Wall Street was caught off guard on Thursday, Feb. 26, as shares of IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) rallied, climbing over 19% to break the $40 psychological barrier. The rise in IonQ’s share price follows the company’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings report, which shattered analyst expectations and arguably changed the narrative for the entire quantum computing sector.
For years, quantum computing has been viewed as a science project, a technology with massive potential but little current revenue. IonQ’s latest report challenges that view. The company reported fourth-quarter revenue of $61.9 million, beating its own guidance midpoint by 55%. Even more impressive is the year-over-year growth rate: revenue is up 429% compared to the same period last year.
