New York, Feb 26, 2026, 06:30 ET — Premarket
- Rigetti (RGTI) up 6.3% in premarket trading, extending a sharp two-day move.
- Quantum names are back in focus after IonQ posted results and a 2026 outlook.
- Rigetti’s March 4 report is the next key test on cash, orders and its 108-qubit timeline.
Rigetti Computing, Inc shares were up 6.3% at $18.74 in premarket trade on Thursday, with about 634,000 shares changing hands by 6:30 a.m. ET. Volumes in extended trading are often lighter and can widen price swings.
The move comes as investors reset expectations for quantum computing stocks after IonQ reported $61.9 million in fourth-quarter revenue and forecast 2026 revenue of $225 million to $245 million. “IonQ has once again significantly outperformed our revenue guidance range,” CEO Niccolo de Masi said in a statement. ionq.com
Earnings are now the main tape for the sector. D-Wave Quantum is due to report on Thursday and Rigetti follows on March 4, with Quantum Computing Inc also expected in early March.
Rigetti closed up 6.98% on Wednesday at $17.63, after a 2.87% rise the day before. More than 31 million shares traded on Wednesday, Investing.com data showed.
Rigetti makes superconducting quantum computers and runs them through its cloud service. A qubit — a “quantum bit” — is the basic unit of quantum information, and companies are still trying to cut error rates as they scale systems.
The company has pointed to an $8.4 million purchase order from India’s Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, which it said will be deployed in the second half of 2026. CEO Subodh Kulkarni said it reflected “growing demand for on-premises quantum computers” from governments. GlobeNewswire
In January, Rigetti pushed back its timeline for general availability of its 108-qubit system to around the end of the first quarter of 2026, citing more testing and optimization. “We are taking more time to test and optimize the system,” Kulkarni said. GlobeNewswire
But the story still turns on cash and execution. In its most recent quarterly filing, Rigetti said cash, cash equivalents and investments should cover operating needs for at least the next 12 months, while warning it may seek additional funds sooner than planned.
Traders will look for more detail on bookings and cash when Rigetti reports fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on March 4 after the closing bell and hosts a call at 5 p.m. ET. Until then, the group may take its cue from D-Wave’s results later Thursday.
