It's a scary notion for a stock to go to $0. That means that a company has gone bankrupt, and investors may receive almost nothing after the liquidation of assets is complete. Several companies are far less likely to go bankrupt than others, because they are operating in businesses that have continuous product sales.
There are also investments available that are working on future technologies, such as biotech and quantum computing companies. Rigetti Computing (RGTI +3.56%) falls into the latter category, so it's at a higher risk of going to $0 than many others in the market.
But is the clock ticking for Rigetti Computing? Let's take a look.
Quantum computing is a crowded field
Rigetti Computing is competing in the race to develop a viable quantum computer. This isn't an easy task, and there are several strong competitors, some with nearly unlimited funding, that are competing to develop a commercially viable quantum computer.
Rigetti Computing is known as a quantum computing pure play, which means its only focus is on bringing quantum computing products to the market. This could turn the stock into a huge winner if it's successful, but if it fails, it could head to $0 in a hurry.
NASDAQ: RGTI
Key Data Points
During the third quarter, Rigetti Computing only had revenue of $1.9 million, yet operating losses totaled $20.5 million. That's a gross imbalance, but it should be expected for an early stage company like Rigetti.
Image source: Getty Images.
The biggest question is how long Rigetti can survive at its current spending rate. As of Nov. 6, it has about $600 million in cash and equivalents. That provides a nice cushion and allows Rigetti to operate at its current rate for multiple years without needing to seek outside funding.
However, if the company's recent results are indicative of future success, it may have a hard time raising additional capital.
Rigetti Computing wasn't selected for a huge military program
One of the biggest contracts any quantum computing company can win is from DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. DARPA helps develop cutting-edge technology for all branches of the U.S. military, and it would be a huge win if Rigetti Computing could capture the quantum computing contract DARPA is offering.
However, Rigetti Computing was excluded from the Stage B trial after participating in the Stage A trial. This is a sign that Rigetti is behind many of its peers, and investors don't want to own anything but the top dog in this space.
So, is Rigetti heading for $0? Maybe. If it continues on this track, it may eventually hit that level. I think there are better quantum computing options available, like IonQ. Investors should look to those first before betting on Rigetti. However, it still has the risk of heading to $0.
If you're looking for a far safer option, then a quantum computing ETF may be a better idea. These ETFs are filled with multiple companies, including big tech companies that have almost no chance of heading to $0.
