Cerence Stock Is Repricing Itself

 | Feb 22, 2022 12:30AM ET

Artificial intelligence (AI) mobility and virtual assistants solutions provider Cerence (NASDAQ:CRNC) stock has been decimated since the IPO highs. The company provides AI-powered virtual assistants for companies, especially in the automotive industry.

Cerence envisions the complete digitization of cars as its virtual assistants help improve all aspects of performance entertainment and help bridge the digital life from home to vehicle. The company believes the car is not just a mode of transportation but is transforming into a tool to improve lifestyles in a connected world.

The global chip shortage and supply chain disruption is causing its clients to cut back on production in the near-term further complicated by Omicron, which won’t be resolved until possibly latter part of the year. Prudent investors seeking exposure into the evolution of digitized mobility can watch for opportunistic pullbacks in shares of Cerence.

h2 Fiscal Q1 2022 Earnings Release /h2

On Feb. 7, 2022, Cerence released its fiscal first-quarter 2022 results for the quarter ended December 2021. The company reported an earnings-per-share (EPS) profit of $0.59 versus $0.51 consensus analyst estimates, a $0.08 beat. Revenues fell (-0.6%) year-over-year (YoY) to $94.4 million, missing analyst estimates for $95.1 million.

The company reported the second-largest bookings ever in the quarter and won another China-based two-wheeler customer. Cerence CEO Stefan Ortmanns commented,

“We had a strong start to the fiscal year. Our results underscore the strength of our business and reinforce Cerence as the global leader in unique, moving experiences for the mobility world. We’ve delivered important innovations and leading AI mobility solutions to customers in key markets, and our employees have demonstrated great commitment to supporting our customers and each other.”

h2 Downside 2022 Guidance /h2

Cerence provided fiscal Q2 2022 revenue guidance in line, coming in between $56 million to $58 million versus $56.18 million consensus analyst estimates. The company sees fiscal full-year 2022 revenues between $243 million to $247 million versus $245.36 million.

h2 Conference Call Takeaways /h2

CEO Ortmanns addressed changes in leadership as its prior CEO abruptly stepped down in the quarter as one of the contributing factors for lowered guidance in the near term while positioning to drive longer-term growth. He feels that mobility is evolving rapidly, especially in the automotive industry, as electrification hits a commercial scale in 2022.

Electric vehicles (EV) are mainstreaming worldwide, especially in China, where 15% of all new cars sold are electric. He expects this to be the tipping point to “accelerate the complete digitization of the car.” He elaborated on the vision of car digitization, “Digitization will create new opportunities and challenges."

Get The News You Want
Read market moving news with a personalized feed of stocks you care about.
Get The App

In response, global automakers will accelerate the deployment of innovations and adapt to changing consumer demand and regulatory developments. By the end of this decade, we believe the car will be entirely and commercially redefined as a mobility solution, powered by two key platforms that work seamlessly together: autonomous driving and the digital cockpit and cabin. He said,

"A fully digital cockpit and cabin will transform the experience for both drivers and passengers in a car. It will make possible much more than a driver simply speaking commands. It will make possible convenient, enjoyable, and safe experiences for drivers and passengers, especially as our vehicles bridge our digital lives.

It will create not just an enhanced driving experience, but also include the apps, content, and services we use daily on our phones, in our homes and at work. These new capabilities will certainly occur inside the vehicle, where Cerence today already excels for in-car experiences.”

Cerence will benefit from the use of its AI-powered virtual assistants will be a key component of this evolution. He explains,

“They will also increasingly factor in elements outside the vehicle such as the interactions with other cars, billboards, city infrastructure, pedestrians, and more. Taken together, Cerence will lead the way in the cabin, driver and road AI to keep the driver informed, passengers entertained and cars on the road safe.”