IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) Shares Up 2.7% – Here’s Why

IonQ, Inc. (NYSE:IONQ)’s stock price shot up 2.7% on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $31.96 and last traded at $31.6240. 14,956,562 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 25% from the average session volume of 20,040,734 shares. The stock had previously closed at $30.78.

IonQ News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting IonQ this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IonQ was named to the Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD IDIQ vehicle (part of a $151B ceiling), giving the company a visible path to defense work and government revenue opportunities. IonQ Selected to Support Missile Defense Agency SHIELD IDIQ Contract
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights IonQ’s 2030 roadmap and its $1.8B foundry deal (SkyWater acquisition), which management frames as a way to scale qubit production and lower unit costs — a long-term revenue catalyst. IonQ’s Quantum Roadmap and Foundry Strategy Through 2030
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts note growing national-security demand for quantum capabilities as an emerging revenue driver, which could accelerate government contracts and recurring revenue in 2026. National Security Quantum Demand Could Reshape IonQ Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Market previews flag IonQ’s Q4 earnings this week as the next major move — low expectations could create upside if the company delivers revenue/contract detail, but results will determine near-term sentiment. IonQ (IONQ) Q4 Earnings Report Preview: What To Look For
• Neutral Sentiment: A Zacks comparison piece (IONQ vs. QBTS) highlights both companies’ sharp revenue growth and capital raises heading into earnings — useful context but not a direct near-term trigger. IONQ or QBTS: Which Stock Has the Edge Ahead of Q4 Earnings This Week?
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector analysts still show sizable upside targets for quantum stocks, including IonQ, but those are contingent on execution and revenue proof. Quantum Outlook for March 2026: 3 Stocks With Over 100% Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Benzinga reports that IonQ’s price target was recently cut ahead of earnings, which can pressure the stock and reflects analyst skepticism on near-term upside. IonQ’s Price Target Takes a Hit As The Stock Heads Into Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Seeking Alpha keeps a sell rating over valuation concerns despite praising management execution and M&A, highlighting that high market capitalization vs. current revenue remains a key risk. IonQ: The Management Is Doing A Good Job
• Negative Sentiment: Market data shows IonQ and peers lagged recent market rallies, with weekly declines cited by 247WallSt — a reminder of sector volatility and short-term downside risk. IonQ & D-Wave Fall More than 5% Last Week While Rigetti Leads Quantum Stocks

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Zacks Research raised IonQ from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of IonQ in a research report on Monday, February 9th. DA Davidson lifted their price target on IonQ from $35.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, November 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on IonQ in a report on Thursday, November 20th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $47.00 target price for the company. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on IonQ from $58.00 to $35.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Nine 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’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $73.82.

IonQ Stock Up 2.7%

The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $43.50 and its 200 day moving average price is $50.58. The company has a market cap of $10.99 billion, a P/E ratio of -5.91 and a beta of 2.63.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Kathryn K. Chou sold 20,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.40, for a total transaction of $1,028,000.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 60,839 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,127,124.60. This represents a 24.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 5.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On IonQ

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of IONQ. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of IonQ by 18.5% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 34,774,743 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,560,343,000 after purchasing an additional 5,420,037 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of IonQ during the fourth quarter valued at about $199,753,000. Marex Group plc lifted its stake in IonQ by 419.1% in the 4th quarter. Marex Group plc now owns 4,083,453 shares of the company’s stock worth $183,225,000 after purchasing an additional 3,296,866 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in IonQ by 42.3% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 8,962,789 shares of the company’s stock worth $402,160,000 after acquiring an additional 2,663,230 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in shares of IonQ by 648.5% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,674,348 shares of the company’s stock worth $114,917,000 after purchasing an additional 2,317,058 shares in the last quarter. 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.