COLLEGE PARK, Md., May 12, 2026, 05:03 (EDT)
• IonQ shares jumped over 15% at Monday’s close, following SkyWater shareholders’ approval of the merger deal.
• The vote knocks down a major shareholder barrier. Still on the table: regulatory sign-offs and final closing requirements.
• IonQ stands to gain direct access to U.S. chip fabrication and packaging through the deal, as the company ramps up investment to scale quantum systems.
Shares of IonQ Inc surged Monday after SkyWater Technology shareholders gave the green light to the chipmaker’s $1.8 billion cash-and-stock sale to the quantum computing firm, clearing a crucial hurdle but leaving some steps unfinished. IonQ finished at $56.89, marking a 15.54% gain, with trading volume far outpacing its three-month average, according to the Motley Fool.
The vote carries weight: IonQ wants a tighter grip on its hardware supply chain. This quantum computing firm, still out to show its tech can scale beyond the lab, sees chip fabrication and advanced packaging as core to its offering—not just back-office chores.
SkyWater investors cast 32,583,970 votes backing the merger proposal at the May 8 special meeting, with 404,827 opposed and 92,040 abstentions, according to the company’s Form 8-K. The filing indicated roughly 67% of all outstanding shares turned up in person or by proxy.
SkyWater shareholders are looking at $15 cash plus $20 in IonQ stock per share—terms laid out back in January, and there’s a collar in play. Post-deal, SkyWater turns into an IonQ subsidiary but keeps its headquarters in Bloomington, Minnesota. Its operations in Minnesota, Florida, and Texas are lined up to operate as regional hubs for quantum production.
When the deal was announced, IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi pointed to the transaction as a way for the company to “secure its fully scalable supply chain domestically.” SkyWater’s Thomas Sonderman, the chief executive, described the move as a “pivotal moment” for the foundry. IonQ Investor Relations
Just days after IonQ posted first-quarter revenue of $64.7 million—a jump of 755% versus last year—the market responded. The company bumped up its 2026 revenue forecast to between $260 million and $270 million. IonQ also disclosed $470 million in remaining performance obligations, essentially its backlog of contracted work awaiting recognition as revenue.
De Masi called it IonQ’s “fourth consecutive quarter of record-breaking results.” Inder Singh, the Chief Operating and Financial Officer, noted commercial customers drove roughly 60% of revenue, with about 35% coming from international clients. IonQ Investor Relations
IonQ is sticking to its forecast for a full-year adjusted EBITDA loss in the $310 million to $330 million range. The adjusted EBITDA figure—a non-GAAP metric—removes interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, and some valuation changes from the picture. Companies often rely on this number to highlight operating performance, though it doesn’t equate to net income.
Interest in quantum stocks fueled the action too. D-Wave Quantum ended Monday up 6.47%. Rigetti Computing jumped 8.29%, per the same market report. Those moves hint investors were just as focused on the broader quantum trade as the IonQ-SkyWater vote.
Caution hasn’t gone anywhere. D.A. Davidson’s Alex Platt told Reuters after IonQ’s earnings that the shares carried “high expectations going into the print,” but doubts linger about “the viability of the technology.” IonQ’s method—trapped-ion quantum computing—relies on charged atomic particles manipulated by lasers and electromagnetic fields. A qubit, their core quantum data unit, serves as quantum’s answer to the classical bit. Reuters
The deal isn’t across the finish line yet. According to SkyWater, regulatory sign-offs and other standard closing steps are still pending, with its risk disclosures highlighting potential hang-ups—anything from missed approvals and legal headaches to trouble blending operations or keeping customers on board. Any holdup could leave IonQ managing a bigger footprint while still burning through cash.
IonQ’s cleared shareholder vote now puts a domestic foundry—crucial for its quantum plans—within easier reach. But the focus shifts quickly to execution. The key question: Can SkyWater speed up chip production for IonQ, and do it without piling on expenses for a company still hunting for lasting commercial validation?
