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IonQ's Bold Roadmap: Is It the Quantum Stock to Watch in 2025?
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Key Takeaways
IONQ shares surged 135.2% in six months, outpacing rivals and broader market gains.
The company secured global partnerships, including DARPA and AstraZeneca collaborations.
IONQ's $1B Oxford Ionics deal targets 800 logical qubits by 2027 and 80,000 by 2030.
Tech giants like NVIDIA (NVDA - Free Report) , IBM and Google have been pouring billions into quantum research of late, building hardware platforms and developing software ecosystems that could shape the future of computing. Their scale is speeding up progress within the space, making quantum computing one of the most transformative technologies ahead.
But for investors seeking outsized returns, the real opportunity may lie with pure-play quantum companies like IonQ (IONQ - Free Report) . The firm, with a singular focus on commercializing quantum computing and networking, offers the kind of concentrated exposure that large-cap tech cannot. With acquisitions, global partnerships and a prominent roadmap to fault-tolerant quantum systems, IonQ’s trajectory offers investors long-term upside well beyond the broader market.
Let's find out.
Six-Month Share Price Comparison
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Over the past six months, shares of IonQ have rallied 135.2%, outperforming the broader industry’s 33.8% gain and the S&P 500’s 18.4% rise. During the same period, shares of the company’s archrivals, such as D-Wave Quantum (QBTS - Free Report) and Rigetti Computing (RGTI - Free Report) , also skyrocketed. While D-Wave stock gained more than 200%, Rigetti climbed 104.9%.
IONQ Gains From Global Partnerships
IonQ is rapidly expanding its global footprint through strategic partnerships in 2025. In Japan, the company signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AIST’s G-QuAT, a research center for quantum and AI, while in South Korea, it was named the primary quantum partner by KISTI to help establish a National Quantum Center of Excellence.
In the United States, IonQ secured a $22 million agreement with EPB to build the nation’s first commercial quantum computing and networking hub. It was also selected by DARPA to contribute to shaping industry-wide quantum standards. On the application front, IonQ demonstrated a 20x acceleration in drug discovery workflows with AstraZeneca, AWS and NVIDIA. Additionally, in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Department of Energy, the company advanced hybrid approaches to improve power grid efficiency, addressing a challenge responsible for nearly 60% of current energy losses.
Acquisitions and Roadmap
IonQ’s 2025 strategy comprises aggressive acquisitions. It acquired Lightsynq for photonic interconnects and Capella for space-based quantum communications. It announced an over $1 billion deal for Oxford Ionics, whose ion trap-on-a-chip technology targets 800 logical qubits by 2027 and 80,000 by 2030. Alongside its ID Quantique subsidiary’s certified QKD devices, these moves position IonQ as the only company integrating networking into its quantum roadmap.
What to Expect in the Rest of 2025
For the rest of 2025, IonQ expects steady growth, with full-year revenues now projected in the range of $82-$100 million and third-quarter revenues projected within $25-$29 million. This guidance keeps the company on track for sequential gains and a strong fourth-quarter finish.
Investors should watch for several key developments, including the closing and integration of the Oxford Ionics acquisition. IonQ is also targeting new commercial wins in pharma, energy, defense and financial services, while advancing space-based quantum communication through Capella’s satellite program.
For IONQ, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 loss per share has widened over the past 60 days from 47 cents to 97 cents, as you can see below. The estimated figure, however, indicates a narrower loss than the year-ago reported loss of $1.56 per share.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Expensive Valuation
IonQ’s forward 12-month price/sales (P/S) ratio of 90.45 is far above the industry average, as you can see below.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
However, the stock remained undervalued compared to D-Wave’s P/S of 160X and Rigetti’s P/S of 286.5X.
Hold IONQ Now
Despite its rapid pace of innovation, clear roadmap in quantum technologies and solid capital base, IonQ carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) because the company is still in a high-investment phase with substantial cash burn and limited near-term profitability. While recent acquisitions, partnerships and technology milestones strengthen its long-term outlook, the path to sustained earnings remains uncertain, warranting a cautious stance for now. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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IonQ's Bold Roadmap: Is It the Quantum Stock to Watch in 2025?
Key Takeaways
Tech giants like NVIDIA (NVDA - Free Report) , IBM and Google have been pouring billions into quantum research of late, building hardware platforms and developing software ecosystems that could shape the future of computing. Their scale is speeding up progress within the space, making quantum computing one of the most transformative technologies ahead.
But for investors seeking outsized returns, the real opportunity may lie with pure-play quantum companies like IonQ (IONQ - Free Report) . The firm, with a singular focus on commercializing quantum computing and networking, offers the kind of concentrated exposure that large-cap tech cannot. With acquisitions, global partnerships and a prominent roadmap to fault-tolerant quantum systems, IonQ’s trajectory offers investors long-term upside well beyond the broader market.
Let's find out.
Six-Month Share Price Comparison
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Over the past six months, shares of IonQ have rallied 135.2%, outperforming the broader industry’s 33.8% gain and the S&P 500’s 18.4% rise. During the same period, shares of the company’s archrivals, such as D-Wave Quantum (QBTS - Free Report) and Rigetti Computing (RGTI - Free Report) , also skyrocketed. While D-Wave stock gained more than 200%, Rigetti climbed 104.9%.
IONQ Gains From Global Partnerships
IonQ is rapidly expanding its global footprint through strategic partnerships in 2025. In Japan, the company signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AIST’s G-QuAT, a research center for quantum and AI, while in South Korea, it was named the primary quantum partner by KISTI to help establish a National Quantum Center of Excellence.
In the United States, IonQ secured a $22 million agreement with EPB to build the nation’s first commercial quantum computing and networking hub. It was also selected by DARPA to contribute to shaping industry-wide quantum standards. On the application front, IonQ demonstrated a 20x acceleration in drug discovery workflows with AstraZeneca, AWS and NVIDIA. Additionally, in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Department of Energy, the company advanced hybrid approaches to improve power grid efficiency, addressing a challenge responsible for nearly 60% of current energy losses.
Acquisitions and Roadmap
IonQ’s 2025 strategy comprises aggressive acquisitions. It acquired Lightsynq for photonic interconnects and Capella for space-based quantum communications. It announced an over $1 billion deal for Oxford Ionics, whose ion trap-on-a-chip technology targets 800 logical qubits by 2027 and 80,000 by 2030. Alongside its ID Quantique subsidiary’s certified QKD devices, these moves position IonQ as the only company integrating networking into its quantum roadmap.
What to Expect in the Rest of 2025
For the rest of 2025, IonQ expects steady growth, with full-year revenues now projected in the range of $82-$100 million and third-quarter revenues projected within $25-$29 million. This guidance keeps the company on track for sequential gains and a strong fourth-quarter finish.
Investors should watch for several key developments, including the closing and integration of the Oxford Ionics acquisition. IonQ is also targeting new commercial wins in pharma, energy, defense and financial services, while advancing space-based quantum communication through Capella’s satellite program.
For IONQ, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 loss per share has widened over the past 60 days from 47 cents to 97 cents, as you can see below. The estimated figure, however, indicates a narrower loss than the year-ago reported loss of $1.56 per share.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Expensive Valuation
IonQ’s forward 12-month price/sales (P/S) ratio of 90.45 is far above the industry average, as you can see below.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
However, the stock remained undervalued compared to D-Wave’s P/S of 160X and Rigetti’s P/S of 286.5X.
Hold IONQ Now
Despite its rapid pace of innovation, clear roadmap in quantum technologies and solid capital base, IonQ carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) because the company is still in a high-investment phase with substantial cash burn and limited near-term profitability. While recent acquisitions, partnerships and technology milestones strengthen its long-term outlook, the path to sustained earnings remains uncertain, warranting a cautious stance for now. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.