Quantum Computing Stocks Surge Amid Concerns
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 18 2026
0mins
Should l Buy IONQ?
Source: Fool
- Stellar Returns: As of October 2025, trailing 12-month returns for IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum soared between 670% and 6,217%, reflecting strong investor confidence in quantum computing's potential, yet caution is warranted due to underlying risks.
- Massive Market Potential: Analysts at Boston Consulting Group estimate that quantum computing could generate $450 billion to $850 billion in global economic value by 2040, while The Quantum Insider projects a $1 trillion opportunity by 2035, suggesting significant upside for early investors.
- Insider Selling Signals Caution: Despite the optimistic outlook, insiders at IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave have collectively sold approximately $615 million more in shares than they purchased over the past year, indicating potential concerns about stock valuations that investors should heed.
- Slow Commercialization: While the applications of quantum computing are promising, these companies face risks of overvaluation and market bubbles, with technology still in its infancy, likely requiring years to achieve profitability.
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Analyst Views on IONQ
Wall Street analysts forecast IONQ stock price to rise
12 Analyst Rating
9 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 49.310
Low
47.00
Averages
75.91
High
100.00
Current: 49.310
Low
47.00
Averages
75.91
High
100.00
About IONQ
IonQ, Inc. is engaged in the quantum computing and networking industry, delivering high-performance systems capable of solving complex commercial and research use cases. Its generation quantum computers, IonQ Forte and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are cutting-edge systems, boasting 36 algorithmic qubits. It sells specialized quantum computing and networking hardware together with related maintenance and support. It also sells access to several quantum computers of various qubit capacities and is in the process of researching and developing technologies for quantum computers with increasing computational capabilities. It makes access to its quantum computers available via three cloud platforms, Amazon Web Services' (AWS) Amazon Braket, Microsoft's Azure Quantum and Google's Cloud Marketplace, and also to select customers via its own cloud service. Its product portfolio also includes quantum key distribution (QKD) systems, quantum random number generators (QRNGs), and single-photon detectors.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Rigetti Computing's Stock Drops to $16 Amidst Competition and Losses
- Significant Stock Decline: Rigetti Computing's share price has plummeted from a record high of $56.34 last October to approximately $16 today, indicating a loss of investor confidence in its early mover advantage amid fierce competition and macroeconomic pressures that have deflated its valuation.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Despite generating $13.1 million in revenue in 2022, Rigetti is projected to see a decline to $12 million in 2023, highlighting its unstable revenue growth and widening net losses, which are expected to reach $75.1 million in 2023, indicating the company remains deeply unprofitable.
- Uncertain Future Outlook: Analysts anticipate Rigetti's revenue could rise to $23.6 million by 2026, but with a market cap of $5.5 billion, its projected sales multiple for 2027 stands at 126 times, suggesting that the stock remains overvalued and may face further declines.
- Intensifying Competition: Rigetti faces not only competition from rapidly growing quantum computing firms like IonQ but also challenges from tech giants like IBM, which could lead to stagnation or further declines in its stock price over the next 12 months, making it difficult to justify its current high valuation.
See More
Rigetti's Stock Plummets 70% Facing Challenges
- Stock Plunge: Rigetti Computing's stock has plummeted over 70% from its record high of $56.34 last October, now trading around $16, reflecting the company's struggles against competitive pressures and macroeconomic headwinds in the quantum computing market.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Despite analysts projecting revenue to exceed $23.6 million by 2026, Rigetti reported only $13.1 million in revenue for 2022, coupled with a net loss of $75.1 million, indicating a continued deterioration in profitability.
- Intensifying Market Competition: Rigetti faces stiff competition not only from rapidly growing quantum computing firms like IonQ but also from tech giants like IBM, suggesting that its stock may stagnate or decline further over the next 12 months, struggling to justify its high valuation.
- Product and Service Development: Rigetti's Novera quantum processing units (QPUs) are primarily sold to government and research institutions, and while its cloud computing services platform (QCS) holds potential, the instability of revenue sources has left the company deeply unprofitable.
See More
Quantinuum's IPO Marks a Pivotal Moment in Quantum Computing
- Company Background: Quantinuum was formed in 2021 through the merger of Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum Computing, with major backing from Honeywell and blue-chip investors like Nvidia and JPMorgan, highlighting its strong support in the quantum computing sector.
- Technological Edge: Utilizing trapped-ion quantum computers, Quantinuum employs lasers to suspend individual atoms, yielding qubits with exceptionally high fidelity and long coherence times, and this full-stack approach enhances error correction compared to Rigetti Computing's superconducting qubits.
- Financial Performance: In 2025, Quantinuum generated $30.9 million in revenue, a 35% year-over-year increase, yet net losses widened to $192.6 million, reflecting substantial investments in R&D and marketing, indicating that commercialized quantum AI solutions are still in development.
- IPO Outlook: Market speculation suggests Quantinuum's IPO could value the company near $20 billion, double its $10 billion valuation from a September 2025 funding round, and despite its poor financial profile, the IPO could serve as a catalyst for the entire quantum ecosystem.
See More
Investment Opportunities in Quantum Computing
- D-Wave Quantum: D-Wave Quantum focuses on optimization problems using quantum annealing technology, recently securing a $20 million deal with Florida Atlantic University, indicating early market demand that could drive future sales growth if successful.
- IonQ's Market Performance: IonQ achieved a remarkable 755% revenue growth in Q1, reaching $64.7 million, making it the most popular pure-play quantum computing company; despite a small base, its technology maturation could lead to increased sales opportunities.
- Nvidia's Strategic Positioning: Although Nvidia does not compete directly in quantum processing units, it supports a hybrid model through tools like CUDA-Q and NVQLink, maintaining its dominant position in the industry as quantum computing evolves.
- Investment Outlook: The commercialization of quantum computing will occur faster than most investors realize, and investing in companies like D-Wave and IonQ could yield long-term returns, especially against the backdrop of current AI advancements.
See More
IonQ Stock Rises 5.5% Amid Quantum Sector Momentum
- Strong Stock Performance: IonQ's stock rose 5.5% this week, showcasing robust market performance despite a pullback amid broader market volatility, reflecting sustained investor optimism in the quantum computing sector.
- Industry Trends Support: The bullish momentum in quantum stocks over the past few months has significantly influenced IonQ's gains, particularly following Quantum Computing's strong Q1 report, which bolstered market confidence.
- Optimistic Sales Outlook: IonQ is guiding for sales between $260 million and $270 million in 2023, with organic sales growth expected to exceed 100%, indicating positive progress in its commercialization efforts, despite ongoing substantial losses.
- Risk Warning: IonQ's non-GAAP EBITDA loss is projected between $310 million and $330 million, and while sales growth is encouraging, investors should be aware of the high risks associated with the stock, which currently has a market cap of approximately $19 billion and a price-to-sales ratio of 72.
See More
Infleqtion's Quantum Computing Outlook
- Market Performance Comparison: Infleqtion briefly reached a market cap of $6 billion in April 2026, but has since dropped to $2.7 billion, highlighting the impact of market volatility on its stock price.
- Technological Differences: Both Infleqtion and IonQ utilize atoms for quantum computing, with Infleqtion's two-qubit gate fidelity at 99.73%, lower than IonQ's 99.99%, yet its advancements in quantum sensing technology may provide a unique competitive edge.
- Client Base Expansion: Infleqtion has secured contracts with government entities like NASA and the U.S. Navy, with its quantum sensors and Tiqqer atomic clock offering precision beyond traditional technologies, indicating significant growth potential in quantum technology diversification.
- Investment Risk Advisory: Although Infleqtion's market cap is significantly lower than IonQ's, both stocks have experienced extreme price fluctuations, necessitating cautious risk assessment by investors, particularly for those considering investments in the quantum computing sector.
See More
Rigetti Computing's Stock Drops to $16 Amidst Competition and Losses
- Significant Stock Decline: Rigetti Computing's share price has plummeted from a record high of $56.34 last October to approximately $16 today, indicating a loss of investor confidence in its early mover advantage amid fierce competition and macroeconomic pressures that have deflated its valuation.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Despite generating $13.1 million in revenue in 2022, Rigetti is projected to see a decline to $12 million in 2023, highlighting its unstable revenue growth and widening net losses, which are expected to reach $75.1 million in 2023, indicating the company remains deeply unprofitable.
- Uncertain Future Outlook: Analysts anticipate Rigetti's revenue could rise to $23.6 million by 2026, but with a market cap of $5.5 billion, its projected sales multiple for 2027 stands at 126 times, suggesting that the stock remains overvalued and may face further declines.
- Intensifying Competition: Rigetti faces not only competition from rapidly growing quantum computing firms like IonQ but also challenges from tech giants like IBM, which could lead to stagnation or further declines in its stock price over the next 12 months, making it difficult to justify its current high valuation.
See More
Rigetti's Stock Plummets 70% Facing Challenges
- Stock Plunge: Rigetti Computing's stock has plummeted over 70% from its record high of $56.34 last October, now trading around $16, reflecting the company's struggles against competitive pressures and macroeconomic headwinds in the quantum computing market.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Despite analysts projecting revenue to exceed $23.6 million by 2026, Rigetti reported only $13.1 million in revenue for 2022, coupled with a net loss of $75.1 million, indicating a continued deterioration in profitability.
- Intensifying Market Competition: Rigetti faces stiff competition not only from rapidly growing quantum computing firms like IonQ but also from tech giants like IBM, suggesting that its stock may stagnate or decline further over the next 12 months, struggling to justify its high valuation.
- Product and Service Development: Rigetti's Novera quantum processing units (QPUs) are primarily sold to government and research institutions, and while its cloud computing services platform (QCS) holds potential, the instability of revenue sources has left the company deeply unprofitable.
See More
Quantinuum's IPO Marks a Pivotal Moment in Quantum Computing
- Company Background: Quantinuum was formed in 2021 through the merger of Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum Computing, with major backing from Honeywell and blue-chip investors like Nvidia and JPMorgan, highlighting its strong support in the quantum computing sector.
- Technological Edge: Utilizing trapped-ion quantum computers, Quantinuum employs lasers to suspend individual atoms, yielding qubits with exceptionally high fidelity and long coherence times, and this full-stack approach enhances error correction compared to Rigetti Computing's superconducting qubits.
- Financial Performance: In 2025, Quantinuum generated $30.9 million in revenue, a 35% year-over-year increase, yet net losses widened to $192.6 million, reflecting substantial investments in R&D and marketing, indicating that commercialized quantum AI solutions are still in development.
- IPO Outlook: Market speculation suggests Quantinuum's IPO could value the company near $20 billion, double its $10 billion valuation from a September 2025 funding round, and despite its poor financial profile, the IPO could serve as a catalyst for the entire quantum ecosystem.
See More
Investment Opportunities in Quantum Computing
- D-Wave Quantum: D-Wave Quantum focuses on optimization problems using quantum annealing technology, recently securing a $20 million deal with Florida Atlantic University, indicating early market demand that could drive future sales growth if successful.
- IonQ's Market Performance: IonQ achieved a remarkable 755% revenue growth in Q1, reaching $64.7 million, making it the most popular pure-play quantum computing company; despite a small base, its technology maturation could lead to increased sales opportunities.
- Nvidia's Strategic Positioning: Although Nvidia does not compete directly in quantum processing units, it supports a hybrid model through tools like CUDA-Q and NVQLink, maintaining its dominant position in the industry as quantum computing evolves.
- Investment Outlook: The commercialization of quantum computing will occur faster than most investors realize, and investing in companies like D-Wave and IonQ could yield long-term returns, especially against the backdrop of current AI advancements.
See More
IonQ Stock Rises 5.5% Amid Quantum Sector Momentum
- Strong Stock Performance: IonQ's stock rose 5.5% this week, showcasing robust market performance despite a pullback amid broader market volatility, reflecting sustained investor optimism in the quantum computing sector.
- Industry Trends Support: The bullish momentum in quantum stocks over the past few months has significantly influenced IonQ's gains, particularly following Quantum Computing's strong Q1 report, which bolstered market confidence.
- Optimistic Sales Outlook: IonQ is guiding for sales between $260 million and $270 million in 2023, with organic sales growth expected to exceed 100%, indicating positive progress in its commercialization efforts, despite ongoing substantial losses.
- Risk Warning: IonQ's non-GAAP EBITDA loss is projected between $310 million and $330 million, and while sales growth is encouraging, investors should be aware of the high risks associated with the stock, which currently has a market cap of approximately $19 billion and a price-to-sales ratio of 72.
See More
Infleqtion's Quantum Computing Outlook
- Market Performance Comparison: Infleqtion briefly reached a market cap of $6 billion in April 2026, but has since dropped to $2.7 billion, highlighting the impact of market volatility on its stock price.
- Technological Differences: Both Infleqtion and IonQ utilize atoms for quantum computing, with Infleqtion's two-qubit gate fidelity at 99.73%, lower than IonQ's 99.99%, yet its advancements in quantum sensing technology may provide a unique competitive edge.
- Client Base Expansion: Infleqtion has secured contracts with government entities like NASA and the U.S. Navy, with its quantum sensors and Tiqqer atomic clock offering precision beyond traditional technologies, indicating significant growth potential in quantum technology diversification.
- Investment Risk Advisory: Although Infleqtion's market cap is significantly lower than IonQ's, both stocks have experienced extreme price fluctuations, necessitating cautious risk assessment by investors, particularly for those considering investments in the quantum computing sector.
See More
