Why Iridium Communications (IRDM) Could Be A Great Value Pick

Value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. After all, who wouldn’t want to find stocks that are either flying under the radar and are compelling buys, or offer up tantalizing discounts when compared to fair value?

One way to find these companies is by looking at several key metrics and financial ratios, many of which are crucial in the value stock selection process. Let’s put Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM) stock into this equation and find out if it is a good choice for value-oriented investors right now, or if investors subscribing to this methodology should look elsewhere for top picks:

PE Ratio

A key metric that value investors always look at is the Price to Earnings Ratio, or PE for short. This shows us how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings in a given stock, and is easily one of the most popular financial ratios in the world. The best use of the PE ratio is to compare the stock’s current PE ratio with: a) where this ratio has been in the past; b) how it compares to the average for the industry/sector; and c) how it compares to the market as a whole.

On this front, Iridium Communications has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 12.4, as you can see in the chart below:

This level actually compares pretty favorably with the market at large, as the PE for the S&P 500 stands at about 20.6. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Iridium Communications’ current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years.

Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks Satellite and Communication industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 30.9. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.

We should also point out that Iridium Communications has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 13.6, so it is fair to say that the stock price might appreciate in near future.

P/S Ratio

Another key metric to note is the Price/Sales ratio. This approach compares a given stock’s price to its total sales, where a lower reading is generally considered better. Some people like this metric more than other value-focused ones because it looks at sales, something that is far harder to manipulate with accounting tricks than earnings.

Right now, Iridium Communications has a P/S ratio of about 2.9. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.3x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.

Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Iridium Communications currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Iridium Communications a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.

For example, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 6.8, which is far better than the industry average of 8.4. Clearly, IRDM is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though Iridium Communications might be a good choice for value investors, there are plenty of other factors to consider before investing in this name. In particular, it is worth noting that the company has a Growth Score of D and a Momentum Score of B. This gives IRDM a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of B. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)

Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been encouraging. The current year has seen three estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to one lower.

This has had a significant impact on the consensus estimate as the current year consensus estimate has risen by 3.8% in the past two months. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

Iridium Communications Inc Price and Consensus

Iridium Communications Inc Price and Consensus | Iridium Communications Inc Quote

Despite this bullish mixed trend, the stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and that is why we are looking for better performance from the company in the near term.

Bottom Line

Iridium Communications is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Moreover, a strong industry rank (Top 18% out of more than 250 industries) further strengthens its growth potential. In fact, over the past two years, the industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:

So, despite a Zacks rank #3 (Hold), we believe that bullish analyst sentiment and favorable industry factors make this value stock a compelling pick.

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