IONQ Stock Dips 11% After Q3: Should Investors Buy, Hold, or Exit?

IonQ, Inc. IONQ posts strong revenue growth and achieves major milestones, but shares fall post-third-quarter earnings release as profits remain out of reach. So, what should investors do next? Let’s have a look in detail –  IONQ Q3 Revenue Surges — Guidance Raised As stated in the third-quarter earnings report, IonQ’s revenues were impressive, to say the least. IonQ’s revenues reached $39.9 million, representing a 222% year-over-year increase. Revenues also exceeded the higher end of the earlier forecast by 37%.  IonQ remains optimistic about future growth, raising its 2025 revenue guidance to $110 million while maintaining cost control and scaling operations across multiple industry sectors. As of Sept. 30, 2025, IonQ held $1.5 billion in cash, which the company can use for research, expansion, and driving revenue growth. IONQ’s Strategic Partnerships Enhance Growth Potential IonQ recently partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to further quantum technologies in space. The memorandum of understanding with the DOE demonstrates IonQ’s key role in quantum ground-to-orbit-to-ground capabilities.  IonQ also expanded its full-stack quantum platform, improving control systems and atomic precision through acquisitions of Vector Atomic and Oxford Ionics. Vector Atomic’s leading sensing and timing technologies aim to strengthen IonQ’s products for both commercial and government markets. Similarly, IonQ’s quantum systems are integrating with Oxford Ionics’ ion trap technology to develop high-fidelity architectures. IONQ Achieves New Quantum Milestones IonQ has recently made significant technical advances in quantum computing, reinforcing its leadership in the industry and providing a competitive edge over pure-play rivals like D-Wave Quantum Inc. QBTS and Rigetti Computing, Inc. RGTI. IonQ’s expertise in precision engineering helped achieve a new record of #AQ 64 in algorithmic qubit performance. Chairman and CEO Niccolo de Masi said this milestone “reflects the maturity of our hardware, software, and applications stack, and reinforces our leadership in making quantum systems commercially valuable today.”IonQ also set a record with 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, becoming the first publicly traded quantum company to reach the ‘four-nines’ benchmark. This achievement indicates reduced error rates and enhanced capability to run more complex algorithms.  Why Is IONQ Stock Down After Q3—and What Should Investors Do? Despite reaching quantum milestones, forming key partnerships, and showing revenue growth, IonQ’s shares have fallen 11.4% since its third-quarter earnings release. This decline is mainly due to the company’s lack of profitability. For the third quarter, IonQ reported a net loss of $1.1 billion and an adjusted earnings per share of -$0.17.  Therefore, new investors should proceed cautiously, especially given its high forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 157.95 compared to the Computer-Integrated System industry’s ratio of 5.54, which could lead to sharp declines during a broader market downturn. Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchHowever, stakeholders may overlook short-term declines and hold onto IonQ stock given its strong revenue growth, healthy cash position, strategic partnerships, and technological breakthroughs that reinforce its dominance in the quantum computing industry. For now, IonQ has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here.#1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA)The incredible demand for data is fueling the market's next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow.One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report IonQ, Inc. (IONQ): Free Stock Analysis Report Rigetti Computing, Inc. (RGTI): Free Stock Analysis Report D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks