SoundHound AI Reports Record Quarter with 80% Q4 Revenue Growth to $17.1 Million; Adjusted EBITDA Improved by 80% Year-Over-Year in Q4

Rhea-AI Summary

SoundHound AI, Inc. (SOUN) reported a record quarter with 80% Q4 revenue growth to $17.1 million, achieving a 2x increase in combined cumulative subscriptions and bookings backlog to $661 million year-over-year. Adjusted EBITDA improved by 80% in Q4, showcasing strong financial performance. The company expanded its customer base, secured notable partnerships, and launched innovative AI products, positioning itself as a leader in voice artificial intelligence.

Positive

• Record Q4 revenue of $17.1 million, up 80% year-over-year
• Adjusted EBITDA improved by 80% in Q4
• Full year revenue increased by 47% to $45.9 million
• Combined Cumulative Subscriptions & Bookings Backlog grew to $661 million, a 2x increase year-over-year
• Significant partnerships with leading companies in the automotive and restaurant industries
• Launch of innovative AI products like SoundHound Chat AI and Dynamic Interaction with Generative AI
• Acquisition of SYNQ3 to enhance customer service offering and market reach
• Strong liquidity with total cash exceeding $200 million

Negative

• None.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The reported financial results for SoundHound AI, Inc. indicate a substantial year-over-year revenue growth of 80% in Q4 and 47% for the full year, with Q4 revenues hitting $17.1 million. This growth trajectory is noteworthy in the voice AI sector, suggesting that the company is capturing market share and successfully monetizing its offerings. The company's gross margin improvement to 77% in Q4 and 75% for the full year reflects operational efficiency and a favorable product mix. Adjusted EBITDA improvements are indicative of a strategic move towards cost optimization and potentially scalable business operations.

However, the persistent net losses, including a net loss of ($0.07) per share in Q4 and a full year net loss of ($0.40) per share, underscore the company's ongoing investment in growth over immediate profitability. The substantial increase in the bookings backlog to $661 million provides visibility into future revenues, but it's critical to monitor conversion rates and the actual realization of these bookings into recognized revenue. SoundHound's liquidity position, with a cash balance of over $200 million, appears robust, enabling continued investment in product development and market expansion.

Market Research Analyst

SoundHound AI's expansion into the automotive sector, with contracts extending to 2037 and its acquisition of SYNQ3, positions the company at the forefront of voice AI integration in two significant industries: automotive and restaurants. The strategic moves to partner with prominent EV makers and the introduction of SoundHound Chat AI in multiple automotive brands highlight the company's focus on innovation and market penetration. The integration with Oracle MICROS Simphony and Toast point-of-sale systems, as well as partnerships with Samsung and HME, demonstrate SoundHound's commitment to expanding its ecosystem and enhancing its service offerings.

Furthermore, the company's proactive approach to customer service through AI solutions, such as Smart Answering and Employee Assist, indicates an understanding of the evolving needs of business operations. The focus on generative AI capabilities and the launch of new voice AI products suggest that SoundHound is not only enhancing its technological edge but also diversifying its application across different domains, which could be a key differentiator in a competitive market.

Technology Analyst

The integration of generative AI into SoundHound's voice AI applications is a significant technological advancement, especially with the world's first voice assistant with integrated generative AI going into full production. This innovation enables more natural and contextually aware interactions, which can drive consumer engagement and satisfaction. SoundHound's strategic acquisition of SYNQ3 and the subsequent expansion of its voice AI capabilities into the restaurant industry is a move that leverages SYNQ3's established customer relationships and industry expertise, potentially accelerating the adoption of AI-driven customer service solutions.

The company's focus on multimodal Dynamic Interaction and the launch of solutions like SoundHound Chat AI for Automotive and Vehicle Intelligence signals an investment in the future of in-vehicle experiences. These advancements could lead to new standards in user experience within the automotive industry and beyond. As the company looks to extend its technological leadership, it's important to consider the long-term implications of these investments, including the potential for increased market share and the creation of new revenue streams.

Combined Cumulative Subscriptions & Bookings Backlog of $661 Million Represents a 2x increase Year-Over-Year

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SoundHound AI, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in voice artificial intelligence, today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2023.

SoundHound AI Reports Record Quarter with 80% Q4 Revenue Growth to $17.1 Million; Adjusted EBITDA Improved by 80% Year-Over-Year in Q4 (Graphic: Business Wire)

“This was a breakthrough year in which SoundHound rapidly integrated powerful new generative AI capabilities. Our real-world voice AI applications are already live and driving consumer engagement across vehicles, devices, and customer service businesses,” said Keyvan Mohajer, CEO and Co-Founder of SoundHound AI. “We also acquired SYNQ3, establishing SoundHound as the largest voice AI provider for restaurants. Our pace and agility amid this AI revolution has put us ahead of the field when it comes to delivering real commercial value.”

Fourth Quarter and Full Year Financial Highlights

• Fourth quarter revenue was $17.1 million, an increase of 80% year-over-year
• Fourth quarter gross margin was 77%, an increase of 6 percentage points year-over-year
• Fourth quarter earnings per share was a net loss of ($0.07), compared to ($0.15) in the prior year, improved by 53%
• Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) was ($3.7) million, compared to ($18.8) million in the prior year, improved by 80%
• Full year revenue was $45.9 million, an increase of 47% year-over-year
• Full year gross margin was 75%, an increase of 6 percentage points year-over-year
• Full year earnings per share was a net loss of ($0.40), compared to ($0.74) in the prior year, and improved by 46%
• Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) was ($35.9) million, compared to ($72.8) million in the prior year, and improved by 51%
• Combined Cumulative Subscriptions and Bookings Backlog¹ customer metric grew to $661 million, up 2x compared to the prior year comparable measure
• Achieved an annual run rate of ~3.5 billion queries, up roughly 50% year-over-year

“We finished the year strong by accelerating revenue and meaningfully increasing our penetration in the marketplace,” said Nitesh Sharan, CFO of SoundHound AI. ”We have fortified our balance sheet and taken prudent measures to strengthen our bottom line to ensure we can continue to capitalize on the tremendous customer demand for our AI solutions.”

Business Highlights

Customer and partners announcements

• Notable, first-of-its-kind revenue contribution in Q4 from a preeminent AI chip company
• Signed contract with a large auto OEM to significantly extend and increase unit volumes through 2037
• Won a deal with a prominent US-based EV maker to voice-enable their full fleet of market-leading vehicles
• SoundHound Chat AI was announced as the world’s first voice assistant with integrated generative AI to go into full production with an automaker. Stellantis’ DS Automobiles will be deploying the technology across all models in 13 languages across 18 countries
• Three additional automotive brands, Peugeot, Opel, and Vauxhall, announced SoundHound Chat AI pilots in Europe
• Custom branded AI voice assistant went live with a new line of vehicles from Togg, a growing Turkish EV car maker
• Telly’s revolutionary dual screen smart TV integrated SoundHound AI voice assistant
• Expanded our portfolio of renowned restaurant brands with enterprise restaurants brands: Jersey Mike's, Krispy Kreme, White Castle, and Church's Chicken
• Expanded agreement with White Castle to go live in 100 drive-thru lanes by the end of this year and announced partnership with Samsung to revolutionize next-gen display technology for voice AI drive-thrus
• In 2023, more than 100 customers adopted our AI restaurant solutions, including mid market brands such as Beef O’Brady’s, Blake’s Lotaburger, Bozzelli's Italian Deli, Bubbakoos Burritos, Chicken Shack, CoreLife Eatery, Dog Haus, Naz’s Halal, and Noi Thai
• Expanded our ecosystem for customer service by adding Oracle MICROS Simphony Point-of-Sale for Restaurants, Toast Point-of-Sale system, and integration with Olo, a leading restaurant SaaS platform
• SoundHound AI is now working with audio experts HME to make its solutions compatible with its world class NEXEO® headsets. HME serves QSRs drive-thrus in over 140 countries, enabling them to fulfill more than 30 million orders every day

Acquisition of SYNQ3

• The combination with SYNQ3 expands SoundHound AI’s customer service offering, creating the largest voice AI provider for restaurants and extending the company’s market reach by an order of magnitude
• The newly joined entity brings nearly two decades of SoundHound’s innovation with decades of SYNQ3’s industry expertise and established customer relationships - accelerating the deployment of leading-edge generative AI capabilities to the industry
• SYNQ3 comes with more than 20 national and multinational chains, such as Chipotle, Casey’s, Applebees, Panda Express, Papa John’s, and Five Guys

Product launches

• Dynamic Interaction with Generative AI, an extension of the company’s groundbreaking multimodal Dynamic Interaction interface
• Smart Answering became generally available, our service that lets any business handle customer service calls with voice AI
• Employee Assist, our voice AI product for restaurant employees using advanced voice technology to coach in-store employees through actions and provide fast answers to critical questions
• SoundHound Chat AI for Automotive, giving drivers and passengers seamless access to a vast array of information domains enabled by complex conversational capabilities
• Vehicle Intelligence, SoundHound’s voice AI-enabled solution for instant hands-free access to car manual
• SoundHound Chat AI, a powerful new voice assistant that delivers best-in-class voice AI by combining SoundHound and third-party Generative AI models

1)

See section ‘Certain Defined Terms' at the end of this press release for additional information.

Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Measures

Three Months Ended (thousands, except per share data)	December 31, 2023				December 31, 20222				Change in %
Revenues	$	17,147			$	9,501				80	%
Operating expenses:
Cost of revenues	$	3,911			$	2,755				42	%
Sales and marketing		4,469				6,744				-34	%
Research and development		12,713				21,528				-41	%
General and administrative		7,641				7,427				3	%
Restructuring		806				-				N/A
Total operating expenses	$	29,540			$	38,454				-23	%
Operating loss	$	(12,393	)		$	(28,953	)			57	%
Net loss	$	(18,003	)		$	(30,881	)			42	%
Net loss per share	$	(0.07	)		$	(0.15	)			0.08
Adjusted EBITDA1	$	(3,676	)		$	(18,821	)			80	%

Full Year 2023 Financial Measures

Twelve Months Ended (thousands, except per share data)	December 31, 2023				December 31, 20222				Change in %
Revenues	$	45,873			$	31,129				47	%
Operating expenses:
Cost of revenues	$	11,307			$	9,599				18	%
Sales and marketing		18,893				20,367				-7	%
Research and development		51,439				76,392				-33	%
General and administrative		28,285				30,443				-7	%
Restructuring		4,557				-				N/A
Total operating expenses	$	114,481			$	136,801				-16	%
Operating loss	$	(68,608	)		$	(105,672	)			35	%
Net loss	$	(88,937	)		$	(116,713	)			24	%
Net loss per share	$	(0.40	)		$	(0.74	)			0.34
Adjusted EBITDA1	$	(35,896	)		$	(72,843	)			51	%

1)		Please see table below for a reconciliation from GAAP to non-GAAP.
2)		Note: the Company identified corrections related to historical financial transactions for certain prior periods, which have been revised. These amounts had no impact on revenue, EPS or adjusted EBITDA for the period noted. Specifically, for the three months ended December 31, 2022, general and administrative expense and total net loss both increased by $201. For the 12 months ended December 31, 2022, general and administrative expense increased by $265 and other income and expense increased by $1,075, resulting in total net loss increasing by $1,340. Further details were included in the company's Form 10-Q filed on November 15, 2023 for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2023.

Summary of Liquidity and Cash Flows

The company’s total cash was approximately $109 million at December 31, 2023. Current total cash balance is in excess of $200 million.

Condensed Cash Flow Statement

Year Ended
(thousands)	December 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
Cash flows:
Net cash used in operating activities	$	(68,265	)		$	(94,019	)
Net cash used in investing activities		(392	)			(1,329	)
Net cash provided by financing activities		168,237				82,001
Net change in cash and cash equivalents1	$	99,560			$	(13,347	)

1)

Foreign exchange impact on cash of ($20) for the period ending December 31, 2023 not shown on chart.

Business Outlook 2024 and 2025

SoundHound expects full year 2024 revenue to be in a range of $63 to $77 million, with a midpoint target of $70 million. The company is also introducing a 2025 outlook, in which it expects its growth to accelerate with revenue exceeding $100 million, achieving positive adjusted EBITDA.

Additional Information

For more information please see the company’s SEC filings which can be obtained on the company’s website at investors.soundhound.com. The financial statements will be posted on the website, and will be included when we file our 10-K. The financial data presented in this press release should be considered preliminary until the company files its 10-K.

Conference Call and Webcast

Keyvan Mohajer, Co-Founder and CEO, and Nitesh Sharan, CFO will host a live audio conference call and webcast today at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time/5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast and replay will also be accessible at investors.soundhound.com.

About SoundHound AI

SoundHound (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in conversational intelligence, offers voice AI solutions that let businesses offer incredible conversational experiences to their customers. Built on proprietary technology, SoundHound’s voice AI delivers best-in-class speed and accuracy in numerous languages to product creators across automotive, TV, and IoT, and to customer service industries via groundbreaking AI-driven products like Smart Answering, Smart Ordering, and Dynamic Interaction™, a real-time, multimodal customer service interface. Along with SoundHound Chat AI, a powerful voice assistant with integrated Generative AI, SoundHound powers millions of products and services, and processes billions of interactions each year for world class businesses.

Forward-Looking Statements and Other Disclosures

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are not historical facts, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “likely,” “will,” “would” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning our expected financial performance, our ability to implement our business strategy and anticipated business and operations, the potential utility of and market for our products and services, our ability to achieve revenue from our cumulative bookings backlog and subscription bookings backlog, and guidance for financial results for 2024 and 2025. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties impacting SoundHound’s business including, our ability to successfully launch and commercialize new products and services and derive significant revenue, our ability to develop the bespoke products and services required under the contracts included in our bookings backlog, including, but not limited to, our ability to convert customer adoption of Smart Ordering into realized revenue, our ability to predict or measure supply chain disruptions at our customers, our market opportunity and our ability to acquire new customers and retain existing customers, the timing and impact of our growth initiatives, level of product service failures that could lead our customers to use competitors’ services, our ability to predict direct and indirect customer demand for our existing and future products, our ability to hire, retain and motivate employees, the effects of competition, including price competition within our industry segment, technological, regulatory and legal developments that uniquely or disproportionately impact our industry segment, developments in the economy and financial markets and those other factors described in our risk factors set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. We do not intend to update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Certain Defined Terms

Cumulative Subscriptions & Bookings Backlog: The Company has updated this metric to incorporate its customer subscriptions activity with previously disclosed Cumulative bookings backlog. Cumulative bookings backlog takes into account the prior quarter end balance of bookings backlog plus new bookings in the current quarter minus associated revenue recognized from bookings from prior periods. Cumulative bookings backlog is derived from committed customer contracts and this definition remains the same as the previous one. Subscriptions backlog refers to potential revenue achievable for the company with current customers where the company is the leading or exclusive provider, and assuming a 4-year ramp up during which time our technologies are being implemented and assuming a successful full roll out of our technologies over a total 5-year duration. Reasonable assumptions about adoption percentages are included, with lower percentages applied to pilot and proof-of-concept customers.

Non-GAAP Measures of Financial Performance

To supplement the company’s financial statements, which are presented on the basis of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the following non-GAAP measure of financial performance is included in this release: adjusted EBITDA. We define Adjusted EBITDA as the company’s GAAP net loss excluding (i) interest and other expense, net, (ii) depreciation and amortization expense, (iii) income taxes, (iv) stock-based compensation, (v) acquisition-related expenses, and (vi) restructuring expense. A reconciliation of GAAP to this adjusted non-GAAP financial measure is included below. When analyzing the company's operating results, investors should not consider non-GAAP measures as substitutes for the comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The Company does not present a quantitative reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures and Adjusted EBITDA, to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure (or otherwise present such forward-looking GAAP measures) because it is impractical to forecast certain items without unreasonable efforts due to the uncertainty and inherent difficulty of predicting, within a reasonable range, the occurrence and financial impact of and the periods in which such items may be recognized.

Fourth Quarter Reconciliation of GAAP Net Loss to Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

Three Months Ended (thousands)
	December 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
GAAP net loss	$	(18,003	)		$	(30,881	)
Adjustments:
OI&E and other1	$	4,003			$	644
Income taxes		1,607				1,284
Depreciation and amortization		372				840
Stock-based compensation		6,486				9,292
Restructuring		806				-
Acquisition-related expenses		1,053				-
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP)	$	(3,676	)		$	(18,821	)

1)

Includes other income/(expense) of $1.5 and $0.5 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Full Year Reconciliation of GAAP Net Loss to Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

Year Ended
(thousands)
	December 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
GAAP net loss	$	(88,937	)		$	(116,713	)
Adjustments:
OI&E and other2	$	16,415			$	8,152
Income taxes		3,914				2,889
Depreciation and amortization		2,313				4,037
Stock-based compensation		24,789				28,792
Restructuring		4,557				-
Acquisition-related expenses		1,053			$	-
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP)	$	(35,896	)		$	(72,843	)

2)

Includes other income/(expense) of $1.2 and ($1.3) million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240229968938/en/

Investors:

Scott Smith

408-724-1498

IR@SoundHound.com

Media:

Fiona McEvoy

415-610-6590

PR@SoundHound.com

Source: SoundHound AI, Inc.

FAQ

What was SoundHound AI's (SOUN) Q4 revenue?

SoundHound AI reported a record Q4 revenue of $17.1 million, representing an 80% increase year-over-year.

How much did SoundHound AI's (SOUN) Adjusted EBITDA improve by in Q4?

Adjusted EBITDA for SoundHound AI improved by 80% in Q4.

What was the full year revenue for SoundHound AI (SOUN)?

SoundHound AI's full year revenue was $45.9 million, showing a 47% increase year-over-year.

What was the growth in combined cumulative subscriptions and bookings backlog for SoundHound AI (SOUN)?

SoundHound AI achieved a 2x increase year-over-year in combined cumulative subscriptions and bookings backlog, reaching $661 million.

What major partnerships did SoundHound AI (SOUN) secure?

SoundHound AI secured partnerships with a leading AI chip company, a large auto OEM, and a US-based EV maker to voice-enable their vehicles.

What innovative AI products did SoundHound AI (SOUN) launch?

SoundHound AI launched innovative AI products like SoundHound Chat AI, Dynamic Interaction with Generative AI, and Smart Answering.

What was the purpose of SoundHound AI's (SOUN) acquisition of SYNQ3?

SoundHound AI acquired SYNQ3 to enhance its customer service offering and become the largest voice AI provider for restaurants.

What is SoundHound AI's (SOUN) current total cash balance?

SoundHound AI's current total cash balance exceeds $200 million.