SPAC vs. IPO: Market Update

SPAC Transactions

The numbers alone speak volumes. As of mid-September 2020, 95 SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies) with a valuation of approximately $35 billion had priced year to date, shattering “all previous records,” said Craig Clay, President of Global Capital Markets for Donnelley Financial Solutions. In contrast, he said, for the full year of 2019, 59 SPACs had priced, and even this represented a sizeable increase over 46 in 2018 and 34 in 2017.

DFIN Highlights SPAC Growth in Recent Webinar

The market for SPACs, or special purpose acquisition companies, is “shattering all previous records,” according to Craig Clay, President of Global Capital Markets for Donnelley Financial Solutions. In a September 16th webinar hosted by J. P. Morgan, Clay noted that as of mid-September, 95 SPACs with a valuation of approximately $35 billion (£25 billion) had priced year to date. What’s more, 43 other SPACs are currently on file with the SEC, pending pricing. This stands in dramatic contrast to 2019, when just 59 SPACs were priced during the full 12-month period.

How Smarter Redaction is Transforming Due Diligence. For the Better.

Recently, a surge in AI-powered virtual data rooms (VDRs) have proved helpful in optimizing due diligence tasks like redaction. Data redaction tools have emerged to remove key terms quickly and relatively easily, saving sellers time and energy. Where these tools fall short, however, is in their ability to eliminate much of the manual effort still needed to structure and guide how information is redacted.

Data Protection in Transition: GDPR, CCPA and Comparable Data Protection Laws

Since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) took effect in May 2018, companies around the globe have been struggling to understand and meet the standards of this regulation, while additional legislation around the world continues to evolve and new policies are passed into law.

What Are Virtual Data Rooms Used For?

Control and security
Most of us are familiar with file sharing sites, having used them in our personal lives.

These services allow users to create, store and share files in a cloud-based repository that syncs in real-time across all devices. Users have some control over who can access, share, download and edit files, but that’s mostly where the control starts and stops.

Five Things You Didn't Know You Could Do With Venue (DFIN's Virtual Data Room)

Let artificial intelligence do the heavy lifting

As with most established technologies, recent evolutions of the VDR incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning. DFIN’s Venue, however, is the only solution that intuitively adapts to your specific needs. It has a number of AI functions that create significant efficiencies, drive increased accuracy and give you more insight into your business and data.

Same Battle, Different Field: A Conversation With Our Chief Information Security Officer

For almost a decade, Dannie Combs’ day-to-day decisions had life-or-death implications. In his role with the United States Air Force, Combs managed cybersecurity operations and information risk activities for military and governmental organizations as a member of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, National Security Agency, Air Intelligence Agency, and more, participating in missions ranging from homeland defense to offensive operations around the world.

Pitch Perfect: Why a Powerful Brand Story is Essential for IPO Success

Scott Pinkner has assisted with many IPOs over his career. As a managing director at DFIN, he and his team of experts have helped many firms navigate their transition from private to public companies.

Under Pressure: New GDPR Rule Makes Data Security a Critical C-Suite Concern

Here’s news worth monitoring. Ohio lawmakers passed a handful of bills before heading into the 2018 summer break. One of those, Senate Bill 220, includes legal protection for companies that suffer a data breach, provided they had reasonable security controls in place when the incident occurred. Governor John Kasich signed the legislation in early August.

All Together Now: AI-Powered Security Orchestration Delivers Significant Benefits

It’s a familiar tune, with a twist. In today’s fast-paced digital world, there’s an ever-growing demand for cybersecurity to become more automated, integrated and accelerated. Now, industry stakeholders like Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN) are responding with security orchestration — a shift in the application of technology that allows security tools to work together seamlessly as an independent system, with minimal human involvement.