IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) Shares Up 3.9% - Time to Buy?

Key Points

• IonQ shares rose 3.9% on Thursday, trading as high as $58.18 after closing at $55.26 the prior day, with volume slightly above average.
• The company’s latest quarter showed strong revenue growth of $64.67 million, up 754.7% from a year ago, though IonQ still posted a wider-than-expected loss of $0.34 per share.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed but constructive: IonQ has a Moderate Buy consensus rating and an average price target of $68.63, even as some firms trimmed their targets and warned about valuation risk.

Shares of IonQ, Inc. (NYSE:IONQ - Get Free Report) shot up 3.9% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $58.18 and last traded at $57.4180. 26,163,364 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 2% from the average session volume of 25,631,139 shares. The stock had previously closed at $55.26.

Key Headlines Impacting IonQ

Here are the key news stories impacting IonQ this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IonQ is being highlighted as a leader among quantum computing peers after Q1 2026, with articles pointing to surging revenue, a growing backlog, and expanding enterprise adoption across commercial markets. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The company opened a new quantum R&D and semiconductor testing facility in Boulder, Colorado, signaling continued investment in hardware development and potential long-term growth, supported by state and local incentives. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: IonQ was selected for a multi-year quantum optimization project tied to sustainable urban planning, expanding its real-world use cases beyond research and cloud computing. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Investor sentiment across the quantum sector remains favorable, with several recent pieces calling IonQ one of the best quantum stocks after Q1 results and suggesting it may be better positioned than smaller rivals like D-Wave and Rigetti. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage comparing leading quantum firms after Q1 earnings reinforces IonQ’s status as a top industry name, but these articles are mostly comparative and do not add a new direct catalyst. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary also warns that IonQ’s rich valuation could limit upside even as the business expands, suggesting investors are balancing growth hopes against risk. Article Title

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on IONQ. Needham & Company LLC lowered their target price on IonQ from $80.00 to $65.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on IonQ from $42.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. DA Davidson lowered their target price on IonQ from $55.00 to $35.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. Wall Street Zen downgraded IonQ from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Monday. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $48.50 price target on IonQ in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $68.63.

IonQ Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $21.05 billion, a PE ratio of -205.06 and a beta of 3.05. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $37.75 and a two-hundred day moving average of $43.45.

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported ($0.34) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.26) by ($0.08). IonQ had a net margin of 174.88% and a negative return on equity of 23.20%. The business had revenue of $64.67 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $49.75 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned ($0.14) earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 754.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that IonQ, Inc. will post -1.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at IonQ

In related news, insider Robert T. Cardillo sold 3,773 shares of IonQ stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.90, for a total transaction of $188,272.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 139,967 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,984,353.30. The trade was a 2.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider John W. Raymond sold 2,800 shares of IonQ 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 transaction, the insider directly owned 83,963 shares of the company's stock, 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. Insiders have sold a total of 12,354 shares of company stock worth $504,428 over the last three months. 5.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On IonQ

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. MWA Asset Management acquired a new position in IonQ during the first quarter worth $32,000. Himension Capital Singapore PTE. LTD. raised its holdings in IonQ by 30.0% during the first quarter. Himension Capital Singapore PTE. LTD. now owns 14,117 shares of the company's stock worth $407,000 after purchasing an additional 3,260 shares during the last quarter. ABN Amro Investment Solutions raised its holdings in IonQ by 2.5% during the first quarter. ABN Amro Investment Solutions now owns 12,314 shares of the company's stock worth $355,000 after purchasing an additional 295 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in IonQ by 50.6% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 21,269 shares of the company's stock worth $613,000 after purchasing an additional 7,145 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hollencrest Capital Management raised its holdings in IonQ by 163.7% during the first quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management now owns 2,927 shares of the company's stock worth $84,000 after purchasing an additional 1,817 shares during the last quarter. 41.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

IonQ Company Profile

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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