SoundHound AI Inc said Tuesday it reached a definitive agreement to acquire LivePerson, and the announcement coincided with a 4.3% decline in SoundHound's shares.
The Santa Clara-based voice AI company agreed to acquire LivePerson for an equity value of $43 million, which the companies say represents roughly a 22% premium to LivePerson's 30-day volume-weighted average price. After accounting for substantial discounts on LivePerson's remaining debt, the firms say the transaction implies a total enterprise value of about $250 million.
Management framed the deal as a product- and scale-oriented combination: SoundHound's voice AI platform paired with LivePerson's digital engagement technology, which currently handles one billion customer messages each month. The combined business will support enterprise customers in more than 30 countries and counts among its clients 12 of the top 15 global banks, four of the top five global airlines and four of the top five global automakers.
On the balance-sheet side, SoundHound expects to receive $74 million of LivePerson's cash balance at closing, prior to the repayment of LivePerson's 2026 Convertible Senior Notes. The companies say the merged entity will have a strengthened balance sheet and will carry no debt after SoundHound retires the discounted debt using a mix of cash and equity.
SoundHound provided forward revenue targets tied to the transaction. The company expects its 2027 revenue range to be at least $350 million to $400 million, with no less than $100 million attributable to LivePerson's customers. Based on the existing customer base alone, the combined company said it expects to reach $500 million in revenue.
Keyvan Mohajer, CEO and Co-Founder of SoundHound AI, described the deal as bringing together two complementary conversational AI pioneers, saying the move is transformational for both companies.
The transaction is anticipated to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. This will be SoundHound's fifth strategic acquisition, following earlier integrations including Amelia and Interactions.
What this means
- SoundHound is combining voice-first AI capabilities with a high-volume messaging platform to expand enterprise reach across banking, airlines and automotive customers.
- The deal includes a modest equity purchase price for LivePerson and relies on significant discounts to its outstanding debt to reach the stated enterprise value.
- SoundHound has set explicit 2027 revenue expectations and outlined a plan to retire LivePerson's discounted debt, aiming for a debt-free combined balance sheet.