Key Points
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IonQ reported Q3 2026 financial results yesterday after the market closed.
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The company reported quarterly revenue that exceeded analysts’ estimates.
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IonQ stock trades at a discount to its historical valuation.
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Ending the first week of trading in November on a bullish note, IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) stock is flying off the shelves today. The quantum computing company reported third-quarter 2026 financial results yesterday after the market closed, including record results, and investors are expressing their enthusiasm for the impressive performance.
As of 2:10 p.m. ET, IonQ shares are up 18%.
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IonQ reports Q3 2026 record revenue of $173.8 million, a 336% year-over-year increase
Reporting Q3 2026 sales of $173.8 million, IonQ blew past analysts’ expectations of $141.2 million. This marked the sixth consecutive quarter in which the company reported record revenue. And it wasn’t merely at the top of the income statement where IonQ provided a surprise. The company also posted adjusted earnings per share of negative $0.29 — a narrower loss than the $0.79 analysts had anticipated.
Addressing the company’s strong quarterly sales, Inder Singh, IonQ’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer, stated, “Major drivers included global deployments of our IonQ Tempo quantum computers, deliveries of our quantum sensing and space-based solutions, and closing on our acquisition of SkyWater, which had a very strong quarter of its own.”
IonQ also upgraded its 2026 forecast. Whereas it had previously projected 2026 revenue of $450 million to $460 million, it’s now guiding for sales to reach $505 million to $515 million.
Providing a full-stack quantum computing platform, IonQ characterizes itself as the first and only company to deliver quantum computing hardware that’s integrated with all major cloud platforms, quantum programming languages, and quantum software developer kits.
Is IonQ stock a buy?
While IonQ stock is soaring today, investors looking for exposure to the quantum computing industry shouldn’t feel that shares have risen to an undesirable level. Priced at 25.4 times trailing sales, IonQ is changing hands at a discount to its five-year average sales multiple of 103.5.
While the company is still not generating organic cash flow, an investment in IonQ carries significant risks. For those comfortable with a more speculative investment, though, today’s a great time to load up on shares.
Should you buy stock in IonQ right now?
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Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends IonQ. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
