NEW YORK, Jan 16, 2026, 13:04 ET — Regular session
- IonQ shares climbed roughly 8% by midday, beating the broader tech rally.
- Quantum-computing stocks jumped as investors digested new IPO chatter in the space
- Attention turns to IonQ’s leadership changes and its earnings report slated for late February
Shares of IonQ (IONQ) jumped 7.7%, hitting $51.24 in early afternoon trading Friday.
The surge followed fresh interest in quantum-computing stocks after reports emerged that Quantinuum, a major private firm mostly owned by Honeywell, is gearing up for an IPO. Quantum computing relies on “qubits” — which operate differently from traditional computer bits — and the sector often moves on sentiment as much as immediate earnings. 1
Shares of other quantum-focused companies climbed as well. Rigetti Computing jumped around 4.3%, D-Wave Quantum added roughly 3.1%, and Quantum Computing Inc surged about 6.9%. Honeywell was up approximately 2.1%.
IonQ is giving investors fresh reasons to take notice. The company announced Katie Arrington will join as chief information officer starting Jan. 19. Meanwhile, Leslie Kershaw steps into an expanded chief information security officer role, zeroing in on cyber and operational security. “Her ability to operationalize security at scale” should boost customer confidence in IonQ’s systems, said COO and CFO Inder Singh. 2
Arrington, who was acting chief information officer at the Pentagon until recently, urged agencies to start gearing up for “post-quantum cryptography”—encryption meant to resist future quantum computer attacks, GovConWire reported. IonQ chair and CEO Niccolo de Masi described quantum computing as “one of the most consequential technologies” impacting national defense and competitiveness. 3
The executive shake-up comes as investors wrestle with distinguishing momentum from real fundamentals in the sector. Cyber controls and supply-chain oversight remain critical hurdles for government and regulated clients, even if the product’s story is still evolving.
Quantum computing is still a long-term gamble, and visibility is often limited. These stocks tend to swing sharply on news and sentiment, sometimes without much notice when the mood shifts.
Analyst chatter has helped fuel the trade. Rosenblatt Securities’ John McPeake kicked off coverage on Rigetti and the quantum computing sector with buy ratings, Barron’s reported. He sees the industry hitting a key inflection point near 2030. 4
IonQ’s next major event is earnings, which Nasdaq projects will land around Feb. 25. The company itself hasn’t confirmed that date. 5
For now, traders are keeping an eye on whether the quantum-stock rally can sustain itself into next week and if IonQ will announce any new contracts or customer updates to justify the surge. Arrington is set to begin on Jan. 19.
