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Iridium Communications Inc.

For the period ended Mar 31, 2025. Filed Apr 22, 2025.

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About this filing

A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.

Mar 31, 2025 · Filed Apr 22, 2025

IRDM$44.04+4.8%Stored close · as of Nov 6, 2026

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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

  1. Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

Iridium Communications Inc. (the “Company”) prepared its condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The Company’s operations are primarily conducted through, and its operating assets are owned by, its principal operating subsidiary, Iridium Satellite LLC, Iridium Satellite LLC’s immediate parent, Iridium Holdings LLC, and their respective subsidiaries. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of (i) the Company, (ii) its wholly owned subsidiaries, and (iii) all less than wholly owned subsidiaries that the Company controls. All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.

In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments that the Company considers necessary for the fair presentation of its results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods covered, and of the financial position of the Company at the date of the interim condensed consolidated balance sheet. The operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the entire year. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to instructions, rules and regulations prescribed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on February 13, 2025.

  1. Significant Accounting Policies

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates and assumptions, including those related to revenue recognition, the useful lives and recoverability of long-lived and intangible assets, goodwill, income taxes, stock-based compensation, the incremental borrowing rate for its leases, and contingencies, among others. The Company bases these estimates on historical and anticipated results, trends, and various other assumptions that it believes are reasonable, including assumptions as to future events. These estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and recorded revenues and expenses. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company evaluates assets and liabilities subject to fair value measurements on a recurring and non-recurring basis to determine the appropriate level to classify them for each reporting period. Fair value is the price that would be received from the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability assuming an orderly transaction in the most advantageous market at the measurement date. U.S. GAAP establishes a hierarchical disclosure framework which prioritizes and ranks the level of observability of inputs used in measuring fair value.

The fair value hierarchy consists of the following tiers:

Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2, defined as observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities; and

Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.

The fair value estimates are based upon certain market assumptions and information available to the Company. The carrying values of the following financial instruments approximated their fair values as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024: (1) cash and cash equivalents, (2) prepaid expenses and other current assets, (3) accounts receivable, (4) accounts payable, and (5) accrued expenses and other current liabilities. Fair values approximate their carrying values because of their short-term nature. The Level 2 cash equivalents include money market funds, commercial paper and short-term U.S. agency securities. The Company also classifies its derivative financial instruments as Level 2. In determining fair value of Level 2 assets, the Company uses a market approach utilizing valuation models that incorporate observable inputs such as interest rates, bond yields and quoted prices for similar assets. The Company did not hold any Level 3 assets as of March 31, 2025 or December 31, 2024.

Leases

For new leases, the Company will determine if an arrangement is or contains a lease at inception. Leases are included as (1) right-of-use (“ROU”) assets within other assets and (2) ROU liabilities within accrued expenses and other liabilities and are included within other long-term liabilities on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets.

ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Certain leases contain variable contractual obligations as a result of future base rate escalations which are estimated based on observed trends and included within the measurement of present value. The Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate. The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The ROU asset also includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, which are generally accounted for separately. For certain leases, such as teleport network facilities, the Company elects the practical expedient to combine lease and non-lease components as a single lease component. Taxes assessed on leases in which the Company is either a lessor or lessee are excluded from contract consideration and variable payments when measuring new lease contracts or remeasuring existing lease contracts.

Inventory

Inventory consists primarily of finished goods and raw materials from third-party manufacturers. The Company outsources manufacturing of subscriber equipment to a third-party manufacturer and purchases accessories from third-party suppliers. The Company’s cost of inventory includes an allocation of overhead, including payroll and payroll-related costs of employees directly involved in bringing inventory to its existing condition, and freight. Inventories are valued using the average cost method and are carried at the lower of cost or net realizable value.

The Company has a manufacturing agreement with Benchmark Electronics Inc. (“Benchmark”) to manufacture most of its subscriber equipment. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company may be required to purchase excess materials at cost plus a contractual markup if the materials are not used in production within the periods specified in the agreement. Benchmark will then repurchase such materials from the Company at the same price paid by the Company, as required for the production of the subscriber equipment.

The following table summarizes the Company’s inventory balances:

March 31, 2025December 31, 2024
(In thousands)
Finished goods$51,940$52,496
Raw materials29,56229,605
Inventory valuation reserve(817)(818)
Total$80,685$81,283

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company uses derivatives to manage its exposure to fluctuating interest rate risk on variable rate debt. Its derivatives are measured at fair value and are recorded on the condensed consolidated balance sheets within other assets and other current liabilities. When the Company’s derivatives are designated as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the changes in fair value of the derivatives are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income within the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets and subsequently recognized in earnings when the hedged items impact earnings. Any ineffective portion of a derivative’s change in fair value will be recognized in earnings in the same period in which the hedged interest payments affect earnings. Within the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, the gains and losses related to cash flow hedges are recognized within interest income (expense), net, as this is the same financial statement line item used for any gains or losses associated with the hedged items. Cash flows from hedging activities are included in operating activities within the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, which is the same category as the item being hedged. See Note 6 for further information.

Business Combinations and Goodwill

The purchase price for business combinations is allocated to the assets acquired, including tangible and intangible assets, and assumed liabilities, where applicable, based on their respective fair values at the acquisition date. Acquisition-related costs are expensed as incurred. Goodwill is recorded when the cost of an acquired entity exceeds the amounts assigned to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The net assets and results of operations of an acquired entity are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from the acquisition date. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment annually or upon the occurrence of certain events.

Other Intangible Assets

The Company’s other intangible assets that have finite lives (customer relationships, patents and other intellectual property) are amortized over their useful lives and reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. If any such indicators are present, the Company would test for recoverability by comparing the carrying amount of the asset to the net undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated from the asset.

A portion of the Company’s other intangible assets are spectrum, regulatory authorizations, and trade names, which are indefinite-lived. The Company reevaluates the useful life determination for these assets each reporting period to determine whether events and circumstances continue to support an indefinite useful life. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized and are instead tested for impairment annually, or upon the occurrence of certain events.

  1. Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The following table presents the Company’s cash and cash equivalents:

March 31, 2025December 31, 2024Recurring FairValue Measurement
(In thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash$18,591$16,913
Money market funds32,30876,613Level 2
Total cash and cash equivalents$50,899$93,526
  1. Intangible Assets and Goodwill

Intangible Assets

The following table presents identifiable intangible assets:

UsefulLifeGrossCarrying ValueAccumulatedAmortizationNetCarrying Value
(In thousands)
Indefinite life intangible assets:
Trade namesIndefinite$21,195$—$21,195
Spectrum and licensesIndefinite14,030—14,030
Total35,225—35,225
Definite life intangible assets:
Intellectual property20 years16,439(11,529)4,910
Patents14 - 20 years587(219)368
Customer relationships12 years57,000(7,614)49,386
Total74,026(19,362)54,664
Total intangible assets$109,251$(19,362)$89,889
UsefulLifeGrossCarrying ValueAccumulatedAmortizationNetCarrying Value
(In thousands)
Indefinite life intangible assets:
Trade namesIndefinite$21,195$—$21,195
Spectrum and licensesIndefinite14,030—14,030
Total35,225—35,225
Definite life intangible assets:
Intellectual property20 years16,439(11,420)5,019
Patents14 - 20 years587(209)378
Customer relationships12 years57,000(6,745)50,255
Total74,026(18,374)55,652
Total intangible assets$109,251$(18,374)$90,877

Amortization expense was $1.0 million and $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Goodwill

As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company’s goodwill balance was $98.9 million and $98.2 million, respectively. The goodwill balance was a result of the acquisition of Satelles, Inc. (see Note 11).

  1. Debt

Term Loan and Revolving Facility

Pursuant to a credit agreement (as amended to date, the “Credit Agreement”), the Company previously entered into a term loan totaling $1,500.0 million (as so amended and restated, the “Term Loan”), issued at a price equal to 99.75% of its face value, and an accompanying $100.0 million revolving loan (the “Revolving Facility”). The maturity date of the Term Loan is in September 2030. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company borrowed an additional $325.0 million under its Term Loan, comprised of $125.0 million on March 25, 2024 and $200.0 million on July 30, 2024. The additional amounts borrowed are fungible with the original $1,500.0 million and have the same maturity date, interest rate and other terms. The additional $125.0 million was issued at a price equal to 99.875% of its face value, while the additional $200.0 million was issued at 99.0% of its face value.

The proceeds from the March 2024 additional Term Loan were used for the acquisition of Satelles, Inc. (see Note 11) on April 1, 2024. In April 2024, the Company drew down $50.0 million on its Revolving Facility for general corporate purposes, including the funding of repurchases of its common stock. This amount was repaid with the expansion of the Term Loan in July 2024, and there were no amounts outstanding under the Revolving Facility as of December 31, 2024. The remaining proceeds from the July 2024 additional Term Loan have been used for general corporate purposes, including repurchases of common stock. In March 2025, the Company drew down $20.0 million on its Revolving Facility for general corporate purposes, which remained outstanding as of March 31, 2025.

The Term Loan has been repriced on multiple occasions, most recently in June 2024, and currently bears interest at an annual rate equal to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus 2.25%, with a 0.75% SOFR floor. The Company typically selects a one-month interest period, with the result that interest is calculated using one-month SOFR. Interest is paid monthly on the last business day of the month. Principal payments, payable quarterly, are equal to approximately $18.3 million per annum (one percent of the full principal amount of the Term Loan following the additional Term Loan amounts borrowed in 2024), with the remaining principal due upon maturity.

The Revolving Facility matures in September 2028 and bears interest at an annual rate of SOFR plus 2.5% (but without a SOFR floor) if and as drawn, with no original issue discount, and a commitment fee of 0.5% per year on the undrawn amount, which is reduced to 0.375% if the Company has a consolidated first lien net leverage ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) of less than 3.5 to 1.

As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company reported an aggregate of $1,803.2 million and $1,807.7 million in borrowings under the Term Loan, respectively. These amounts do not include $16.2 million and $16.9 million of net unamortized deferred financing costs as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The net principal balance in borrowings in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 amounted to $1,787.0 million and $1,790.9 million, respectively. As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, based upon recent trading prices (Level 2 - market approach), the fair value of the Company’s borrowings under the Term Loan was $1,779.5 million and $1,802.1 million, respectively.

The Credit Agreement restricts the Company’s ability to incur liens, engage in mergers or asset sales, pay dividends, repay subordinated indebtedness, incur indebtedness, make investments and loans, and engage in other transactions as specified in the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement provides for specified exceptions, including baskets measured as a percentage of trailing twelve months of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”), and unlimited exceptions in the case of incurring indebtedness and liens and making investments, dividend payments, and payments of subordinated indebtedness, based on achievement and maintenance of specified leverage ratios. The Credit Agreement also contains an annual mandatory prepayment sweep mechanism with respect to a portion of the Company’s excess cash flow (as defined in the Credit Agreement) in the event the Company’s net leverage ratio rises above 3.5 to 1. The Company’s mandatory excess cash flow prepayment, as specified in the Credit Agreement, was $28.6 million as of December 31, 2024. This amount will be paid in the second quarter of 2025 and will be applied to the Company’s required quarterly principal payments. As such, it was classified as current short-term secured debt in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2025. The Credit Agreement permits repayment, prepayment and repricing transactions.

The Credit Agreement contains no financial maintenance covenants with respect to the Term Loan. With respect to the Revolving Facility, the Credit Agreement requires the Company to maintain a consolidated first lien net leverage ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) of no greater than 6.25 to 1 if more than 35% of the Revolving Facility has been drawn, or subject to letter of credit exposure. As of March 31, 2025, the aggregate exposure under the Revolving Facility was less than 35%. The Credit Agreement contains other customary representations and warranties, affirmative and negative covenants, and events of default. The Company was in compliance with all covenants as of March 31, 2025.

Interest on Debt

Total interest incurred includes amortization of deferred financing fees and capitalized interest. The Company incurred third-party financing costs of $1.6 million in connection with the expansion of the Term Loan in March 2024, materially all of which was expensed at that time. The amounts expensed are included within interest expense on the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. The following table presents the interest and amortization of deferred financing fees related to the Term Loan:

Three Months Ended March 31,
20252024
(In thousands)
Total interest incurred$24,257$23,185
Amortization of deferred financing fees$711$623
Capitalized interest$1,234$1,058

As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, accrued interest on the Term Loan was $0.4 million and $0.3 million, respectively.

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