47.
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