D-Wave Quantum (NYSE:QBTS) Trading Down 4.6% After Insider Selling

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE:QBTS) shares were down 4.6% on Thursday after an insider sold shares in the company. The stock traded as low as $28.71 and last traded at $28.75. Approximately 43,421,722 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 8% from the average daily volume of 40,024,453 shares. The stock had previously closed at $30.15.

Specifically, CEO Alan E. Baratz sold 35,013 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.06, for a total value of $982,464.78. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 2,598,150 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $72,904,089. This represents a 1.33% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO John M. Markovich sold 9,179 shares of D-Wave Quantum stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.06, for a total transaction of $257,562.74. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 1,462,133 shares in the company, valued at approximately $41,027,451.98. This represents a 0.62% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

QBTS has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of D-Wave Quantum in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Evercore ISI assumed coverage on D-Wave Quantum in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $44.00 price objective for the company. B. Riley lifted their target price on D-Wave Quantum from $22.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, September 22nd. Rosenblatt Securities reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $40.00 price target on shares of D-Wave Quantum in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of D-Wave Quantum in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. They set a “buy” rating and a $45.00 price objective for the company. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $33.67.

D-Wave Quantum News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting D-Wave Quantum this week:

• Positive Sentiment: D-Wave demonstrated a first scalable, on‑chip cryogenic control capability for gate‑model qubits — a technical milestone that could broaden product applicability and roadmap credibility if commercialized. D-Wave Demonstrates First Scalable, On‑Chip Cryogenic Control
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights expanding global customer wins across airlines, banking and pharma, with Q3 bookings reported at $2.4M — evidence of growing commercial traction that supports revenue momentum. D‑Wave’s Expanded Global Customer Base Is Gaining Attention
• Positive Sentiment: Rosenblatt Securities initiated coverage on quantum computing names (including peers) with Buy ratings — a favorable industry-level endorsement that can lift sentiment for QBTS as investors re-rate the sector. Rigetti and Quantum Computing Stocks Are a Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-form retail coverage (The Motley Fool) lays out a bullish scenario where government adoption and Advantage2 could drive outsized returns — useful for narrative but speculative and dependent on execution. Could D‑Wave Stock Make You a Millionaire?
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Alan Baratz sold 35,013 shares (~1.33% of his stake) at ~$28.06 and CFO John Markovich sold 9,179 shares (~0.62% of his position). Insider sales can trigger near‑term selling pressure or signal personal liquidity needs. CEO Form 4 CFO Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Broader cautionary coverage notes that last year’s parabolic moves across quantum names serve as a wake‑up for risk — a reminder that valuation/speculation can swing quickly. That framing may contribute to the pullback. Quantum Computing Stocks Have Served Up an $840 Million Warning

D-Wave Quantum Stock Down 4.6%

The stock has a 50 day moving average of $26.23 and a 200-day moving average of $23.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.07 billion, a P/E ratio of -21.30 and a beta of 1.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a quick ratio of 54.49 and a current ratio of 54.68.

D-Wave Quantum (NYSE:QBTS) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported ($0.05) earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.07) by $0.02. D-Wave Quantum had a negative net margin of 1,651.81% and a negative return on equity of 97.58%. The firm had revenue of $3.74 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.03 million. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 105.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that D-Wave Quantum Inc. will post -0.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in D-Wave Quantum by 12.0% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 12,135 shares of the company’s stock valued at $92,000 after acquiring an additional 1,300 shares during the period. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in shares of D-Wave Quantum by 59.8% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 162,088 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,231,000 after purchasing an additional 60,668 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of D-Wave Quantum by 201.0% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 200,765 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,526,000 after purchasing an additional 134,066 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its holdings in D-Wave Quantum by 93.4% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 108,572 shares of the company’s stock worth $825,000 after purchasing an additional 52,437 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in D-Wave Quantum by 125.7% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 43,786 shares of the company’s stock worth $333,000 after purchasing an additional 24,382 shares in the last quarter. 42.47% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About D-Wave Quantum

D-Wave Quantum Inc (NYSE: QBTS) develops and provides quantum computing systems, software and services focused on quantum annealing technology. Headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, D-Wave designs specialized processors that leverage quantum mechanics to solve complex optimization and sampling problems. Since its founding in 1999 by physicists including Geordie Rose, the company has pursued the development of commercially viable quantum hardware and accompanying software tools.

The company’s product portfolio centers on its quantum annealers, which are complemented by hybrid solvers that integrate classical and quantum computing resources.