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Cerence (CRNC)
NASDAQ:CRNC

Cerence (CRNC) AI Stock Analysis

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CRNC

Cerence

(NASDAQ:CRNC)

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Neutral 61 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:61Neutral
Price Target:
$13.50
▲(20.97% Upside)
Cerence's overall stock score is driven by a positive earnings call outlook and strong technical indicators. However, financial performance and valuation concerns, including negative profitability and high leverage, weigh on the score.
Positive Factors
Revenue Growth Projections
The projected revenue growth indicates strong demand for Cerence's products and services, suggesting a robust market position and potential for increased market share.
Debt Reduction
Significant debt reduction enhances financial stability and flexibility, allowing Cerence to invest in growth opportunities and reduce financial risk.
Intellectual Property Monetization
Successful IP monetization provides a substantial cash inflow, supporting R&D and strategic initiatives, and demonstrates the value of Cerence's technology assets.
Negative Factors
High Leverage
High leverage can constrain financial flexibility and increase risk, potentially impacting Cerence's ability to invest in growth and weather economic downturns.
Decline in Professional Services Revenue
Declining professional services revenue suggests challenges in this segment, which may affect overall revenue diversification and growth potential.
Ongoing Legal Costs
Continued legal expenses can strain financial resources and distract management, potentially impacting operational efficiency and profitability.

Cerence (CRNC) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Cerence Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCerence Inc. (CRNC) is a leading provider of AI-powered conversational and voice recognition technologies, primarily serving the automotive and mobility sectors. The company specializes in creating innovative solutions that enhance in-car experiences, enabling drivers and passengers to interact with their vehicles through natural language processing and voice commands. Cerence's core products include voice assistants, speech recognition software, and customized mobility solutions that cater to a wide array of automotive manufacturers globally.
How the Company Makes MoneyCerence generates revenue primarily through licensing its voice recognition technologies and software solutions to automotive manufacturers and OEMs. The company typically operates on a subscription and usage-based model, where clients pay for the integration of Cerence's technology into their vehicles. Key revenue streams include software licenses, maintenance and support services, and professional services for customization and integration. Significant partnerships with major automotive companies enhance Cerence's market reach and contribute to its earnings, as these collaborations often lead to long-term contracts and recurring revenue. Additionally, Cerence may benefit from advancements in AI and increased demand for connected vehicle technologies, driving further growth in revenue.

Cerence Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Gross Margin by Segment
Gross Margin by Segment
Shows the percentage of revenue that exceeds the cost of goods sold for each segment, revealing efficiency and pricing power across different parts of the business.
Chart InsightsCerence's Professional Services segment shows a strong upward trend in gross margin, reaching new highs in 2024 and 2025, indicating improved operational efficiency. The License segment remains robust, though slightly volatile, reflecting strategic pricing adjustments. Connected Services experienced a dip in 2024 but is recovering, aligning with Cerence's focus on expanding AI capabilities and partnerships, as highlighted in their earnings call. Despite challenges with fixed license revenue and production delays, the company's strategic advancements and customer momentum suggest a positive outlook for sustained growth.
Data provided by:The Fly

Cerence Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 19, 2025
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Feb 09, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call presented a predominantly positive outlook with strong financial performance, significant debt reduction, and successful monetization of intellectual property. Growth projections for 2026 are optimistic, although challenges remain with declining professional services revenue and ongoing legal costs.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Financial Performance
Revenue for Q4 was $60.6 million, surpassing the projected range of $53 million to $58 million. Full fiscal year revenue reached $251.8 million. Adjusted EBITDA for the year was $48.1 million, doubling initial expectations.
Significant Debt Reduction
Cerence paid down $87.5 million of debt using cash on hand while maintaining a strong cash position for the future.
Intellectual Property Monetization Success
Cerence resolved a suit with Samsung, resulting in a one-time lump sum payment of $49.5 million as part of a cross-license agreement.
Strong Free Cash Flow
Free cash flow grew almost threefold year over year to $46.8 million for the full fiscal year.
Positive Growth Projections for 2026
Expected fiscal year 2026 revenue is in the range of $300 to $320 million, marking a 23% year-over-year increase at the midpoint.
Expansion of Connected Services
Connected services revenue grew 14% year over year, with a 14% increase in the number of connected cars shipped on a trailing twelve-month basis.
Negative Updates
Decline in Professional Services Revenue
Professional services revenue for Q4 was $14.2 million, down 18% year over year, and declined 21% for the full year.
Ongoing Legal Costs
Cerence expects to incur $7 to $8 million in additional legal costs in fiscal year 2026 related to IP litigation.
Company Guidance
During the Cerence Inc. fourth quarter 2025 earnings call, the company provided robust guidance for fiscal year 2026, highlighting expected revenue growth in the range of $300 to $320 million, marking a 23% increase from the previous year. This guidance includes a significant $49.5 million patent license payment from Samsung. The company also anticipates adjusted EBITDA between $50 to $70 million and free cash flow ranging from $56 to $66 million. Cerence expects an 8% growth in its core technology business, excluding professional services, which is projected to decline due to increased efficiency in their newer technology offerings. The company continues to focus on IP monetization as a revenue stream and expects to see growth in its non-automotive business towards the end of fiscal 2026.

Cerence Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Cerence's financial performance is mixed. While there is slight revenue growth and improved cash flow, profitability remains a concern with negative net income and high leverage. The company needs to enhance operational efficiency and reduce debt to improve its financial health.
Income Statement
45
Neutral
Cerence's income statement shows a mixed performance. The company has experienced a slight revenue growth of 2.37% in the most recent year, but it has struggled with profitability, as indicated by a negative net profit margin of -7.43%. The gross profit margin remains healthy at 72.07%, suggesting efficient cost management. However, the negative EBIT and EBITDA margins highlight ongoing operational challenges.
Balance Sheet
50
Neutral
The balance sheet reveals a high debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44, indicating significant leverage, which could pose financial risks. The return on equity is negative at -12.42%, reflecting the company's inability to generate profits from shareholders' equity. Despite these challenges, the equity ratio stands at a moderate level, suggesting a balanced asset structure.
Cash Flow
55
Neutral
Cerence's cash flow statement shows improvement in free cash flow growth at 12.17%, indicating better cash generation capabilities. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is 0.60, which is a positive sign of cash flow stability. However, the free cash flow to net income ratio of 0.77 suggests that while cash flow is improving, profitability remains a concern.
BreakdownTTMDec 2025Dec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022
Income Statement
Total Revenue251.78M251.78M331.50M294.48M327.89M
Gross Profit181.47M181.47M242.07M193.46M219.21M
EBITDA11.95M11.95M-561.43M-5.58M-160.42M
Net Income-18.71M-18.71M-588.08M-56.25M-310.83M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets630.59M630.59M702.36M1.30B1.32B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments87.45M87.45M126.99M110.36M115.16M
Total Debt217.12M217.12M295.24M289.33M286.82M
Total Liabilities479.92M479.92M561.26M602.72M605.54M
Stockholders Equity150.68M150.68M141.10M694.88M712.95M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow46.82M46.82M12.20M2.37M-19.58M
Operating Cash Flow61.17M61.17M17.20M7.50M-2.14M
Investing Cash Flow-10.55M-10.55M4.38M5.82M-10.56M
Financing Cash Flow-87.00M-87.00M225.00K-5.33M-19.61M

Cerence Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price11.16
Price Trends
50DMA
10.81
Negative
100DMA
10.75
Negative
200DMA
9.94
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.28
Positive
RSI
47.02
Neutral
STOCH
10.27
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CRNC, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 11.16 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 11.17, above the 50-day MA of 10.81, and above the 200-day MA of 9.94, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.28 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 47.02 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 10.27 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for CRNC.

Cerence Risk Analysis

Cerence disclosed 37 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Cerence reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Cerence Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
73
Outperform
$462.00M55.443.87%4.42%165.42%
61
Neutral
$37.18B12.37-10.20%1.83%8.50%-7.62%
61
Neutral
$501.52M-22.50-12.83%-24.05%96.90%
52
Neutral
$544.62M-15.64-44.64%17.34%-8.35%
50
Neutral
$482.90M-2.13-17.50%-51.25%
48
Neutral
$4.67B-13.17-90.15%120.52%-124.81%
* Technology Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CRNC
Cerence
10.72
3.14
41.42%
MITK
Mitek Systems
10.24
-0.86
-7.75%
VERI
Veritone
4.86
2.68
122.94%
WEAV
Weave Communications
6.86
-8.75
-56.05%
SOUN
SoundHound AI, Inc Class A
10.99
-7.87
-41.73%

Cerence Corporate Events

Legal Proceedings
Cerence Settles Patent Dispute with Samsung
Positive
Nov 3, 2025

Cerence, a company involved in patent disputes with Samsung, resolved its legal battles through a cross-license agreement. This agreement, reached on October 28, 2025, required Samsung to make a one-time payment of $49.5 million to Cerence, concluding a series of lawsuits filed by both parties over patent infringements.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Dec 09, 2025