Rigetti Computing CFO Sells 25,000 Shares as the Stock Hovers Near a 52-Week Low
Key Points
The CFO realized $375,000 from the sale of 25,000 shares on September 3, 2026.
The transaction size was equal to 15% of the direct equity stake held prior to the filing.
The activity involved a direct option exercise at $0.60 per share and a subsequent sale at $15.00 per share, with no indirect holdings reported.
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Jeffrey A. Bertelsen, Chief Financial Officer of Rigetti Computing, Inc. (NASDAQ:RGTI), sold 25,000 shares of common stock on September 3, 2026, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing.
Transaction summary
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Transaction value | $375,000 |
| Shares sold (directly held) | 25,000 |
| Post-transaction shares (directly held) | 168,067 |
| Post-transaction value | $2.6 million |
Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average sale price ($15.00); post-transaction value based on September 3, 2026 market close ($15.18).
Key questions
- What prompted this disposition of common stock?
The CFO utilized a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on June 4, 2026, to execute an automated option exercise and same-day sale of common stock. - What is the insider's current equity position?
Following the transaction, Bertelsen retains direct ownership of 168,067 shares and also holds 256,250 direct derivative securities, including vested and unvested awards. - How has the stock performed leading up to this transaction?
Shares of the Berkeley-based quantum computing company were priced at $15.20 as of the September 4, 2026 market close, following a one-year return of 0.93% as of the September 3, 2026 transaction date.
Company Overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Share Price (as of market close 2026-09-04) | $15.20 |
| Market Capitalization | $5.1 billion |
| Revenue (TTM) | $13.4 million |
| Net Income (TTM) | -$238.7 million |
Company Snapshot
- Rigetti Computing develops and manufactures full-stack quantum computing systems, including superconducting quantum processors, and delivers these solutions through its Quantum Cloud Services platform across public, private, and hybrid cloud environments.
- The company generates revenue through cloud-based access to quantum computing resources, enabling customers to leverage quantum processing capabilities without requiring on-premises infrastructure investment.
- Rigetti serves enterprise customers, research institutions, and technology partners seeking to explore quantum computing applications across optimization, simulation, and machine learning use cases.
Rigetti Computing operates as a specialized quantum computing enterprise with a comprehensive technology stack spanning hardware design, quantum processor manufacturing, and cloud service delivery. The company maintains a focused operational footprint with 163 employees based in Berkeley, California, positioning itself at the forefront of quantum computing commercialization.
Despite significant near-term operating losses reflecting the capital-intensive nature of quantum technology development, Rigetti's market valuation reflects investor expectations regarding the long-term commercial potential of quantum computing infrastructure.
What this transaction means for investors
CFO Jeffrey Bertelsen's Sept. 3 sale of Rigetti Computing shares involved the exercise and immediate sale of 25,000 stock options. This is a common tactic used by executives to manage their large equity positions.
Bertelsen's transaction came at a time when Rigetti stock trades near the lower end of its 52-week range. However, the disposal does not necessarily reflect the insider's view on the stock, since it was a non-discretionary transaction executed as part of a pre-established Rule 10b5-1 plan. Such plans allow insiders to sell shares at pre-arranged times to avoid concerns of trading on non-public information.
In addition, the CFO retains a substantial equity position post-sale, considering his 168,067 directly held shares and an additional 256,250 stock options. This ensures his continued alignment with shareholder interests.
Rigetti's stock is down as Wall Street investors rotated away from high-risk tech stocks amid an uncertain interest rate environment. This makes sense given Rigetti produced small sales in the second quarter. Its $5.1 million in Q2 revenue was an increase from the prior year's $1.8 million, but its costs rose as well, resulting in a net loss of $52.6 million.
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Robert Izquierdo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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