iRobot Stock Surges 74% on Trump Robotics Order Reports
iRobot's stock surged 74% in a single day, fueled by reports of an upcoming executive order from the Trump administration to bolster the domestic robotics industry. The Roomba maker, long a pioneer in consumer robotics since its founding in 1990, saw shares climb to around $3.69, pushing its market cap to about $109 million.
This rally comes amid deeper troubles for iRobot. The company, best known for its autonomous vacuum cleaners that revolutionized home cleaning, has faced declining revenues—down 24.6% year-over-year in Q3 2025 to $145.8 million. A failed acquisition by Amazon in 2023 left it vulnerable, and recent filings warn of potential bankruptcy as it struggles with competition and a shifting market.
Yet the hype around U.S. robotics policy injected fresh optimism. iRobot's IRBT ticker jumped on speculation that government support could revive its fortunes, highlighting the tension between policy dreams and harsh financial realities in the robotics world.
For iRobot, which employs advanced sensors and AI in products like the Roomba Combo j9+—a vacuum-mop hybrid with self-emptying tech—this could be a lifeline. But analysts caution it's headline-driven, not a fix for underlying issues like a $200 million debt load.
The robotics sector watches closely. If the executive order materializes, it might spark a broader boom, but for iRobot, survival hinges on more than policy promises.