IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) Shares Down 14.1% – Should You Sell?

Shares of IonQ, Inc. (NYSE:IONQ) fell 14.1% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $29.99 and last traded at $30.3680. 31,862,898 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 48% from the average session volume of 21,461,342 shares. The stock had previously closed at $35.34.

Trending Headlines about IonQ

Here are the key news stories impacting IonQ this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Bullish analyst/commentary highlights IonQ’s leadership in quantum computing, strategic acquisitions and long-term upside if execution continues — a case some investors still cite as a buy-the-dip opportunity. Should You Put $1,000 Into This High-Risk, High-Reward Stock Right Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Several Wall Street commentators remain optimistic about IonQ’s growth potential and maintain buy/hold views, which can support a rebound if near-term headwinds fade. Wall Street Bulls Look Optimistic About IonQ (IONQ): Should You Buy?
• Neutral Sentiment: IonQ has an upcoming catalyst — its Q4 and full-year 2025 results are scheduled for Feb. 25, which could drive volatility depending on guidance, revenue mix and margins. IonQ to Report Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results on February 25, 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent write-ups assessing IonQ’s valuation underline a wide gap between near-term declines and long-term upside narratives; these pieces frame risk/reward but don’t add new company-specific facts. IonQ (IONQ) Valuation Check As Shares Face Multi Period Declines And Long Term Upside Narratives
• Negative Sentiment: Wolfpack Research published a short report alleging IonQ lost key defense-related contracts and initiated a public short — the report triggered immediate selling pressure and headlines. Why IonQ Stock Keeps Going Down
• Negative Sentiment: Short-seller allegations claim undisclosed “holes” in revenue; media coverage amplified the accusations even though IonQ has publicly disputed the claims — the dispute reduces clarity but hasn’t stopped selling. IonQ, the biggest quantum computing company on the stock market, disputes short-seller claims it failed to disclose holes in its revenue
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: multiple reports note a double-digit intraday decline and elevated volume tied to the short report and broader tech weakness — this momentum selling is the primary reason the stock is down today. IonQ stock falls amid short seller attack and tech sector weakness

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently issued reports on IONQ shares. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $80.00 price target on shares of IonQ in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of IonQ in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price objective on shares of IonQ from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, November 7th. DA Davidson lifted their price objective on shares of IonQ from $35.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on IonQ from $32.00 to $58.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $75.91.

IonQ Trading Down 14.1%

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $47.98 and a 200-day simple moving average of $51.27. The company has a market capitalization of $10.55 billion, a PE ratio of -5.68 and a beta of 2.63.

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported ($3.58) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.44) by ($3.14). The company had revenue of $39.87 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $26.99 million. IonQ had a negative net margin of 1,836.32% and a negative return on equity of 127.06%. The firm’s revenue was up 221.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned ($0.24) earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that IonQ, Inc. will post -0.86 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at IonQ

In related news, CRO Rima Alameddine sold 100,000 shares of IonQ stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.89, for a total value of $4,689,000.00. Following the sale, the executive directly owned 432,616 shares in the company, valued at $20,285,364.24. The trade was a 18.78% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Kathryn K. Chou sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.00, for a total value of $275,000.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 60,839 shares in the company, valued at $3,346,145. This represents a 7.59% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders sold 125,000 shares of company stock worth $5,992,000. Company insiders own 5.20% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On IonQ

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in IONQ. Elyxium Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of IonQ in the 4th quarter valued at about $45,000. DNB Asset Management AS grew its position in IonQ by 1,099.1% during the fourth quarter. DNB Asset Management AS now owns 55,230 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,478,000 after buying an additional 50,624 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in IonQ by 18,559.3% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 283,808 shares of the company’s stock valued at $12,734,000 after buying an additional 282,287 shares in the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of IonQ by 6.5% during the 4th quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 214,390 shares of the company’s stock valued at $9,619,000 after acquiring an additional 13,084 shares during the period. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich boosted its stake in shares of IonQ by 412.9% during the 4th quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich now owns 4,206 shares of the company’s stock worth $189,000 after acquiring an additional 3,386 shares in 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.