IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) Stock Price Up 9.8% – Here’s Why

Posted by Brian Himes on Sep 17th, 2026

IonQ, Inc. (NYSE:IONQ – Get Free Report) was up 9.8% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $40.78 and last traded at $40.4490. Approximately 22,317,476 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 9% from the average daily volume of 24,427,090 shares. The stock had previously closed at $36.84.

IonQ News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting IonQ this week:

Positive Sentiment: Researchers demonstrated that a generative-AI model could design quantum optimization circuits directly, reducing compilation time for a 100-variable benchmark from more than 11 minutes to about 28 seconds. The improvement could lower costs and improve the economics of quantum-as-a-service applications. IonQ and NVIDIA Just Cracked a Major Quantum Computing Bottleneck
Positive Sentiment: IonQ’s collaboration with NVIDIA and ORNL, along with recognition for four QCE26 research papers, improves the company’s technical credibility and visibility with enterprise and government customers. IonQ, ORNL, NVIDIA, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Show AI Method Reduces Quantum Optimization Trade Off
Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage points to strong operating momentum: second-quarter revenue rose 286.7% year over year, earnings exceeded estimates, and IonQ has raised its full-year outlook. An analysis also highlighted the planned SkyWater acquisition as potentially accelerating chip fabrication and scaling. IonQ’s Historic Low Valuation Meets Record-Breaking Guidance
Neutral Sentiment: Quantum-computing stocks are trading as a broader thematic group, with IonQ, D-Wave and Rigetti all moving higher. This suggests some of the move reflects sector enthusiasm rather than a fundamental repricing of IonQ alone. IonQ Climbs on Quantum Optimization Work With NVIDIA
Negative Sentiment: IonQ continues to report substantial losses, while commercialization remains unproven and the recent AI results were based on a benchmark using classical computing infrastructure rather than a fully deployed quantum workload. IonQ’s Quantum Growth Under Pressure
Negative Sentiment: CEO insider selling of more than 16,000 shares, worth nearly $600,000, may weigh on sentiment despite the company’s improved sales outlook. IonQ CEO Sells Shares After Outlook Increase

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on IONQ. B Riley restated a “buy” rating on shares of IonQ in a research report on Wednesday, September 9th. Morgan Stanley set a $49.00 price objective on IonQ in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Northland Securities raised their target price on shares of IonQ from $55.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Mizuho reduced their price target on shares of IonQ from $61.00 to $52.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, September 9th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of IonQ in a research note on Wednesday, September 9th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $67.17.

View Our Latest Research Report on IONQ

IonQ Stock Up 9.8%

The company’s 50 day moving average price is $39.36 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $43.83. The firm has a market cap of $15.41 billion, a PE ratio of -8.68 and a beta of 3.30.

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported ($0.33) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.56) by $0.23. IonQ had a negative net margin of 553.27% and a negative return on equity of 22.29%. The firm had revenue of $80.05 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $66.47 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned ($0.70) EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 286.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that IonQ, Inc. will post -2.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at IonQ

In other news, insider John Raymond sold 2,407 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 10th. The stock was 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. This represents a 3.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.55% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of IonQ

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of IONQ. Core Capital Management & Research inc. purchased a new stake in shares of IonQ during the second quarter valued at $53,000. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of IonQ in the second quarter worth about $394,000. National Pension Service purchased a new position in IonQ in the 2nd quarter worth about $3,908,000. NorthRock Partners LLC purchased a new position in IonQ in the 2nd quarter worth about $241,000. Finally, Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC lifted its holdings in IonQ by 72.4% during the 2nd quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 12,786 shares of the company’s stock valued at $681,000 after buying an additional 5,368 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 41.42% of the company’s stock.

IonQ Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

IonQ, Inc is a quantum computing company that develops and commercializes quantum computers based on trapped-ion technology. Its systems are designed to perform specialized computations that may be difficult for classical computers, with potential applications in areas such as optimization, materials science, drug discovery, artificial intelligence and financial modeling.

The company provides access to its quantum processors through cloud platforms, including Amazon Web Services’ Amazon Braket, Microsoft Azure Quantum and Google Cloud.