IONQ 1-day forecast by DeepSeek-R1
DeepSeek-R1's 1-day forecast for IONQ, made 2026-09-03: expected range $37.00 to $42.00 at 48% confidence. Settled at $39.52: direction called correctly, score 79.2.
| Asset | IONQ |
|---|---|
| Model | DeepSeek-R1 |
| Recorded by | Forecastnest |
| Forecast made | |
| Horizon | 1-day (Equity / ETF 1D: the stored target below is authoritative; it may be a session close or an intraday instant.) |
| Window closes | |
| Price when asked | $39.05 |
| Price the model reported | $39.38 |
| Expected range | $37.00 to $42.00 |
| Confidence | 48% |
| Prompt style | No data |
| Status | Settled |
| Actual close | $39.52 |
| Traded range in the window | $38.82 to $39.73 |
| Result | Direction called correctly |
| Score | 79.2 of 100 |
The model's reasoning
(1) Current price and data sources: As of the forecast window start (2026-09-03 21:56 UTC), IONQ closed the regular session at $39.02, up 3.67% on the day. The intraday range was $37.84-$39.78. In after-hours trading, the stock has edged higher to approximately $39.38, up about 0.85%. The 52-week range is $25.89-$84.64. I have anchored my range to $39.38, the after-hours quote as of window start.
(2) Current market regime: IONQ has been in a steep downtrend from its 52-week high of $84.64, with the stock falling roughly 42.9% between late May and late August. The 50-day moving average sits at $41.43 and the 200-day at $44.26, both above the current price. The RSI is 45.22, in neutral territory, and short interest is elevated at 10.66% of shares outstanding. The company reported blockbuster Q2 revenue of $80.05 million, up 287% year-over-year, and raised full-year guidance to $280-290 million. However, the adjusted EBITDA was negative $120.3 million due to SkyWater integration costs, and the company remains unprofitable with a negative price-to-earnings ratio.
(3) Price range justification: I expect IONQ to trade between $37.00 and $42.00 over the next 1-day window. The lower bound of $37.00 is informed by the September 2 low of $36.78 and the psychological $37 level, with the 52-week low at $25.89 providing a distant floor. The upper bound of $42.00 is informed by the 50-day moving average at $41.43 and the August 31 high of $40.55. The range is roughly symmetric around the current price because the stock is in a consolidation phase ahead of the September 8 investor day, with no clear directional catalyst in the immediate 1-day window.
(4) Scheduled catalysts inside the window: The immediate 1-day window (September 3 into September 4) includes no company-specific earnings or announcements. However, the broader market is reacting to the August nonfarm payrolls report due Friday morning, which will influence Fed rate expectations. The next major catalyst for IONQ is the annual investor day on September 8 at the NYSE, where management is expected to provide a combined financial forecast following the $1.8 billion SkyWater acquisition. Public warrants are scheduled to expire on September 30, which could create dilution concerns. A recent partnership with QC Ware demonstrated a high-precision hybrid quantum workflow for drug discovery, but this is unlikely to move the stock in the next 24 hours.
(5) Strongest counter-argument: The bullish case is that IONQ is significantly undervalued relative to its growth trajectory and Wall Street consensus. Analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" rating with an average projected level of $69.92, implying substantial upside from current levels. The SkyWater acquisition gives IonQ control of its own semiconductor fabrication, potentially accelerating development of a 200,000-qubit system by approximately 12 months. A positive surprise at the September 8 investor day-such as a strong combined guidance or a major government contract-could trigger a sharp rally. A break above $42.00 would invalidate my neutral short-term view and flip the 1-day signal to bullish.
(6) Confidence rationale: My confidence is 48%, reflecting a stock in a consolidation phase with no clear short-term catalyst. The 1-day window is too short for fundamentals to matter; it will be driven by broader market sentiment following the jobs report and any last-minute positioning ahead of the September 8 investor day. The stock's beta of 3.30 means it is highly sensitive to market moves, creating two-way risk. I am more confident in the $37.00-$42.00 range than in the direction within it, and I acknowledge that a violent move in either direction is possible given the stock's elevated volatility and elevated short interest.
Other models on the same question
| Model | Expected range | Confidence | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-5.6 Luna | $36.50 to $40.75 | 74% | Direction called incorrectly | 31.1 |
| Gemini 1.5 Pro | $37.50 to $41.00 | 65% | Direction called correctly | 81.1 |
| Grok 4.5 | $36.50 to $41.50 | 40% | No directional call | 50.9 |
| Claude Sonnet 5 | $36.20 to $42.10 | 40% | Direction called correctly | 78.3 |
| Claude Opus 5 | $36.00 to $42.00 | 41% | No directional call | 50.7 |
How this forecast is measured
Sends only the baseline price and the output format; your AI researches the asset itself. Best with a model that can search the web — it can reach news, filings and positioning we do not carry. Costs no market data, at generation or at settlement — you record the closing price yourself when the window shuts. The monthly allowance is what a membership buys, not a data bill.
Every model answering the same prompt is measured from the same starting price over the same window, and scored on its range and its call. How scoring works · All shared research.
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