BigBear.ai vs. IONQ: Comparing Revenue Trends Between an Artificial Intelligence Upstart and a Quantum Computer Company

BigBear.ai: Seeking Stability After Earlier Quarterly Revenue DeclinesBigBear.ai (BBAI -1.73%) generates most of its revenue by delivering complex artificial intelligence and machine learning decision support tools, focusing heavily on cyber engineering, cloud infrastructure management, and large-scale data processing solutions for a highly specialized client base, particularly the U.S. government.It recently secured Dutch national regulatory approval for its Pangiam airport security screening software, and it simultaneously launched an expanded generative artificial intelligence platform designed specifically for use by government defense teams operating in classified network environments.IONQ: Recording Consistent Upward Revenue TrajectoriesIONQ (IONQ +4.42%) primarily earns its revenue by constructing general-purpose quantum computing systems and selling commercial access to those computers, facilitating this access both directly and through prominent third-party cloud computing platforms.It formally finalized its acquisition of the domestic semiconductor foundry SkyWater Technology, while simultaneously launching its sixth-generation commercial quantum computing platform and securing a contract extension for a specialized defense research program focused on developing scalable atomic clocks.CollapseIONQ & BBAI: Performance ComparisonKey Financial MetricsIONQ – IonQ$42.54+4.42% (+$1.80)BBAI – BigBear.ai$2.84–1.73% (-$0.05)Market Cap$17B52wk Range$25.89 - $84.64Gross Margin-3317.96%P/E Ratio-8.96EPS (TTM)$-4.55Market Cap$1.4B52wk Range$2.59 - $9.39Gross Margin27.92%P/E Ratio-13.26EPS (TTM)$-0.22IONQ – IonQ$42.54+4.42% (+$1.80)Market Cap$17B52wk Range$25.89 - $84.64Gross Margin-3317.96%P/E Ratio-8.96EPS (TTM)$-4.55BBAI – BigBear.ai$2.84–1.73% (-$0.05)Market Cap$1.4B52wk Range$2.59 - $9.39Gross Margin27.92%P/E Ratio-13.26EPS (TTM)$-0.22Why Revenue Matters for InvestorsRevenue helps market participants understand the baseline commercial demand for a particular business's core technological products and consulting services over consecutive operating periods. It reveals whether a company is successfully attracting customers and growing its overall business volume over time.

Quarterly Revenue Performance for BigBear.ai and IONQCalendar quarterBigBear.ai RevenueIONQ RevenueQ3 2024$41.5 million (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024)$12.4 million (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2024)Q4 2024$43.8 million (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024)$11.7 million (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024)Q1 2025$34.8 million (quarter ended March 31, 2025)$7.6 million (quarter ended March 31, 2025)Q2 2025$32.5 million (quarter ended June 30, 2025)$20.7 million (quarter ended June 30, 2025)Q3 2025$33.1 million (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2025)$39.9 million (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2025)Q4 2025$27.3 million (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025)$61.9 million (quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025)Q1 2026$34.4 million (quarter ended March 31, 2026)$64.7 million (quarter ended March 31, 2026)Q2 2026$36.7 million (quarter ended June 30, 2026)$80.0 million (quarter ended June 30, 2026)Foolish TakeComparing the revenue trends for BigBear.ai and IONQ provide revealing insights. Back in 2024, BigBear.ai's quarterly sales towered over IONQ. This makes sense given the former operates in the hot artificial intelligence sector while the latter focuses on nascent quantum computing technology.Since then, a dramatic transformation has taken place. IONQ's revenue has taken off. In the second quarter, its sales were more than double BigBear.ai's, and the achievement occurred while quantum computers remain an emerging tech. This illustrates the potential for IONQ's business to soar once quantum machines achieve widespread adoption.The company is making strides here. On Sept. 23, it announced a partnership with AI semiconductor leader Nvidia, where IONQ's latest quantum computer will connect with Nvidia's AI infrastructure to enable "large-scale quantum supercomputers capable of solving the world's hardest problems," according to IONQ.Meanwhile, BigBear.ai experienced a year-over-year sales decline in 2025 as the federal government cut budgets. In Q2 of this year, the company reported 13% revenue growth over 2025 due to its acquisition of Ask Sage, an AI platform tailored to the needs of governments.Read NextSep 21, 2026 •By Sara AppinoBigBear.ai vs. QuantumScape: Which Technology Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?Sep 13, 2026 •By Robert IzquierdoBigBear.ai vs. Cerebras Systems: What Quarterly Revenue Trends for These Artificial Intelligence Companies Tell InvestorsSep 12, 2026 •By Robert IzquierdoBigBear.ai vs. IonQ: Weighing Whether to Invest in the Artificial Intelligence Company or the Quantum Computing GiantSep 12, 2026 •By Sara AppinoBigBear.ai vs. D-Wave Quantum: Which Technology Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?Sep 11, 2026 •By John BallardBigBear.ai vs. Cerebras Systems: Which Tech Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?Sep 10, 2026 •By Sara AppinoBigBear.ai vs. Innodata: Which Technology Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?About the AuthorRobert "Izzy" Izquierdo is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering information technology, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, and communication services sectors. Prior to The Motley Fool, Izzy was head of product management at Target Media Partners, developing and launching multimillion-dollar software used by businesses such as Charter Communications. Prior to that, he worked at Yahoo! and startups on software products in connected TV, AI, consumer apps, and digital advertising. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from UCLA and is certified in software product management.TMFWryWriteStocks MentionedBigBear.aiNYSE: BBAI$2.84(-1.73%)-$0.05Motley Fool Stock Advisor’s Latest PickGet Access---% Avg ReturnIonQNYSE: IONQ$42.54(+4.42%)+$1.80*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.