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

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

Trending Headlines about 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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on IONQ shares. Jefferies Financial Group set a $85.00 price target on IonQ in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Needham & Company LLC cut their price target on IonQ from $80.00 to $65.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Morgan Stanley set a $48.50 price target on IonQ in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Wall Street Zen cut IonQ from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Wedbush reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $60.00 price target on shares of IonQ in a report on Monday, May 4th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, IonQ has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $68.63.

IonQ Stock Up 3.9%

The company has a market capitalization of $21.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -205.06 and a beta of 3.05. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $37.75 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $43.45.

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) last released 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). The company had revenue of $64.67 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $49.75 million. IonQ had a negative return on equity of 23.20% and a net margin of 174.88%.The business’s revenue was up 754.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned ($0.14) earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast 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 5,165 shares of the company’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 completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 112,291 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,428,757.04. This represents a 4.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider John W. Raymond sold 2,800 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.34, for a total value of $93,352.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 83,963 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,799,326.42. The trade was a 3.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 12,354 shares of company stock worth $504,428. 5.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On IonQ

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Clear Street Group Inc. purchased a new stake in IonQ during the third quarter valued at about $61,488,000. Western Wealth Management LLC grew its position in IonQ by 222.8% during the third quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 23,762 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,461,000 after acquiring an additional 16,400 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its position in IonQ by 56.8% during the third quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 47,545 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,924,000 after acquiring an additional 17,215 shares during the period. Swedbank AB purchased a new stake in IonQ during the fourth quarter valued at about $2,708,000. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC grew its position in IonQ by 64.3% during the third quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 800,141 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,208,000 after acquiring an additional 313,008 shares during the period. 41.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.