SoundHound's LivePerson Bet: Can It Unlock a $500M AI Opportunity?
SoundHound AI, Inc.SOUN is expanding its enterprise AI footprint through the planned acquisition of LivePerson, a move that could significantly increase its customer reach, cross-selling opportunity and revenue scale.
The company expects the LivePerson transaction to close in the second half of 2026, marking its fifth strategic acquisition. LivePerson would bring hundreds of enterprise and mid-market customers across more than 30 countries. The combined customer base would include 12 of the top 15 global banks, four of the top five global airlines, four of the top five global automakers, 10 leading global telecommunications providers and 25 Fortune 100 companies.
This expanded customer base strengthens SoundHound’s opportunity to sell voice AI, digital messaging and agentic AI capabilities across a broader enterprise platform. Management noted that Voice AI is among the most frequently requested capabilities from LivePerson’s customer base, creating an immediate cross-selling opportunity for SoundHound following the deal’s close. The company also sees an opportunity to sell unified digital-and-voice omnichannel solutions to its existing customers.
The revenue framework makes the deal an important part of SOUN’s growth narrative. SoundHound expects 2026 revenues of $225 million to $260 million. Assuming the LivePerson acquisition closes in the second half of the year, the company expects a minimum 2027 revenue range of $350 million to $400 million, including at least $100 million from LivePerson’s long-tenured customers. Management also stated that the combined business could reach $500 million based on the existing customer base alone.
For SOUN, the next phase of the growth narrative likely depends on integration execution. LivePerson has been under pressure, and SoundHound will need to stabilize customer relationships, modernize the platform and convert cross-selling opportunities into recognized revenues. If the company can retain key LivePerson customers and expand adoption of its Voice AI and omnichannel solutions, the acquisition could provide a larger base for revenue growth in 2027 and beyond.
SOUN’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
SoundHound’s shares have lost 28.7% in the past year compared with the industry’s fall of 30.2%. At the same time frame, other industry players, including C3.ai, Inc.AI, have declined 55.6%, while BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc.BBAI has gained 5%.
SOUN’s Stock One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
SOUN stock is currently trading at a discount. It is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 11.63, below the industry average of 11.95. Then again, other industry players, such as C3.ai and BigBear.ai, have P/S ratios of 6.90 and 12.58, respectively.
SOUN’s P/S Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SoundHound’s 2026 loss per share has widened from 9 cents to 18 cents in the past 60 days.
EPS Trend of SOUN Stock
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The company is likely to report dismal earnings, with projections indicating a 38.5% fall in 2026. Conversely, industry players like BigBear.ai are likely to witness growth of 69.5% year over year in 2026 earnings. C3.ai is likely to project a rise of 36.3% in fiscal 2027 earnings.
SOUN’s Zank Rank
SOUN stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
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