IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) Cut to Strong Sell at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded IonQ from “sell” to “strong sell” in a note issued Monday, adding to a mixed analyst backdrop for the quantum computing company.
• Despite the downgrade, broader analyst sentiment remains relatively positive: IonQ has a Moderate Buy consensus, with 10 Buy ratings, 6 Hold ratings, and an average price target of $68.63.
• IonQ’s stock was trading at $49.36, well above its 50-day moving average of $36.42, and the company has seen notable insider selling as well as strong institutional ownership at 41.42%.

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ - Get Free Report) was downgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday.

Several other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of IonQ in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Morgan Stanley set a $48.50 price target on IonQ in a report on Thursday. Wedbush reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $60.00 price target on shares of IonQ in a report on Monday, May 4th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $85.00 price target on IonQ in a report on Thursday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on IonQ from $42.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $68.63.

IonQ Price Performance

NYSE IONQ opened at $49.36 on Monday. The business's fifty day moving average price is $36.42 and its 200-day moving average price is $43.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -176.28 and a beta of 3.05. IonQ has a 1-year low of $25.89 and a 1-year high of $84.64.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Robert T. Cardillo sold 5,165 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $39.44, for a total value of $203,707.60. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 112,291 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,428,757.04. This trade represents a 4.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider John W. Raymond sold 2,800 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.34, for a total value of $93,352.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 83,963 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,799,326.42. This represents a 3.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 12,354 shares of company stock valued at $504,428. 5.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On IonQ

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of IONQ. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in IonQ by 18.5% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 34,774,743 shares of the company's stock worth $1,560,343,000 after buying an additional 5,420,037 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in IonQ in the 4th quarter worth $199,753,000. Marex Group plc increased its stake in IonQ by 419.1% in the 4th quarter. Marex Group plc now owns 4,083,453 shares of the company's stock worth $183,225,000 after buying an additional 3,296,866 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in IonQ by 42.3% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 8,962,789 shares of the company's stock worth $402,160,000 after buying an additional 2,663,230 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clear Street Group Inc. increased its stake in IonQ by 219.6% in the 4th quarter. Clear Street Group Inc. now owns 3,195,818 shares of the company's stock worth $143,396,000 after buying an additional 2,196,017 shares in the last quarter. 41.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about IonQ

Here are the key news stories impacting IonQ this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IonQ posted record Q1 revenue of $64.7 million, up sharply year over year, and lifted its 2026 revenue forecast, reinforcing the view that commercial demand for its quantum platform is accelerating. IonQ Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: SkyWater Technology stockholders approved the merger agreement with IonQ, removing a key hurdle for the deal and potentially expanding IonQ’s semiconductor and manufacturing capabilities. SkyWater Technology Stockholders Approve Merger Agreement with IonQ
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts are still pointing to meaningful upside in the quantum-semiconductor space, with one Zacks piece arguing IonQ could gain alongside peers as investor interest in the theme heats up. Why ASX and IONQ May Gain 15%+ in the Quantum-Semiconductor Space

About IonQ

IonQ, Inc engages in the development of general-purpose quantum computing systems in the United States. It sells access to quantum computers of various qubit capacities. The company makes access to its quantum computers through cloud platforms, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) Amazon Braket, Microsoft's Azure Quantum, and Google's Cloud Marketplace, as well as through its cloud service. It also provides contracts associated with the design, development, and construction of specialized quantum computing hardware systems; maintenance and support services; and consulting services related to co-developing algorithms on quantum computing systems.

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