IonQ board approves equity awards and salary adjustment for top executives

Published 15/08/2025, 21:52
IonQ board approves equity awards and salary adjustment for top executives

The board of IonQ, Inc. (NYSE:IONQ) approved new restricted stock unit (RSU) grants and a salary increase for senior executives earlier this week, according to a statement released Friday based on a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The quantum computing company, currently valued at nearly $12 billion, has seen its stock surge over 450% in the past year, though InvestingPro data indicates the stock is trading above its Fair Value.

On Monday, the independent members of IonQ’s board authorized an RSU award for Chief Executive Officer Niccolo de Masi, granting him 485,319 shares. The award, effective Wednesday, will vest in quarterly installments over three years. The board also approved an increase in Mr. de Masi’s annual base salary to $700,000.

On Wednesday, the board’s compensation committee approved an RSU grant for Paul T. Dacier, IonQ’s Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary. Mr. Dacier was awarded 109,197 RSUs, also vesting quarterly over three years.

The board and committee considered multiple factors in making these decisions, including the alignment of executive incentives with shareholder interests through equity holdings, a review of compensation Mr. de Masi forfeited from a prior role, the structure of performance-based restricted stock units relative to those held by other senior employees, and internal pay equity.

The information is based on a statement from IonQ’s press release and an SEC filing. IonQ’s common stock and warrants trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols NYSE:IONQ and NYSE:IONQ WS, respectively.

In other recent news, IonQ reported its second-quarter 2025 earnings, showcasing a notable revenue of $20.7 million, which surpassed forecasts by 20.99% and exceeded its own guidance by 15%. Despite this revenue success, the company experienced a larger-than-expected earnings per share loss of $0.70, more than double the anticipated loss of $0.30. Following these results, Needham reiterated a Buy rating for IonQ, citing strong revenue performance and set a price target of $60.00. Additionally, IonQ raised its full-year 2025 revenue outlook to a range of $82-100 million, up from the previous guidance of $75-95 million.

In terms of analyst perspectives, Morgan Stanley adjusted its price target for IonQ to $32.00 from $30.00, maintaining an Equalweight rating, reflecting a revised valuation within the quantum peer group. Conversely, DA Davidson downgraded IonQ from Buy to Neutral, citing "various moving pieces and limited visibility" as reasons for their revised stance. In corporate developments, IonQ appointed four new vice presidents to strengthen its leadership team across various divisions, including corporate development and engineering. These developments indicate active changes within IonQ, both in leadership and financial projections.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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