Upgrades - CoStar Group (CSGP) upgraded to Buy from Neutral with an $80 price target due to low expectations, past peak investment, and momentum from Homes.com, along with an anticipated AI-driven product update [2] - Teleflex (TFX) upgraded to Buy from Hold with a $138 price target as the company plans to sell its acute care, interventional urology, and manufacturing businesses for $2 billion, expecting significant earnings accretion from share repurchases and debt repayment by 2027 [3] - CoreWeave (CRWV) upgraded to Buy from Hold with a $140 price target, with a solid medium-term outlook ahead of the Q4 report [3] - Affirm (AFRM) upgraded to Buy from Hold with a $100 price target after submitting an application to establish Affirm Bank, which could be a game-changer [4] - Target (TGT) upgraded to Peer Perform from Underperform without a price target, with a wide margin of safety despite reduced estimates due to the company's owned real estate [4] Downgrades - Procter & Gamble (PG) downgraded to Hold from Buy with a price target of $156, up from $150, as the pace of recovery is expected to drag [5] - Stryker (SYK) downgraded to Hold from Buy with a $387 price target following a transfer in analyst coverage, with a well-understood valuation reflecting a "beat/raise precedent" [5] - Insulet (PODD) downgraded to Hold from Buy with a $294 price target after a transfer in analyst coverage, noting that competitive advantages may narrow [5] - Matador (MTDR) downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight with a price target of $47, down from $61, due to stock valuation incorporating structural considerations and recent productivity variability [5] - SkyWater Technology (SKYT) downgraded to Hold from Buy with a price target of $35, up from $24, after agreeing to be acquired by IonQ for $35 per share or $1.88 billion [5]

IonQ Inc. (NYSE:IONQ) is making its biggest move yet to expand control over its quantum technology stack, agreeing to acquire U.S. chip manufacturer SkyWater Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYT) in a deal that deepens its manufacturing footprint and aligns with growing federal support for advanced computing. IonQ Moves To Acquire SkyWater In $1.8 Billion Deal IonQ agreed to buy SkyWater Technology for $35 per share, valuing the transaction at roughly $1.8 billion, company executives told The Wall Street Journal ...

This story was originally published on Manufacturing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Manufacturing Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: IonQ on Monday said it will buy SkyWater Technology for $1.8 billion, accelerating its ability to develop and scale production of quantum computing goods and services for aerospace and defense customers. The combination will add semiconductor foundry capabilities to IonQ, positioning itself as a major vertically-integrated, full-stack quantu ...

Core Viewpoint - IonQ Inc has announced an acquisition agreement with SkyWater Technology, valuing the deal at approximately $1.8 billion, marking a significant step in IonQ's strategy to build a fully integrated quantum platform [1][2]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition involves a cash and stock transaction, with an offer of $35 per share, consisting of $15 in cash and $20 in stock, representing a 38% premium over SkyWater's average stock price over the past 30 days [1]. - The deal has been approved by both companies' boards and is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals and shareholder votes [1]. Group 2: Strategic Implications - This acquisition is the largest in IonQ's recent strategic initiatives, aiming to integrate its quantum architecture with SkyWater's semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, creating a closed-loop process from quantum chip design to production [1]. - SkyWater, identified as the largest domestic chip foundry in the U.S., will maintain its brand and operations as a wholly-owned subsidiary of IonQ, continuing to serve its existing clients in defense, aerospace, and commercial sectors [2]. Group 3: Market Reactions - Following the announcement, SkyWater's stock rose by 9% intraday, closing up 3.29%, while IonQ's stock initially rose but ultimately closed down 8.21%, with a post-market rebound of 2.37% [2].

Core Insights - Rigetti Computing is strategically positioning itself by integrating its quantum hardware with AI supercomputing and public-sector research ecosystems, focusing on hybrid computing environments [2][3] - The company is collaborating with academic institutions and government entities to foster innovation and talent development, exemplified by its partnership with Michigan State University and a memorandum with India's C-DAC [3] - Rigetti aims to launch a 150+ qubit system by late 2026 with a fidelity of approximately 99.7%, followed by a 1,000+ qubit platform around 2027 with fidelity nearing 99.8% [4] - D-Wave Quantum is enhancing its market presence through application-led partnerships with various commercial and research customers, focusing on practical quantum applications [6] - IonQ is expanding its partnerships in national-level infrastructure and commercial applications, including a national quantum communications network in Slovakia and a collaboration with CCRM in regenerative medicine [7][8] Group 1: Rigetti Computing - Rigetti is integrating its quantum processors with NVIDIA's NVQLink platform for low-latency connections to AI supercomputers, which is seen as a practical approach to achieving quantum value [2] - The company's collaboration strategy is designed to validate and test its technology in real-world scenarios, increasing the likelihood of achieving scalable quantum platforms [5] Group 2: D-Wave Quantum - D-Wave is focusing on application-led partnerships, including collaborations with a major U.S. airline and BASF for manufacturing optimization, highlighting its commitment to practical quantum applications [6] Group 3: IonQ - IonQ is strengthening its position in the quantum landscape through partnerships that enhance cybersecurity and advance healthcare applications, such as its work with Slovakia and CCRM [7][8]

Core Viewpoint - IonQ has announced a definitive agreement to acquire SkyWater Technology for approximately $1.8 billion, with a share price of $35, aligning with analyst price targets and indicating strategic benefits for both companies [2][5][6] Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition will be executed through a cash-and-stock transaction, with SkyWater shareholders receiving $15 in cash and $20 in IonQ stock per share [5] - The deal values SkyWater at approximately $1.8 billion, which aligns with the price target set by Stifel Nicolaus [2][6] Group 2: Strategic Implications - The acquisition is strategic for IonQ as it aims to integrate semiconductor manufacturing into its operations, supporting the development of next-generation quantum processors [3] - By acquiring SkyWater, IonQ enhances its position as a technology partner for the U.S. government and allied nations [3] Group 3: Future Developments - IonQ plans to begin functional testing in 2028 for a 200,000-qubit quantum processing unit, enabling around 8,000 high-fidelity logical qubits [4] - The acquisition is expected to streamline production timelines and reduce costs, creating a vertically integrated quantum platform [4][6] Group 4: Company Structure Post-Acquisition - SkyWater will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of IonQ, retaining its name and leadership under CEO Thomas Sonderman [5]

Core Viewpoint - IonQ Inc has agreed to acquire SkyWater Technology for approximately $1.8 billion, marking a significant step towards building a fully integrated quantum platform [1][2] Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition will be executed through a cash and stock transaction, with IonQ offering $35 per share, comprising $15 in cash and $20 in stock, representing a 38% premium over SkyWater's average stock price over the past 30 days [1] - The deal has received unanimous approval from both companies' boards and is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approvals and shareholder votes [1] Group 2: Strategic Implications - This acquisition is the largest in a series of recent purchases by IonQ, which includes a $1.08 billion acquisition of UK-based Oxford Ionics [1] - The integration of SkyWater's semiconductor manufacturing capabilities with IonQ's quantum architecture aims to create a closed-loop process from quantum chip design to end production [1][3] Group 3: Technological Advancements - IonQ's CEO stated that the acquisition will allow the company to utilize a large domestic chip foundry, accelerating technology development and enhancing appeal to U.S. clients in sensitive sectors like defense [2] - The collaboration is expected to significantly reduce the development time for a 256-qubit chip from 9 months to 2 months, and advance IonQ's roadmap for testing 200,000 physical qubit units by 2028 [2] Group 4: Market Position and Future Outlook - SkyWater, identified as the largest domestic chip foundry in the U.S., will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of IonQ while maintaining its brand and existing production facilities [3] - The acquisition is seen as a strategic move to enhance IonQ's competitiveness in the federal and defense sectors, aiming to replicate Nvidia's model by controlling core hardware manufacturing [3] - The quantum computing industry is transitioning from experimental phases to large-scale industrial applications, indicating a significant shift in market dynamics [3]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of a diversified investment strategy that includes cyclical industries, bonds, commodities, and forex to balance risk and maximize returns during economic recovery [1]. Group 1: Investment Strategy - The investment strategy focuses on cyclical industries due to their potential for significant returns during periods of economic growth [1]. - A diversified portfolio is maintained, incorporating various asset classes to mitigate risk [1]. Group 2: Professional Background - The analyst has a professional background across multiple industries, including logistics, construction, and retail, providing a diverse perspective on market dynamics [1]. - International education and career experiences contribute to a global outlook in analyzing market trends [1].

IonQ (IONQ) shares ended in the red today after announcing a $1.8 billion acquisition of SkyWater Technology (SKYT) to become industry’s first vertically integrated quantum computing platform. The quantum-tech specialist plans on using $770 million of its cash to fund this deal, while the rest will be paid in IONQ stock. More News from Barchart In other words, IonQ is burning over two-thirds of a billion dollars on SKYT while simultaneously diluting its current shareholders, which, of course, is a hard ...

Core Viewpoint - The law firm Brodsky & Smith is investigating potential claims against the Board of Directors of SkyWater Technology, Inc. for possible breaches of fiduciary duty related to the company's sale to IonQ for $35.00 per share, which implies a total equity value of approximately $1.8 billion [1]. Group 1 - The investigation focuses on whether the SkyWater Technology Board failed to conduct a fair process and whether the deal consideration provides fair value to shareholders, as it is below the 52-week high of $36.27 for the company's shares [2]. - The transaction involves a cash-and-stock deal, raising concerns about the adequacy of the offer in relation to the company's market performance [1][2]. Group 2 - Brodsky & Smith is a litigation law firm with expertise in representing shareholders in securities and class action lawsuits, having successfully recovered millions for clients [3]. - The firm has been appointed as lead counsel in various class actions by numerous courts across the country, indicating its credibility and experience in handling such cases [3].