Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
Iridium CommunicationsIRDM +0.20%77 Graham Number is $7.73 as of Mar. 2026, which is 253% above its 10-year median of 2.19. GuruFocus rates IRDM with a GF Score™ of 77/100 and a GF Value™ of $36.53 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 192 Telecommunication Services companies, Iridium Communications ranks worse than 93.75% on this metric.
Graham Number is a figure that measures a stock's fundamental value by taking into account the company's earnings per share and book value per share. The Graham number is the upper bound of the price range that a defensive investor should pay for the stock. According to the theory, any stock price below the Graham number is considered undervalued, and thus worth investing in.
The historical rank and industry rank for Iridium Communications's Graham Number or its related term are showing as below:
IRDM'
s Price-to-Graham-Number Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.43 Med: 2.19 Max: 16.87
Current: 6.05
During the past 13 years, the highest Price to Graham Number ratio of Iridium Communications was 16.87. The lowest was 0.43. And the median was 2.19.
IRDM's Price-to-Graham-Number is ranked worse than 93.75% of 192
companies
in the Telecommunication Services industry
Industry Median: 1.575
vs IRDM: 6.05
Graham Number is a combination of asset valuation and earnings power valuation. It is a very conservative way of valuing a stock.
Iridium Communications (NAS:IRDM) Graham Number Explanation
Ben Graham actually did not publish a formula like this. But he wrote in The Intelligent Investor (1948 version) regarding to the criteria for purchases:
Current price should not be more than 15 times average earnings of the past three years.
Current price should not be more than 1.5 times the book value last reported. However, a multiplier of earnings below 15 could justify a correspondingly higher multiplier of assets. As a rule of thumb we suggest that the product of the multiplier times the ratio of price to book value should not exceed 22.5. (This figure corresponds to 15 times earnings and 1.5 times book value. It would admit an issue selling at only 9 times earnings and 2.5 times asset value, etc.)
Unlike valuation methods such as DCF or Discounted Earnings, the Graham number does not take growth into the valuation. Unlike the valuation methods based on book value alone, it takes into account the earnings power. Therefore, the Graham Number is a combination of asset valuation and earnings power valuation.
In general, the Graham number is a very conservative way of valuing a stock. It cannot be applied to companies with negative book values.
Iridium Communications's Price to Graham number Ratio for today is calculated as
Price to Graham number
=
Share Price (Today)
/
Graham number (Q: Mar. 2026 )
=
46.705
/
7.73
=
6.04
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Be Aware
Please keep these in mind:
1. Graham Number does not take growth into account. Therefore it underestimates the values of the companies that have good earnings growth. We feel that if the earnings per share grows more than 10% a year, Graham Number underestimates the value.
2. Graham Number punishes the companies that have temporarily low earnings. Therefore, an average of earnings makes more sense in the calculation of Graham Number.
3. Graham Numbers underestimates companies that are light with book.
Iridium Communications Graham Number Related Terms
Iridium Communications Graham Number Historical Data
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
IRDM vs LBRDA, TDS, LBTYA: Graham Number Comparison
For the Telecom Services subindustry, Iridium Communications's Price-to-Graham-Number, along with its competitors' market caps and Price-to-Graham-Number data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Iridium Communications Price-to-Graham-Number vs Telecommunication Services Industry
For the Telecommunication Services industry and Communication Services sector, Iridium Communications's Price-to-Graham-Number distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Iridium Communications's Price-to-Graham-Number falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Iridium Communications (IRDM) has a Graham Number of $7.73 as of Mar. 2026. The Graham Number values a company based on its per-share earnings and book value. View historical data on Iridium Communications and its competitors. This is 253% above median its historical median of 2.19. Over the past decade, Iridium Communications' Graham Number has ranged from 0.43 to 16.87. According to the industry distribution chart, Iridium Communications ranks #180 out of 192 companies in the Telecommunication Services industry, placing it in the top 93.7%.
Is Iridium Communications' Graham Number too high?
Iridium Communications' current Graham Number of $7.73 is 253% above median its 10-year median of 2.19. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.43 to a high of 16.87. The Telecommunication Services industry median Graham Number is 1.58. Iridium Communications' value of $7.73 is 390.8% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Iridium Communications ranks #180 out of 192 companies in the Telecommunication Services industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Iridium Communications has a GF Score™ of 77/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Iridium Communications' Graham Number compare to LBRDA and TDS?
According to the Telecommunication Services industry distribution chart, Iridium Communications ranks #180 out of 192 companies for Graham Number. This places Iridium Communications in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Graham Number is 1.58. Iridium Communications' value of $7.73 is 390.8% above this benchmark. Historically, Iridium Communications' own Graham Number has ranged from 0.43 to 16.87 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 2.19 vs. the industry median of 1.58, Iridium Communications has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Graham Number for a Telecommunication Services company?
The median Graham Number among Telecommunication Services companies is 1.58, based on 192 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Graham Number significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Graham Number should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Iridium Communications's current Graham Number of $7.73 is 390.8% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Graham Number mean?
A high Graham Number can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The Graham Number values a company based on its per-share earnings and book value. View historical data on Iridium Communications and its competitors. For the Telecommunication Services industry, the median Graham Number is 1.58 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Iridium Communications's current Graham Number is $7.73, which is 253% above median its own 10-year median of 2.19. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Iridium Communications stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Iridium Communications (IRDM) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $36.53, compared to a current price of $46.71 — trading 27.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Graham Number is $7.73, which is 253% above median its 10-year median of 2.19 and 390.8% above the Telecommunication Services industry median of 1.58. Iridium Communications' overall GF Score™ is 77/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Graham Number calculated?
Graham Number is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Iridium Communications (IRDM), the current Graham Number is $7.73 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Iridium Communications (IRDM) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Iridium Communications stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $46.71 is trading 27.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of $36.53.
GuruFocus considers Iridium Communications to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for IRDM:
Graham Number: $7.73 (253% above median its 10-year median of 2.19)
GF Value™: $36.53 vs. price of $46.71 (27.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 390.8% above the Telecommunication Services median (#180 of 192)
No single metric tells the full story. See the IRDM stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Iridium Communications Inc is the commercial provider of communications services offering true globalised coverage, connecting people, organizations, and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. The company is a provider of mobile voice and data communications services through a constellation of low-earth-orbiting satellites. Iridium's solutions are ideally suited for industries such as maritime, aviation, government/military, emergency/humanitarian services, mining, forestry, oil and gas, heavy equipment, transportation, and utilities. Iridium also provides service to subscribers from the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as other civil and government agencies world-wide. The Company operates in one business segment, providing satellite communications services and products.
77GF Score
Get the complete analysis for IRDM
Graham Number is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
IRDM has been successfully added to your 
