TLDR:
- Rigetti Computing (RGTI) stock dropped 5.2% to $12.52, with trading volume down 65% from average
- Multiple analysts maintain “Buy” ratings with price targets ranging from $2.00 to $12.00
- Director Michael S. Clifton sold 125,000 shares at $3.00, while major shareholder Bessemer Venture Partners sold over 1.2 million shares
- DeepSeek’s new R1 AI model, developed for under $6 million, is creating competitive pressure in the AI/quantum space
- The stock has shown strong momentum with a 200-day moving average price of $3.78 versus current $12.52 trading price
Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ:RGTI) experienced a notable decline in its share price on Monday, dropping 5.2% during mid-day trading to settle at $12.52. The quantum computing company’s stock touched a low of $11.80 during the session, marking a decrease from its previous close of $13.20.
Trading activity showed reduced volume compared to typical levels. Approximately 69.9 million shares changed hands during mid-day trading, representing a 65% decrease from the average daily volume of 200.7 million shares.

The company’s stock movement comes against a backdrop of recent insider selling activity. Director Michael S. Clifton sold 125,000 shares at $3.00 per share, resulting in a transaction value of $375,000. In a separate move, major shareholder Bessemer Venture Partners X. L. disposed of 1,286,114 shares at $1.52 per share, totaling approximately $1.95 million.
Despite the recent price decline, Rigetti’s stock has shown strong momentum over recent months. The company’s 50-day moving average price stands at $8.93, while its 200-day moving average is $3.78, indicating an overall upward trend in the stock’s performance.
The company maintains solid financial metrics, with a quick ratio of 4.84 and a current ratio of 4.84. Rigetti’s market capitalization currently stands at $2.39 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of -32.70 and a beta of 1.31.
Wall Street analysts continue to express optimism about Rigetti’s prospects. Craig Hallum initiated coverage with a “buy” rating and a $12.00 price target. B. Riley raised their price objective from $4.00 to $8.50, maintaining a “buy” recommendation.
Needham & Company LLC and Benchmark have also reiterated their “buy” ratings, though with more conservative price targets of $2.00 and $2.50, respectively. The consensus among analysts currently stands at “Buy” with an average price target of $5.70.
Deepseek
Monday’s stock decline coincided with broader pressure on AI and quantum computing stocks following news about DeepSeek’s new AI model. The Chinese startup’s R1 model has reportedly achieved capabilities similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT but was developed at a fraction of the cost, under $6 million.
The development has raised questions about GPU investments in the technology sector. DeepSeek’s claim of using approximately 50,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs has caught investor attention, particularly regarding cost efficiency in AI development.
Third-party tests indicating DeepSeek R1’s strong performance compared to ChatGPT have added to market concerns about competition in the AI space. The model’s ability to run on reduced-capability chips has sparked discussions about technology cost structures.
Institutional investors continue to show interest in Rigetti. Recent months have seen new positions established by firms including Arete Wealth Advisors LLC, Spire Wealth Management, and increased holdings by SG Americas Securities LLC.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. has maintained its position in Rigetti, holding 62,360 shares after a modest increase of 2,045 shares during the third quarter. Currently, institutional investors own 35.38% of the company’s stock.
Rigetti Computing operates in the quantum computing sector through its subsidiaries, focusing on building quantum computers and superconducting quantum processors. The company offers cloud services through its quantum processing units, including the 9-qubit chip and Ankaa-2 system under the Novera brand.
Trading data shows the stock maintaining a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, reflecting a conservative financial structure. The company’s share price and trading patterns will likely continue to be influenced by developments in both the quantum computing and broader AI technology sectors.
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