IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) Shares Climb 6.8% – Should You Buy?

IonQ, Inc. (NYSE:IONQ)’s stock price shot up 6.8% on Tuesday. The company traded as high as $30.19 and last traded at $30.0790. Approximately 17,277,274 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 29% from the average session volume of 24,401,600 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.17.

More IonQ News

Here are the key news stories impacting IonQ this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IonQ reported third-quarter revenue of $173.8 million, up 336% year over year and well above analyst expectations of about $141.5 million. Adjusted loss per share was also narrower than expected. Some of the revenue growth reflected the SkyWater acquisition. IonQ third-quarter results and guidance
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its 2026 revenue forecast to $505 million–$515 million and reported backlog of about $1.2 billion, signaling sizable contracted demand. IonQ third-quarter results and guidance
• Positive Sentiment: A QuantumCT partnership will provide Connecticut organizations with access to IonQ’s quantum computers, potentially broadening customer use and adoption. IonQ QuantumCT partnership
• Neutral Sentiment: IonQ completed its $1.15 billion, all-stock acquisition of cybersecurity company Elisity. The deal expands its Zero Trust security offering, though investors will look for evidence that the acquisition can deliver results commensurate with its cost. IonQ Elisity acquisition
• Negative Sentiment: The immediate pressure came from a broader post-election sell-off in chip and AI shares that spread to speculative, high-beta quantum stocks. IonQ remains unprofitable, so investors may remain sensitive to its substantial losses despite the earnings beat. Why IonQ stock fell
• Negative Sentiment: B. Riley lowered its price target, adding to concerns about valuation and the need for revenue growth to translate into stronger financial performance. B. Riley price target cut

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on IONQ shares. B. Riley Financial reduced their price objective on shares of IonQ from $100.00 to $75.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday. Wall Street Zen cut shares of IonQ from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 8th. Mizuho cut their price target on IonQ from $61.00 to $52.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, September 9th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of IonQ in a research note on Wednesday, September 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $80.00 price objective on shares of IonQ in a report on Wednesday, September 9th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $64.23.

IonQ Trading Down 10.2%

The company’s fifty day moving average price is $37.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $41.67.

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The company reported ($0.29) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.35) by $0.06. IonQ had a negative net margin of 553.27% and a negative return on equity of 22.29%. The business had revenue of $173.83 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $141.49 million. During the same period last year, the company earned ($3.58) earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 336.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that IonQ, Inc. will post -2.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at IonQ

In related news, insider John Raymond sold 2,407 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.21, for a total value of $89,564.47. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 77,741 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,892,742.61. This trade represents a 3.00% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.55% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of IonQ during the 2nd quarter worth $1,112,945,000. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in shares of IonQ in the 2nd quarter valued at $344,757,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in IonQ in the second quarter worth $113,863,000. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its holdings in IonQ by 45.0% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,632,290 shares of the company’s stock worth $86,936,000 after purchasing an additional 506,191 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new position in IonQ during the second quarter worth $82,126,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 41.42% of the company’s stock.

IonQ Company Profile

IonQ, Inc (NYSE: IONQ) is a quantum computing company that develops full-stack quantum computing systems and related software. Its technology is based on trapped-ion quantum computing, which uses electrically charged atoms as qubits and is designed to support highly accurate quantum operations.

The company provides access to its quantum computers through cloud platforms and direct enterprise and research engagements. Its offerings include quantum computing hardware, cloud-based access, software tools, and professional services intended to help organizations explore applications in areas such as optimization, chemistry, materials science, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.