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

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded IonQ from “strong sell” to “sell,” while the broader analyst view still leans positive with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $68.63.
• IonQ shares were up 7.9% and opened at $63.54, giving the company a market cap of about $23.72 billion. The stock has been highly volatile, with a 52-week range of $25.89 to $84.64.
• In its latest quarter, IonQ reported a loss of $0.34 per share, missing estimates, but revenue came in at $64.67 million, well above expectations and up 754.7% year over year.

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a "strong sell" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

Several other research firms have also weighed in on IONQ. Rosenblatt Securities restated a "buy" rating and set a $100.00 price objective on shares of IonQ in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Needham & Company LLC reduced their price objective on shares of IonQ from $80.00 to $65.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. Wedbush reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $60.00 price objective on shares of IonQ in a research note on Monday, May 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of IonQ from $42.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of IonQ from a "sell (d-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, IonQ has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $68.63.

IonQ Trading Up 7.9%

NYSE:IONQ opened at $63.54 on Friday. IonQ has a twelve month low of $25.89 and a twelve month high of $84.64. The company has a 50-day moving average of $40.37 and a 200-day moving average of $43.28. The firm has a market cap of $23.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -226.93 and a beta of 3.05.

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported ($0.34) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $49.75 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted ($0.14) EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 754.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that IonQ will post -2.26 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at IonQ

In other news, insider Robert T. Cardillo sold 3,773 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.90, for a total value of $188,272.70. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 139,967 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,984,353.30. This represents a 2.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction 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 stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.34, for a total transaction of $93,352.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 83,963 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,799,326.42. This trade represents a 3.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 12,354 shares of company stock valued at $504,428. 5.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of IonQ

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of IonQ by 4.3% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 5,679 shares of the company's stock worth $349,000 after purchasing an additional 235 shares in the last quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of IonQ by 24.4% in the first quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 1,273 shares of the company's stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares in the last quarter. Lauer Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of IonQ by 5.3% in the fourth quarter. Lauer Wealth LLC now owns 5,107 shares of the company's stock worth $229,000 after purchasing an additional 255 shares in the last quarter. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of IonQ by 117.4% in the third quarter. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC now owns 500 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 270 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of IonQ by 50.5% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 831 shares of the company's stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 279 shares in the last quarter. 41.42% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

IonQ News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting IonQ this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The Trump administration said it will invest more than $2 billion in quantum computing companies and take stakes in nine firms, boosting optimism that IonQ could be among the next beneficiaries of federal support. Which company will the U.S. government take a stake in next? Here's what traders think
• Positive Sentiment: IonQ’s quantum peers surged after the announcement, and IonQ joined the broader rally as traders rotated into the sector on expectations of government backing and a stronger long-term industry outlook. IonQ stock spikes on massive quantum announcement
• Positive Sentiment: IonQ also benefited from recent company updates, including a newly opened research lab, shareholder approval for a key acquisition, and momentum from its record first-quarter results and raised 2026 revenue outlook. Why Is IonQ (IONQ) Stock Rocketing Higher Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail sentiment remains strong, with a Stocktwits poll showing most users bullish on IonQ, reinforcing momentum but not changing fundamentals by itself. RGTI Vs QBTS Vs INFQ Vs IONQ: Which Quantum Computing Stock Is Retail Most Bullish On?
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the rally, one report noted IonQ fell after announcing a higher 2026 outlook and the SkyWater acquisition, suggesting some investors may be worried about execution, dilution, or integration risk. IonQ (IONQ) Is Down 5.0% After Raising 2026 Outlook And Announcing SkyWater Acquisition

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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