Form 4: IonQ Director Awarded 31,651 Restricted Stock Units

IonQ's Executive Chair, Robert T. Cardillo, was granted 31,651 restricted stock units vesting over four years.

Summary

• Robert T. Cardillo, a Director and Executive Chair of IonQ Federal, received an award of 31,651 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).
• The transaction date for this RSU award is March 2, 2026.
• These RSUs will vest over a four-year period, with 1/16 of the total vesting quarterly.
• Vesting occurs on March 10, June 10, September 10, and December 10 of each year.
• Vesting is contingent upon Mr. Cardillo's continued service as a service provider through each vesting date.
• Following this transaction, Mr. Cardillo directly beneficially owns 140,871 shares of IonQ Common Stock.

Sentiment

Score: 7

Explanation: StockSavvy.ai views this as a moderately positive, routine filing, indicating continued executive commitment through a standard equity compensation mechanism.

Positives

• The grant of 31,651 Restricted Stock Units to a key executive (Robert T. Cardillo) aligns his interests with long-term shareholder value.
• The four-year vesting schedule encourages long-term commitment and retention of a Director and Executive Chair.

Risks

• The vesting of the Restricted Stock Units is subject to Robert T. Cardillo continuing as a service provider through each vesting date; unvested RSUs would be forfeited if his service terminates.

Future Outlook

The RSU award with a four-year vesting schedule indicates a long-term commitment from a key executive, suggesting stability in leadership and a focus on future performance.

Industry Context

StockSavvy.ai notes that RSU grants are a common form of executive compensation in the technology sector, particularly in high-growth areas like quantum computing, to incentivize long-term performance and retention. This grant to a Director and Executive Chair reinforces the company's strategy to retain key talent.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• RSU grants with multi-year vesting schedules are standard practice across the tech industry, comparable to compensation structures at companies like Google (Alphabet) or Microsoft, which use similar mechanisms to align executive incentives with long-term shareholder value.
• The grant of 31,651 shares, while specific to IonQ's valuation, is consistent with equity compensation for senior leadership roles in emerging technology companies, where stock-based incentives form a significant portion of total compensation.

Related Party Transactions

• The RSU award to Robert T. Cardillo, a Director and Executive Chair, is a related-party transaction as part of his executive compensation.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: Potential long-term alignment of executive interests with shareholder value, balanced against future share dilution from vesting RSUs.
• Management/Executives: Robert T. Cardillo's compensation package is enhanced, incentivizing his continued service and performance.

Next Steps

• Quarterly vesting of the RSUs will occur on March 10, June 10, September 10, and December 10, subject to continued service.

Key Dates

Recommendation

This Form 4 reports a standard RSU grant to a director, which is a routine compensation event and does not provide new fundamental information to warrant a change in investment recommendation. It signals continued executive alignment but is not a catalyst for significant price movement.

Keywords

IonQ, IONQ, Restricted Stock Units, RSU, Insider Transaction, Executive Compensation, Form 4, Quantum Computing, Robert T. Cardillo