Overview
- SoundHound, which announced a definitive deal Tuesday, will acquire LivePerson for $43 million with closing targeted for the second half of 2026 pending regulatory and customary approvals.
- The structure absorbs LivePerson’s $74 million cash and uses cash and stock to retire discounted liabilities so the combined company plans to operate with no debt, implying about a $250 million enterprise value.
- Executives say the merger unites voice and agentic AI with high‑volume digital messaging to serve enterprises in more than 30 countries, including 25 Fortune 100 companies, through one system across calls, chat, web, and mobile apps.
- Management projects $350 million to $400 million in 2027 revenue and outlines a $500 million cross‑sell opportunity, while shares fell roughly 4% after the announcement as investors weighed execution and profitability timelines.
- Advisors on the deal include Barclays and Latham & Watkins for SoundHound and Lazard and Fried, Frank for LivePerson, and coverage notes the tie‑up could simplify vendor sprawl for large support teams by consolidating voice and digital channels.