IRDM vs. MSFT
IRDM (Iridium Communications Inc.) and MSFT (Microsoft Corporation) are both stocks. IRDM operates in Telecom Services (Communication Services), while MSFT operates in Software - Infrastructure (Technology). Over the past 10 years, IRDM returned 19.93%/yr vs 24.39%/yr for MSFT. At a 0.27 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IRDM vs. MSFT - 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 MSFT's -18.85% return. Over the past 10 years, IRDM has underperformed MSFT with an annualized return of 19.93%, while MSFT has yielded a comparatively higher 24.39% annualized return.
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%
MSFT
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -3.36%
- YTD
- -18.85%
- 6M
- -17.98%
- 1Y
- -17.75%
- 3Y*
- 6.16%
- 5Y*
- 9.56%
- 10Y*
- 24.39%
IRDM vs. MSFT - 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% |
MSFT Microsoft Corporation | -18.85% | 15.58% | 12.93% | 58.19% | -28.02% | 52.48% | 42.53% | 57.56% | 20.80% | 40.73% |
Correlation
The correlation between IRDM and MSFT is 0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 20, 2008 | 0.27 |
Over the past year, the correlation between IRDM and MSFT has dropped to 0.05 - well below their long-term average of 0.27, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
IRDM:
$5.04B
MSFT:
$2.91T
IRDM:
$0.99
MSFT:
$16.79
IRDM:
47.75
MSFT:
23.27
IRDM:
0.28
MSFT:
1.63
IRDM:
5.75
MSFT:
9.16
IRDM:
10.77
MSFT:
7.02
IRDM:
$875.84M
MSFT:
$318.27B
IRDM:
$547.64M
MSFT:
$217.41B
IRDM:
$384.39M
MSFT:
$200.96B
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Return for Risk
IRDM vs. MSFT — Risk / Return Rank
IRDM
MSFT
IRDM vs. MSFT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) and Microsoft Corporation (MSFT). 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 | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.75 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.52 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 0.89 | +0.35 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.31 | -0.53 | +1.84 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.16 | -1.08 | +3.23 |
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Drawdowns
IRDM vs. MSFT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IRDM drawdown since its inception was -75.34%, which is greater than MSFT's maximum drawdown of -69.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IRDM and MSFT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IRDM | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -75.34% | -69.38% | -5.96% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -50.74% | -33.91% | -16.83% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -73.60% | -33.91% | -39.69% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -75.34% | -37.15% | -38.19% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -75.34% | -37.15% | -38.19% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -25.28% | -27.46% | +2.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -25.99% | -21.78% | -4.21% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 30.90% | 16.48% | +14.42% |
Volatility
IRDM vs. MSFT - Volatility Comparison
Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) has a higher volatility of 21.73% compared to Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) at 10.52%. This indicates that IRDM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MSFT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IRDM | MSFT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 21.73% | 10.52% | +11.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 47.62% | 22.31% | +25.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 63.50% | 25.42% | +38.08% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 45.74% | 26.66% | +19.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 45.45% | 27.06% | +18.39% |
Dividends
IRDM vs. MSFT - Dividend Comparison
IRDM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.25%, more than MSFT's 0.91% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
MSFT Microsoft Corporation | 0.91% | 0.70% | 0.73% | 0.74% | 1.06% | 0.68% | 0.94% | 1.20% | 1.69% | 1.86% | 2.37% | 2.33% |
Financials
IRDM vs. MSFT - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Iridium Communications Inc. and Microsoft Corporation. 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. MSFT - 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%.
MSFT - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported a gross profit of 56.06B and revenue of 82.89B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 67.6%.
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%.
MSFT - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported an operating income of 38.40B and revenue of 82.89B, resulting in an operating margin of 46.3%.
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%.
MSFT - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Microsoft Corporation reported a net income of 31.78B and revenue of 82.89B, resulting in a net margin of 38.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions
IRDM and MSFT have a correlation of 0.05, 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 MSFT (10.52%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IRDM dropped -75.34% vs MSFT's -69.38%.
IRDM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.05 vs -0.70), 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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