IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) Rating Lowered to Strong Sell at Zacks Research

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) was downgraded by stock analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report released on Thursday, Zacks reports.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on IONQ. Cantor Fitzgerald lowered their price target on shares of IonQ from $70.00 to $60.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on shares of IonQ from $80.00 to $65.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of IonQ from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday. Mizuho reduced their target price on shares of IonQ from $61.00 to $52.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, September 9th. Finally, B. Riley Financial decreased their target price on shares of IonQ from $100.00 to $75.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 2nd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, IonQ has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $60.23.

IonQ Stock Up 21.5%

Shares of IonQ stock traded up $5.69 on Thursday, hitting $32.12. 42,656,594 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 22,644,404. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $36.91 and a 200 day moving average price of $41.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 118.98 and a beta of 3.32. IonQ has a 1-year low of $24.92 and a 1-year high of $73.65.

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The company reported ($0.29) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.35) by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $173.83 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $141.49 million. IonQ had a negative return on equity of 22.29% and a negative net margin of 553.27%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 336.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned ($3.58) earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that IonQ will post -2.96 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider John Raymond sold 2,407 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.21, for a total value of $89,564.47. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 77,741 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,892,742.61. The trade was a 3.00% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.55% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On IonQ

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in IONQ. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in IonQ in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $1,112,945,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in shares of IonQ during the second quarter worth $344,757,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in shares of IonQ during the second quarter worth $113,863,000. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its stake in shares of IonQ by 45.0% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,632,290 shares of the company’s stock valued at $86,936,000 after buying an additional 506,191 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in shares of IonQ in the second quarter valued at $82,126,000. 41.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting IonQ

Here are the key news stories impacting IonQ this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IonQ reported record third-quarter revenue of $173.8 million, up 336% year over year and above analyst expectations. Its loss per share was also narrower than forecast. Why IonQ Stock Is Soaring Today
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its 2026 revenue guidance to $505 million–$515 million. Its backlog reached $1.2 billion, and Superion 256 capacity is booked through 2027—signs of robust demand and future sales visibility. IonQ: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors
• Positive Sentiment: IonQ also advanced to Stage C of DARPA’s quantum benchmarking initiative, while its SkyWater acquisition is expected to strengthen manufacturing capabilities. IonQ Q3 2026 Earnings Call Highlights
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald and Needham lowered their price targets but kept positive ratings, reflecting a more cautious outlook without abandoning the investment case. Cantor Fitzgerald recommendations
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the growth, IonQ remains loss-making. Investors are also weighing cash burn and potential dilution from its planned capital raise and stock-funded $1.15 billion Elisity acquisition, as well as uncertainty over how quickly quantum computing demand will translate into sustainable profits. IonQ Beat and Raised: Can the Quantum Stock Buck the Tech Selloff?
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks added IONQ to its Strong Sell list, a counterpoint to the earnings optimism and a potential source of investor caution. New Strong Sell Stocks for November 6th

IonQ Company Profile

IonQ, Inc (NYSE: IONQ) is a quantum computing company that develops full-stack quantum computing systems and related software. Its technology is based on trapped-ion quantum computing, which uses electrically charged atoms as qubits and is designed to support highly accurate quantum operations.

The company provides access to its quantum computers through cloud platforms and direct enterprise and research engagements. Its offerings include quantum computing hardware, cloud-based access, software tools, and professional services intended to help organizations explore applications in areas such as optimization, chemistry, materials science, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.