Miso Robotics stock: Is an IPO coming soon?

Wondering how to invest in Miso Robotics stock? 

You aren't alone — Miso Robotics has some exciting automation projects in the pipeline and has raised plenty of cash from venture capital investors. But if you're having trouble finding a Miso Robotics stock price chart on Benzinga, don't fret — it doesn't exist yet. 

Company shares aren't publicly traded, but in this article, you'll learn what's in store for this innovative company, when it should go public and how accredited investors can still get their hands on some Miso Robotics shares.

What is Miso Robotics?

Have you ever dreamt about having a robot butler who cooks White Castle cheeseburgers? 

Well, Miso Robotics has thought about it, too. The company made it a reality with its modular frying robot named (of course) Flippy.

Based in Pasadena, California, Miso Robotics is an automation technology company focused on solutions for kitchens and restaurants. “Where AI meets culinary innovation” is the firm's tagline, and it's stuck true to its mission with four operational products: Flippy, Chippy, Sippy and CookRight.

• Flippy: Miso's first robot was an automated fry cooker known as Flippy, which operated like a typical fry station at a QSR restaurant. Flippy can operate up to five fryers at once, and Miso claims it produces 30% more fried food than human-staffed kitchens in half the prep time.
• Chippy: A high-volume cousin of Flippy, Chippy is a culinary innovation designed for fast frying of items that need seasoning, like tortilla chips. Chippy also has an automatic dispenser for sauces that also stores cold or frozen food.
• Sippy: You can probably guess which area of the kitchen Sippy serves. Sippy is an automated point-of-sale (POS) beverage server that can arrange cups by size, pour beverages and add ice for instantly servable drinks. Sippy can reduce waste from over-pouring (or adding too much ice) and decrease wait times by organizing drinks for expedient service, making it ideal for fast food restaurants.
• CookRight: CookRight may not fit the rhyme scheme, but it can certainly fit any restaurant that wants to improve its efficiency with hot drinks. Coffee is CookRight's specialty, offering AI solutions that prevent waste and ensure customers always get a hot, fresh cup. The system provides owners with essential metrics like volume and temperature and uses this data in its predictive analytics.

Products like Flippy and Chippy are currently in use at major United States restaurant chains like White Castle, Buffalo Wild Wings and Chipotle Mexican Grill NYSE: CMG. 

Additionally, Miso Robotics stocks several current accolades from tech publications, including back-to-back Most Innovative Company awards from business magazine Fast Company and the 2022 Startup of the Year award from Hackernoon. They also recently announced a partnership with sanitation savants Ecolab Inc. NYSE: ECL, and the most recent funding rounds put the Miso Robotics valuation around $500 million.

Understanding Miso Robotics stock performance

As of this writing, Miso Robotics remains a privately held company with no way for retail investors to gain exposure. Since it's a private company, gauging the value of company stock is complicated. While the Miso Robotics valuation sits around $500 million, only the private investors in the company know how to mark the value of their holdings. 

When will Miso Robotics have its IPO?

When will Miso Robotics go public? The answer is something only company executives know. The company has had several funding rounds financed by venture capital and private investors, plus a recent additional funding agreement with Ecolab. As of this writing, there are no current rumblings about an upcoming Miso Robotics IPO, so any interested retail investor must carefully watch company news and actions for hints about a potential public offering.

Factors driving Miso Robotics stock

If news of an IPO ever does come floating out of Pasadena, Miso Robotics stock will be a desirable security. AI headwinds are now stronger than ever, and companies looking to reduce overhead costs (like fast food restaurants) have shown great interest in Miso Robotics' technologies.

Future factors influencing AI and automation in the restaurant industry will likely include:

• Speed of innovation
• Market demand and partnerships
• Government regulation

A Miso Robotics IPO is more likely to occur when the three above factors create an inviting environment for public capital. Despite its impressive innovation, Miso Robotics is putting machines into businesses operating in a notoriously unforgiving industry.

Challenges and risks facing Miso Robotics

The restaurant industry is difficult, and partnerships will be key for companies like Miso Robotics where the primary products serve a specific niche. Miso Robotics will face competition from other automation innovators and needs to choose partners with brand recognition and strong financials. Chains and fast food restaurants are facing unique challenges due to changing customer preferences.

Additionally, these machines can potentially displace large numbers of workers, which governments and unions like Restaurant Workers United will closely monitor. Regulation will always loom over this sector as the legislation will likely struggle to keep up with the innovation. 

Future outlook and growth potential

Despite the risks and challenges, Miso Robotics has intriguing potential for investors. If the company continues to expand into more recognizable chains like White Castle and Buffalo Wild Wings, the appetite for the stock should be plentiful.

It's not hard to imagine a future where fully-automated restaurants serve drive-thru and takeout customers. Miso Robotics and the Cali Group recently announced plans for CaliExpress, a fully automated restaurant near the company's headquarters in Pasadena. Customers enter orders at kiosks and watch the Miso Robotics machines cook their meals in a museum-type atmosphere. Limited reservations are available now, but the success (or lack thereof) could catalyze the company's IPO push.

Investment considerations for Miso Robotics stock 

If you want to invest in Miso Robotics IPO (or any IPO for that reason), you'll need to consider the following:

• Risk tolerance: New issues often are highly volatile in their early trading days. Can your portfolio handle a volatile new security?
• Time horizon: Early investors often are subject to lockup periods where shares can’t be sold until a specific date. Additionally, IPOs often underperform the market during this lockup period as retail investors wait out the eventual price dip upon lockout expiration. 
• Market sentiment: Is the environment right for a trendy tech IPO? The IPO market dried up considerably in 2022 when tech stocks entered a prolonged bear market as capital dried up and risk was taken off the table. Even the best companies and ideas will struggle if economic or market sentiment is sluggish or negative.

Can you buy Miso Robotics stock?

The Miso Robotics stock symbol isn't one you’ll find on any brokerage app or stock research outlet. Despite their artificial intelligence innovations and robotics progress, the company is not available on public exchanges. 

Miso Robotics is a privately held company, which means shares are only available to accredited investors during various series funding rounds. Series rounds are designated by letter, meaning investors in the first funding round receive Series A shares, then Series B shares in the second round, and so on. If you're an accredited investor, you may have some avenues to buy Miso Robotics stock, but traditional investors currently have no path.

Should you buy Miso Robotics stock?

An AI robotics stock like Miso Robotics will be a hot commodity in any market, but should you buy it? The answer depends on your goals and risk tolerance as an investor. Accredited investors typically have higher risk tolerances than the retail crowd, which makes private companies with innovative stories like Miso Robotics attractive. However, promising technology can prove unprofitable and private company financials are always more opaque than their public counterparts. If you're an accredited investor, thoroughly research companies like Miso Robotics before putting any capital to work.

How to buy Miso Robotics stock as an accredited investor

Accredited investors don't need to wait for a Miso Robotics IPO to buy company shares. Miso recently announced a new $5 million funding round filled in only nine days, but accredited investors can still find opportunities to buy in by contacting the firm directly. 

Note that accreditation doesn't mean access to easy winners. Accredited investors usually have a tremendous amount of capital at their disposal and can better manage the risks of private companies. Private investments may produce big winners, but information is often opaque, shares are illiquid, and the risk of failure is high.

How to buy Miso Robotics stock as a retail investor

You'll have fruitless results if you’re an individual investor searching for a Miso Robotics stock price on your brokerage app. Miso Robotics is not currently available to public retail investors as a private company. Only accredited investors who can capitalize on private funding rounds can access a Miso Robotics investment. Retail investors must wait until the company announces an IPO on public exchanges.

5 related robotics stocks to invest in

Miso Robotics might not be publicly traded, but plenty of other robot technology stocks with promise are available to retail investors. Here are five companies worth a glance if you want exposure to the robotics and AI sector.

Rockwell Automation Inc.

Rockwell Automation Inc. NYSE: ROK is one of the oldest companies in the robotics industry, with roots tracing back to 1903. With a market cap nearing $35 billion, Rockwell is also one of the biggest public robotics companies in the world. 

The company has two exciting divisions investors should pay attention to: intelligent devices, which offers made-to-order industrial products and software and control, which has hardware and software solutions for infrastructure, network security and information technology. Institutions have been acquiring shares since Q3 2023.

Emerson Electric Co.

Emerson Electric Co. NYSE: EMR is another legacy engineering company making new strides in robotics and AI. Founded in 1890, Emerson has a $55 billion market cap and products in multiple industries like oil and gas, automobiles, food and beverage, mining and life sciences. The company's automation solutions segment sells measurement instruments, industrial equipment and process control systems.

Gentex Corp.

Gentex Corp. NASDAQ: GNTX manufactures automotive supplies and accessories. Its main product line is dimmable rearview mirrors for commercial, industrial and personal vehicles. Still, it also offers fire protection systems in commercial and residential buildings, plus specialty windows for airlines and airplane manufacturers. GNTX has a $7.5 billion market cap and has operated out of its Zeeland, Michigan headquarters since 1974. 

Check out analyst projections of Gentex’s Q2 2024 earnings. 

Intuitive Surgical Inc. 

You can't mention robotics without discussing the healthcare industry, and Intuitive Surgical Inc. NASDAQ: ISRG has been a leader in this space since its formation in 1995. The company produces the da Vinci Surgical System, a robotic surgeon assistant platform. 

The da Vinci machine has mechanical arms and a 3D camera system that allows for more precise and minimally invasive operations, reducing recovery times, scarring and overall outcomes. ISRG has been one of the sector's biggest success stories, and analysts still love the stock's upside.

Symbiotic Inc.

Symbotic Inc. NASDAQ: SYM specializes in automated warehouse solutions, using robotics and artificial intelligence to increase storage and inventory efficiency. Based in Wilmington, Massachusetts, the company has a global client base, which includes major grocers and retailers like Albertsons, Target Corp. NYSE: TGT and Walmart Inc. NYSE: WMT. Symbotic has a $28 billion market cap and currently boasts Buy ratings from eight analysts, with a consensus price target of $52, with an upside projection of about 10%.

5 ETFs with exposure to robotics

Is Miso Robotics a good investment? 

Like any individual stock, an investment in a single firm always carries more risk than a basket of assets. If you want exposure to the robotics sector but don't want to pick stocks, plenty of ETFs and mutual funds can meet your needs. 

Thematic ETFs carry higher expense rates than broad-market ETFs, and you'll need to research the holdings and fund objectives beforehand. Don't expect to find high-dividend payouts with these funds, either. However, ETFs are great investment vehicles for volatile sectors like AI and robotics. Here are five of our favorite robotics funds.

First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence and Robotics ETF

The First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence and Robotics ETF NASDAQ: ROBT is one of the top ETFs in the robotics sector, with over $400 million in assets under management (AUM) and a moderate expense rate of 0.65%. The fund invests in robotics and AI companies worldwide, with 58% U.S. stocks, 12% Japanese stocks, and the rest distributed across Europe, North America and Asia. The fund holds 106 stocks in total and pays a 0.31% dividend yield.

Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF

Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF NASDAQ: BOTZ is the biggest ETF with a robotics and AI theme. Since its launch in 2016, the fund has amassed over $2 billion in AUM and trades over 1 million daily shares on average. 

The expense rate of 0.68% is slightly higher than ROBT, but the fund has more international holdings, including Japanese tech giant Keyence Corp OTC: KYCCF and Swiss manufacturer ABB Ltd NYSE: ABBNY. Over 65% of the stocks reside in the tech or industrial sector.

ROBO Global Robotics & Automation ETF 

One of the space's veterans is ROBO Global Robotics & Automation ETF NYSE: ROBO, which began trading in 2013 and currently has more than $1.3 billion in AUM. ROBO is the most expensive fund on our list, with a hefty 0.95% expense ratio, but it is also the most internationally diverse. Only 42% of the holdings are domestic companies, and it focuses more on the industry's machinery and equipment companies.

Companies mentioned above, like Symbotic, Rockwell Automation and Intuitive Surgical, are also among the fund's holdings.

VanEck Robotics ETF

VanEck Robotics ETF NASDAQ: IBOT is the newest entrant to this market sector, having launched on April 5, 2023. In its first few months of operation, the fund amassed nearly $3 million in assets and has a variety of domestic and international holdings. One of the best perks is the expense ratio of 0.47%, one of the lowest you'll find with a tech-themed ETF. With its investment approach, IBOT focuses on semiconductors and software, and nearly half of its holdings would be classified as information technology.

iShares Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Multisector ETF

iShares Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Multisector ETF NYSE: IRBO seems to have an ETF for everything, so naturally, they have a quality robotics ETF with a diverse group of holdings and a fair expense ratio (0.47%). The fund has more than $470 million in assets and more exposure to Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong than most other funds on our list.

Just under 52% of the holdings are American companies, including AI behemoths like NVIDIA Corp. NASDAQ: NVDA and Meta Platforms Inc. NASDAQ: META. You'll also get a dividend yield payout of 0.61%, higher than most robotics ETFs.  

Investing in Miso Robotics isn’t possible yet, but investors have plenty of options in this industry

If you're asking, “Should I invest in Miso Robotics?” the answer depends on investor status. Since Miso Robotics isn’t publicly traded, only accredited investors can access the company's various private funding rounds. However, the robotics industry has some serious tailwinds thanks to AI, and investors have many different vehicles where they can put some capital to work. When that Miso stock price finally hits the market, you can research it here on MarketBeat.

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