Why Rigetti Computing Stock Soared 9 3 This Week

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 2, 2026, 1:17 PM

why rigetti computing stock soared 9 3 this week

Written by Rich Smith for The Motley Fool-> Rigetti Computing stock has been rising for three straight days. Earlier this week, the company announced a $5.7 million sale for two of its quantum computers. Over the last 12 months, Rigetti's sales totaled only $7.9 million. Shares of quantum computing company Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI) soared 11.5% through 10:15 a.m. ET on Thursday -- all on no obvious news today.

Rigetti Computing Inc (NASDAQ:RGTI) is trading lower Friday afternoon, marking a reversal after a surge earlier in the week driven by retail momentum and sector-wide optimism. The recent volatility comes amid a classic Santa Rally, where retail investors earlier this week rotated into high-beta quantum stocks while institutional trading desks thin out for the holidays. What To Know: Earlier gains this week were fueled by a wave of social media sentiment focused on Rigetti’s 2026 roadmap, which promises higher-qubit systems and significantly lower error rates. This retail interest was compounded by a halo effect from peers like IonQ and D-Wave, which also saw spikes following strategic milestones and bullish analyst coverage. Notably, Wedbush recently initiated coverage on Rigetti with an Outperform rating and a $35 price target, citing the company’s advanced chiplets and vertically integrated production capabilities as key differentiators. Market observers note that this week’s price action fits the pattern of a “Holiday Gap,” where lower trading volumes between Dec.

20 and New Year’s allow retail sentiment to move small-cap stocks more aggressively. While retail investors likely drove the stock higher earlier in the week on the belief that the “quantum age” could arrive by 2026, Friday’s downturn suggests a pause in the momentum as the holiday... Quantum computing just got a market adrenaline shot. Rigetti Computing’s stock surged 9.3% this week—outpacing even crypto’s wildest meme coins. Was it breakthrough tech? A stealth partnership?

Or just traders chasing the next shiny object in the tech casino? Wall Street’s quantum fever dreams are back. Again. Researchers at the University of Southern California said that they had identified a new type of particle they call "neglectons," which could help solve one of quantum computing's biggest issues. The particles earned their name from their once-overlooked status; researchers had previously dismissed them as "mathematical garbage." Quantum computing faces a number of hurdles in its ongoing development.

Chief among them is the inherent difficulty in error correction. These systems are fragile and hard to keep from degrading. The new particles could help scientists solve this issue through an approach called "braiding." A potential breakthrough from researchers at USC sent Rigetti stock higher. A new particle could help quantum companies solve quantum's error issue. The technology could still be many years away.

Shares of Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI) jumped this week. The quantum computing start-up's stock rose 9.3% from last Friday's close. The move came as the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq-100 rose 2.4% and 3.7%, respectively. Rigetti and other quantum stocks were lifted this week by news that researchers at the University of Southern California may have found a way around obstacles the technology faces in its development. Rigetti Computing, Inc. (RGTI Quick QuoteRGTI - Free Report) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks.

Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future. Over the past month, shares of this company have returned +0.7%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3% change. During this period, the Zacks Internet - Software industry, which Rigetti Computing falls in, has gained 7.9%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction? While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually... Rather than focusing on anything else, we at Zacks prioritize evaluating the change in a company's earnings projection.

This is because we believe the fair value for its stock is determined by the present value of its future stream of earnings. We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

Why Rigetti Computing Stock Soared 9 3 This Week

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Chief Among Them Is The Inherent Difficulty In Error Correction.