First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund vs SoundHound AI Inc — how do they compare? First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund trades at $306.13, while SoundHound AI Inc trades at $6.43 (market cap $2.85B). The key difference: First Trust NASDAQ 100 Technology Index Fund is trading nearer its 52-week high, SoundHound AI Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| QTEC | SOUN | |
|---|---|---|
Sector | Broad Market / Factor | Technology |
52-Week High | $335.74 | $21.40 |
52-Week Low | $207.03 | $5.90 |
Market Cap | — | $2.85B |
Enterprise Value | — | $2.64B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
QTEC, the First Trust NASDAQ-100-Technology Sector ETF, trades at $301.50, up 0.53% on the day. The technical outlook is bearish, with moving averages signaling a downtrend and key support at $285. Recent news highlights its role as a smart beta ETF providing broad technology sector exposure since its 2006 launch, though some reports question if recent large sales signal caution around overheated AI and chip stocks.
The ETF's outlook is clouded by bearish technicals and sector concentration risks, but its equal-weighted access to top tech firms offers targeted exposure. Key risks include market volatility and sector-specific headwinds, while the neutral oscillator readings suggest potential for stabilization near current levels.
SoundHound AI (SOUN) trades at $6.31, up 0.64% today, but remains down 37% year-to-date. The stock shows a bearish technical trend with neutral oscillators. Fundamentally, revenue grew to $168.92 million in 2025, but net losses widened to -$14.01 million. Recent news highlights its leadership in conversational AI, yet concerns over cash burn persist. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $13.00 price target, indicating significant potential upside from current levels.
Outlook: High growth potential in voice AI markets contrasts with persistent losses and negative cash flow. Investment opportunity lies in market expansion and acquisitions, but risks include execution challenges and sustained cash burn. Investors should weigh the bullish analyst targets against the company's current unprofitability and high valuation multiples.
Trailing returns across standard periods
QTEC is an ETF that seeks to track the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index. The fund provides targeted exposure to companies within the NASDAQ-100 that are classified as technology or telecommunications companies, focusing on firms involved in software, hardware, and related services. QTEC is a tool for investors seeking focused exposure to high-growth, large-cap technology companies listed on the NASDAQ exchange.
Read more on QTEC →SoundHound AI, Inc. is a leading innovator in voice artificial intelligence, specializing in conversational intelligence technology. The company develops a platform that allows businesses to add custom voice assistants and natural language processing capabilities to their products and services, ranging from in-car systems and smart speakers to mobile apps and IoT devices. SoundHound's core technology, including its proprietary speech recognition and natural language understanding models, aims to enable fast, accurate, and deeply integrated voice AI experiences across various industries.
Read more on SOUN →