If I Could Own Only 1 Quantum Computing Stock for 2026, It Would Be This - The Motley Fool

By Reuben Gregg Brewer – Mar 3, 2026 at 4:45PM EST KEY POINTS I lived through the dot.com bubble and found the experience very enlightening.  With quantum computing likely to be a huge opportunity, I'm still hedging my bets. The internet has dramatically changed the world, and that change has occurred entirely in my lifetime. However, the dot-com bubble at the turn of the century should be a strong warning to investors, as newer, potentially more impactful technologies continue to emerge. This is why my quantum computing pick in 2026 is a bit on the boring side. I bought into the quantum story years ago The truth is that I've owned my big quantum play for about a decade. It was a legitimate factor in my decision to invest in International Business Machines ( IBM +1.21% ), but when I hit the buy button, quantum was still in its early stages of development. I reasoned at the time that IBM had the resources and technological capabilities to turn quantum into a real business at some point in the distant future. Image source: Getty Images. I didn't expect quantum to become a hot topic on Wall Street within a decade when I added IBM to my portfolio. And, in truth, the real driver of the company's results has been its pivot into cloud computing and artificial intelligence. That said, the next big thing could very well be quantum computing, and IBM is likely to be an important player in the space. IBM's diversification and deep pockets are the key IBM's business and stock have both rebounded strongly since I bought shares in 2016, which is nice. However, a deep drawdown, driven by investor fears about AI's impact on the company's business, has tempered my gains. I'm not overly concerned because IBM is a large and diversified business. I expect AI to benefit the company by helping IBM better serve its business customers over the long term. Expand NYSE: IBM International Business Machines Today's Change (1.21%) $2.97 Current Price $249.25 KEY DATA POINTS Market Cap $231B Day's Range $246.10 - $252.20 52wk Range $214.50 - $324.90 Volume 5.7M Avg Vol 5.6M Gross Margin 57.59% Dividend Yield 2.73% Meanwhile, IBM can use its vast resources to continue investing in the next big technology. It seems highly likely that technology will be quantum. If it isn't, well, that's not a big problem for me because I'm confident that IBM will just pivot again, like it has many times in its over 100-year history. It has the financial strength and the research and development depth to do that. That isn't something that can be said of a company that is 100% focused on quantum computing, like IonQ ( IONQ +0.94% ). IonQ is seeing material revenue growth, which is exciting, but it is also bleeding red ink. The losses aren't going to stop in 2026 based on management's guidance. If you are a conservative investor like I am and you want to add some quantum exposure to your portfolio, IBM is likely to be a better choice. IBM is hardly cheap, but after an over 20% drawdown on AI concerns, it is cheaper than it has been in a little while. Read Next Mar 16, 2026 By Leo Sun Got $5,000? 2 Quantum Computing Stocks That Insiders Haven't Stopped Buying Mar 12, 2026 By Motley Fool Staff The Motley Fool Interviews IBM CFO Jim Kavanaugh Mar 4, 2026 By Reuben Gregg Brewer Why I'm Watching IBM Stock Heading Into March Mar 1, 2026 By Matthew Benjamin Could AI Crash the Economy in 2 Years? One Research Firm Says Yes. Feb 27, 2026 By James Brumley I'm Not Convinced Anthropic's New COBOL Coding Tool Is an Actual Threat to IBM Feb 25, 2026 By Matt Frankel, CFP Want to Invest in Quantum Computing? 2 Stocks That Are Great Buys Right Now ABOUT THE AUTHOR Reuben Gregg Brewer is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, utilities, REITs, and consumer staples. He is the former director of research at Value Line Publishing, where he rose from mutual fund analyst to equity analyst before leading all research operations. Reuben holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Purchase, a master’s in social work from Columbia University, and an MBA from Regis University. He has been featured as a financial expert on CNBC and in the Financial Times, Barron’s, and InvestmentNews. TMFReubenGBrewer STOCKS MENTIONED International Business Machines NYSE: IBM $249.35 (+1.25%) +$3.07 IonQ NYSE: IONQ $33.29 (+0.94%) +$0.31 *Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.