IRDM vs. BWXT
IRDM (Iridium Communications Inc.) and BWXT (BWX Technologies, Inc.) are both stocks. IRDM operates in Telecom Services (Communication Services), while BWXT operates in Aerospace & Defense (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, IRDM returned 19.93%/yr vs 20.03%/yr for BWXT. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IRDM vs. BWXT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IRDM achieves a 173.92% return, which is significantly higher than BWXT's 12.23% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with IRDM having a 19.93% annualized return and BWXT not far ahead at 20.03%.
IRDM
- 1D
- -5.19%
- 1M
- 9.82%
- YTD
- 173.92%
- 6M
- 156.23%
- 1Y
- 66.38%
- 3Y*
- -6.22%
- 5Y*
- 5.22%
- 10Y*
- 19.93%
BWXT
- 1D
- -0.63%
- 1M
- -6.34%
- YTD
- 12.23%
- 6M
- 10.82%
- 1Y
- 41.19%
- 3Y*
- 43.24%
- 5Y*
- 26.18%
- 10Y*
- 20.03%
IRDM vs. BWXT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IRDM Iridium Communications Inc. | 173.92% | -38.51% | -28.09% | -19.10% | 24.49% | 5.00% | 59.60% | 33.55% | 56.36% | 22.92% |
BWXT BWX Technologies, Inc. | 12.23% | 56.37% | 46.53% | 33.87% | 23.30% | -19.40% | -1.54% | 64.48% | -36.10% | 53.59% |
Correlation
The correlation between IRDM and BWXT is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 2, 2010 | 0.30 |
Fundamentals
IRDM:
$5.04B
BWXT:
$17.78B
IRDM:
$0.99
BWXT:
$3.75
IRDM:
47.75
BWXT:
51.53
IRDM:
0.28
BWXT:
13.62
IRDM:
5.75
BWXT:
5.26
IRDM:
10.77
BWXT:
13.89
IRDM:
$875.84M
BWXT:
$3.38B
IRDM:
$547.64M
BWXT:
$566.27M
IRDM:
$384.39M
BWXT:
$534.48M
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Return for Risk
IRDM vs. BWXT — Risk / Return Rank
IRDM
BWXT
IRDM vs. BWXT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) and BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| IRDM | BWXT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.20 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.31 | 1.79 | -0.47 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.16 | 4.04 | -1.89 |
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Drawdowns
IRDM vs. BWXT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IRDM drawdown since its inception was -75.34%, which is greater than BWXT's maximum drawdown of -47.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IRDM and BWXT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IRDM | BWXT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -75.34% | -47.88% | -27.46% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -50.74% | -23.14% | -27.60% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -73.60% | -32.87% | -40.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -75.34% | -32.92% | -42.42% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -75.34% | -47.74% | -27.60% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -25.28% | -18.75% | -6.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -25.99% | -13.17% | -12.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 30.90% | 10.22% | +20.68% |
Volatility
IRDM vs. BWXT - Volatility Comparison
Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) has a higher volatility of 21.73% compared to BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) at 11.22%. This indicates that IRDM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BWXT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IRDM | BWXT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 21.73% | 11.22% | +10.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 47.62% | 34.21% | +13.41% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 63.50% | 45.12% | +18.38% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 45.74% | 33.05% | +12.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 45.45% | 30.83% | +14.62% |
Dividends
IRDM vs. BWXT - Dividend Comparison
IRDM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.25%, more than BWXT's 0.54% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BWXT BWX Technologies, Inc. | 0.54% | 0.58% | 0.86% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 1.26% | 1.10% | 1.67% | 0.69% | 0.91% | 30.37% |
IRDM Iridium Communications Inc. | 1.25% | 3.34% | 1.90% | 1.26% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
IRDM vs. BWXT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Iridium Communications Inc. and BWX Technologies, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
IRDM vs. BWXT - Profitability Comparison
IRDM - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Iridium Communications Inc. reported a gross profit of 169.42M and revenue of 219.06M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 77.3%.
BWXT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, BWX Technologies, Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 860.22M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
IRDM - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Iridium Communications Inc. reported an operating income of 50.71M and revenue of 219.06M, resulting in an operating margin of 23.2%.
BWXT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, BWX Technologies, Inc. reported an operating income of 106.69M and revenue of 860.22M, resulting in an operating margin of 12.4%.
IRDM - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Iridium Communications Inc. reported a net income of 21.59M and revenue of 219.06M, resulting in a net margin of 9.9%.
BWXT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, BWX Technologies, Inc. reported a net income of 91.19M and revenue of 860.22M, resulting in a net margin of 10.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions
IRDM and BWXT have a correlation of 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IRDM has higher volatility (21.73%) compared to BWXT (11.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IRDM dropped -75.34% vs BWXT's -47.88%.
IRDM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.05 vs 0.92), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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