Yelp (YELP) Acquires Hatch for $270 Million to Boost AI Transformation
- Acquisition Overview: Yelp announced its acquisition of AI-driven customer management platform Hatch for approximately $270 million in cash, with an additional $30 million in employee retention payments over two to three years, highlighting the company's commitment to the AI sector.
- Strategic Importance: CEO Jeremy Stoppelman stated that this acquisition is a significant step in Yelp's AI transformation, aimed at accelerating the strategy to provide powerful new AI tools to local businesses and enhancing its SaaS offerings.
- Hatch Performance Highlights: As of November 2025, Hatch achieved about $25 million in annual recurring revenue, demonstrating its effectiveness in improving customer communication and conversion rates while helping businesses reduce overhead costs.
- Transaction Timeline: Yelp expects the deal to close in early February, at which point Hatch will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Yelp, further integrating its AI solutions to enhance market competitiveness.
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- Acquisition Overview: Yelp announced its acquisition of AI-driven customer management platform Hatch for approximately $270 million in cash, with an additional $30 million in employee retention payments over two to three years, highlighting the company's commitment to the AI sector.
- Strategic Importance: CEO Jeremy Stoppelman stated that this acquisition is a significant step in Yelp's AI transformation, aimed at accelerating the strategy to provide powerful new AI tools to local businesses and enhancing its SaaS offerings.
- Hatch Performance Highlights: As of November 2025, Hatch achieved about $25 million in annual recurring revenue, demonstrating its effectiveness in improving customer communication and conversion rates while helping businesses reduce overhead costs.
- Transaction Timeline: Yelp expects the deal to close in early February, at which point Hatch will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Yelp, further integrating its AI solutions to enhance market competitiveness.

- List Announcement: Yelp has released its 2026 Top 100 Restaurants list, with Ci Siamo in New York City taking the top spot for its classic Roman pasta, highlighting strong consumer demand for high-quality dining experiences.
- Regional Distribution: Texas leads the list with 17 restaurants, including seven in Houston, reflecting the vibrant growth of the local dining culture and contributing to economic development in the area.
- Pricing Trends: Approximately 65% of the honorees are priced under $30 per person, indicating a consumer preference for budget-friendly yet high-quality meals, which also promotes diversity in the dining industry.
- Technological Innovation: Yelp has introduced new AI tools, such as Yelp Assistant and Menu Vision, enhancing user dining experiences by making it easier for consumers to discover and choose restaurants, thereby strengthening the platform's competitive edge.
Put Contract Overview: The $30.00 put contract for YELP has a bid of 80 cents, allowing investors to buy shares at a cost basis of $29.20, which is a 4% discount from the current price of $31.26. There is a 64% chance the contract may expire worthless, offering a potential 2.67% return on cash commitment.
Call Contract Overview: The $33.00 call contract has a bid of $1.30, and if shares are purchased at $31.26 and the call is sold, it could yield a total return of 9.72% if exercised. There is a 48% chance this contract may also expire worthless, providing a potential 4.16% additional return.
Volatility Insights: The implied volatility for the put contract is 37% and for the call contract is 36%, while the actual trailing twelve-month volatility is calculated at 35%.
YieldBoost Concept: Both the put and call contracts offer a "YieldBoost," with the put providing a 3.96% annualized return if it expires worthless, and the call offering a 6.17% annualized return under similar conditions.

- Conference Presentation: Yelp Inc. will present at the Raymond James TMT & Consumer Conference on December 9, 2025, at 9:20 a.m. Eastern Time, showcasing its latest developments in connecting local businesses.
- Investor Relations: The live and archived webcasts of the presentation will be available on the company's investor relations website, ensuring timely access to information and enhancing transparency and trust with investors.
- Availability of Information: The archived webcast will remain accessible for 180 days post-presentation, allowing investors who missed the live event to review the content, thereby increasing engagement between the company and its investors.
- Company Background: Founded in 2004, Yelp is dedicated to connecting consumers with local businesses through a community-driven platform, helping users make informed spending decisions and highlighting its significance in the local business information landscape.
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Yelp's AI Enhancements: Yelp has introduced significant AI updates, including Yelp Assistant, which now answers questions about local businesses, and Menu Vision, which allows users to scan menus for photos and reviews of dishes.
AI-Powered Call Services: The company launched Yelp Host and Yelp Receptionist, AI solutions designed to handle incoming calls for restaurants and local businesses, allowing staff to focus on customer service.
Natural Language and Voice Search: New features support conversational queries and voice search, enhancing user experience by providing more relevant results and making the platform more interactive.
Expanded Features for Businesses: Additional updates include AI-grouped before and after photos, review insights, and AI-powered response quality badges, all aimed at improving consumer-business interactions and streamlining operations.







