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Side-by-side financial comparison of Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) and PHOTRONICS INC (PLAB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Iridium Communications Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($219.1M vs $210.4M, roughly 1.0× PHOTRONICS INC). PHOTRONICS INC runs the higher net margin — 10.9% vs 9.9%, a 1.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Iridium Communications Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (1.9% vs -5.5%). Over the past eight quarters, Iridium Communications Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (4.4% CAGR vs -3.8%).

Iridium Communications Inc. is a publicly traded American company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, United States. Iridium operates the Iridium satellite constellation, a system of 80 satellites: 66 are active satellites and the remaining fourteen function as in-orbit spares. Iridium Satellites are used for worldwide voice and data communication from handheld satellite phones, satellite messenger communication devices and integrated transceivers, as well as for two-way satellite messaging se...

Photronics, Inc. is an American semiconductor photomask manufacturer. It was the third largest photomask supplier globally as of 2009. Photronics is a member of the eBeam Initiative.

IRDM vs PLAB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
IRDM
IRDM
1.0× larger
IRDM
$219.1M
$210.4M
PLAB
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
IRDM
IRDM
+7.4% gap
IRDM
1.9%
-5.5%
PLAB
Higher net margin
PLAB
PLAB
1.0% more per $
PLAB
10.9%
9.9%
IRDM
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
IRDM
IRDM
Annualised
IRDM
4.4%
-3.8%
PLAB

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Revenue
$219.1M
$210.4M
Net Profit
$21.6M
$22.9M
Gross Margin
33.7%
Operating Margin
23.2%
22.9%
Net Margin
9.9%
10.9%
Revenue YoY
1.9%
-5.5%
Net Profit YoY
-32.4%
EPS (diluted)
$0.39

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
$219.1M
Q4 25
$212.9M
Q3 25
$226.9M
$210.4M
Q2 25
$216.9M
$211.0M
Q1 25
$214.9M
$212.1M
Q4 24
$213.0M
$222.6M
Q3 24
$212.8M
$211.0M
Q2 24
$201.1M
$217.0M
Net Profit
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
$21.6M
Q4 25
$24.9M
Q3 25
$37.1M
$22.9M
Q2 25
$22.0M
$8.9M
Q1 25
$30.4M
$42.9M
Q4 24
$36.3M
$33.9M
Q3 24
$24.4M
$34.4M
Q2 24
$32.3M
$36.3M
Gross Margin
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
Q3 25
33.7%
Q2 25
36.9%
Q1 25
35.6%
Q4 24
37.0%
Q3 24
35.6%
Q2 24
36.5%
Operating Margin
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
23.2%
Q4 25
25.9%
Q3 25
30.9%
22.9%
Q2 25
23.2%
26.4%
Q1 25
28.1%
24.6%
Q4 24
24.5%
25.1%
Q3 24
25.8%
24.7%
Q2 24
21.7%
25.8%
Net Margin
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
9.9%
Q4 25
11.7%
Q3 25
16.4%
10.9%
Q2 25
10.1%
4.2%
Q1 25
14.2%
20.2%
Q4 24
17.1%
15.2%
Q3 24
11.5%
16.3%
Q2 24
16.1%
16.7%
EPS (diluted)
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0.24
Q3 25
$0.35
$0.39
Q2 25
$0.20
$0.15
Q1 25
$0.27
$0.68
Q4 24
$0.30
$0.54
Q3 24
$0.21
$0.55
Q2 24
$0.27
$0.58

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$575.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$16.0K
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.1B
Total Assets
$1.8B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.00×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
$96.5M
Q3 25
$88.5M
$575.8M
Q2 25
$79.3M
$558.4M
Q1 25
$50.9M
$642.2M
Q4 24
$93.5M
$640.7M
Q3 24
$159.6M
$606.4M
Q2 24
$63.5M
$559.9M
Total Debt
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.8B
Q3 25
$16.0K
Q2 25
$19.0K
Q1 25
$21.0K
Q4 24
$1.8B
$25.0K
Q3 24
$28.0K
Q2 24
$2.5M
Stockholders' Equity
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
$462.6M
Q3 25
$450.5M
$1.1B
Q2 25
$473.6M
$1.1B
Q1 25
$518.4M
$1.1B
Q4 24
$576.6M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$663.8M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$786.7M
$1.0B
Total Assets
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
$2.5B
Q3 25
$2.6B
$1.8B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$1.7B
Q1 25
$2.6B
$1.7B
Q4 24
$2.7B
$1.7B
Q3 24
$2.8B
$1.6B
Q2 24
$2.7B
$1.6B
Debt / Equity
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
3.80×
Q3 25
0.00×
Q2 25
0.00×
Q1 25
0.00×
Q4 24
3.05×
0.00×
Q3 24
0.00×
Q2 24
0.00×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$50.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$25.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
12.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
13.7%
11.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.19×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$64.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
$108.6M
Q3 25
$100.8M
$50.1M
Q2 25
$129.6M
$31.5M
Q1 25
$61.1M
$78.5M
Q4 24
$104.8M
$68.4M
Q3 24
$118.6M
$75.1M
Q2 24
$81.1M
$76.5M
Free Cash Flow
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
$75.1M
Q3 25
$79.2M
$25.2M
Q2 25
$108.9M
$-29.1M
Q1 25
$36.5M
$43.3M
Q4 24
$80.5M
$25.2M
Q3 24
$100.0M
$50.7M
Q2 24
$68.7M
$56.5M
FCF Margin
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
35.3%
Q3 25
34.9%
12.0%
Q2 25
50.2%
-13.8%
Q1 25
17.0%
20.4%
Q4 24
37.8%
11.3%
Q3 24
47.0%
24.0%
Q2 24
34.2%
26.0%
Capex Intensity
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
13.7%
Q4 25
15.7%
Q3 25
9.5%
11.8%
Q2 25
9.5%
28.7%
Q1 25
11.4%
16.6%
Q4 24
11.4%
19.4%
Q3 24
8.7%
11.6%
Q2 24
6.2%
9.2%
Cash Conversion
IRDM
IRDM
PLAB
PLAB
Q1 26
Q4 25
4.37×
Q3 25
2.71×
2.19×
Q2 25
5.90×
3.55×
Q1 25
2.01×
1.83×
Q4 24
2.88×
2.02×
Q3 24
4.85×
2.18×
Q2 24
2.51×
2.11×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

IRDM
IRDM

Voice and data$57.4M26%
IoT data (2)$46.0M21%
Government$39.5M18%
Government service revenue (5)$27.6M13%
Subscriber equipment$20.2M9%
Hosted payload and other data service (4)$14.8M7%
Broadband (3)$12.2M6%
Commercial$1.3M1%

PLAB
PLAB

High End Integrated Circuits$53.6M25%
High End Flat Panel Displays$53.5M25%
KR$43.7M21%
Other$42.1M20%
Mainstream Flat Panel Displays$9.1M4%
Transferred At Point In Time$8.4M4%

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