Restaurant voice AI
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Can Restaurant Voice AI Keep SoundHound's Core Growth Engine Intact?
ZACKS· 2025-12-23 14:21
Core Insights - Restaurant-focused voice AI is a foundational aspect of SoundHound AI, Inc.'s business, raising questions about its growth potential amidst market changes [1] - The company is expanding its restaurant voice AI offerings beyond order-taking to include employee assistance, operational insights, and workflow automation, enhancing customer relationships and revenue per location [2] - In Q3 2025, the restaurant vertical contributed significantly to performance, with approximately 1,000 new restaurant locations added, reinforcing SoundHound's leadership in quick-service and fast-casual formats [3] - Despite macroeconomic uncertainties, restaurant demand remains strong, driven by automation efficiency, labor cost pressures, and order accuracy, suggesting continued adoption of voice AI solutions [4] Competitive Landscape - C3.ai and Cerence are key competitors, with C3.ai focusing on enterprise AI automation and competing for contracts in various sectors [5] - Cerence is strengthening its position in automotive AI, particularly in in-vehicle voice systems, maintaining strong relationships with key accounts [6] Financial Performance - SoundHound shares have decreased by 44.9% over the past year, underperforming compared to the Zacks Computers - IT Services industry, which declined by 17% [7] - The company's forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio is 20.27, higher than the industry's 15.66 [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SOUN's 2026 loss per share remains at 5 cents, indicating a 58.5% year-over-year improvement [14]