Latest Spotlights

2023: A Record Year for Charter and Bylaw Amendments

The number of companies changing their governing documents in 2023 (both their charter and bylaws) was the most in any single year since Deal Point Data (DPD) began tracking this activity on January 1, 2017. The increase in filing activity is largely driven by three issues. Read more

A Review of Proxy Fight Outcomes Under the Universal Proxy Rules

With the outcome determined for all but one annual meeting proxy fight for companies subject to the universal proxy card (UPC) rules, we take the opportunity to examine the full-year results of 2023 proxy fights – the first full year under which the UPC rules were in effect. Read more

The Purpose of Poison Pills

Poison pills are back in the news with an increase in litigation surrounding the device, raising the question of what their proper use is. We examine why and for what purpose poison pills are being used. Read more

IPO Breaks Drought for New Publicly Traded Public Benefit Corporations

In the latest sign the US IPO market may be emerging from the doldrums, a noteworthy event occurred this month: a public benefit corporation ("PBC") completed an IPO. Sezzle Inc., which has elected to be a public benefit corporation under Delaware law, priced its IPO and began trading on the Nasdaq exchange on August 16th. Sezzle's IPO ends what had been a 21-month drought for IPOs completed by PBCs. Read more

Latest Trends in Antitrust Termination Fees

As the M&A regulatory environment has tightened over the last few years, we have seen a significant increase in the inclusion of antitrust termination fees in definitive M&A agreements. An antitrust termination fee is a termination fee potentially payable by the acquirer if the transaction cannot close due to lack of regulatory approval. Essentially, if the deal is blocked by a regulatory agency then the acquirer would be required to pay the antitrust termination fee to the target. Read more

IPO Doldrums

The IPO market has seen a significant downturn since the SPAC-led highs of 2021. The charts and statistics below bring this downturn into sharp focus and illustrate the poor condition of the US IPO market. Read more

Latest Trends in Antitrust Termination Fees

As the M&A regulatory environment has tightened over the last few years, we have seen a significant increase in the inclusion of antitrust termination fees in definitive M&A agreements. An antitrust termination fee is a termination fee potentially payable by the acquirer if the transaction cannot close due to lack of regulatory approval. Essentially, if the deal is blocked by a regulatory agency then the acquirer would be required to pay the antitrust termination fee to the target. Read more

SPAC Market Study 2022 – 1st Quarter Update

SPAC deal activity fell sharply in Q1 2022. The number of priced SPAC IPOs dropped from 163 in Q4 2021 to 55 in Q1 2022. Only 34 de-SPAC M&A deals were announced in Q1 compared with 61 in Q4. At the same time the number of withdrawn SPAC deals surged in Q1. Withdrawn SPAC IPOs in Q1 (61) exceeded priced SPAC IPOs (55), and there were 17 withdrawn de-SPAC M&A deals in Q1 vs 28 completed de-SPACs. In addition, there were significant changes involving the use of Termination Fees, PIPE investments, Warrant Coverage, and Acquisition Terms/Durations on SPAC deals in Q1. Read more

SPAC Market Study 2021 – 4th Quarter Year-End Update

In our year-end update we researched SPAC IPO and de-SPAC M&A activity through December 31st. While the number of SPAC IPOs and de-SPAC M&A deals remained relatively robust in Q4 the average size of these deals is dropping. The average size of SPAC IPOs dropped in Q4 for the 3rd consecutive quarter to $176.8 million in average gross proceeds. At the same time the large, mega de-SPAC M&A deals seen in the first 3 quarters were noticeably absent in Q4. No de-SPAC deals announced in Q4 cracked the top 25 all-time largest de-SPACs, resulting in a significant drop in the average size of de-SPAC deals from $2.73B in Q3 to $1.25B in Q4. Read more

SPAC Market Study 2021 – 3rd Quarter Update

In our 3rd Quarter Update to the initial SPAC Market Study released in April we researched SPAC IPO and de-SPAC M&A activity through September 30th. While it doesn’t look like the torrid pace of SPAC activity in Q1 will return anytime soon, activity did rebound in Q3 to 88 priced SPAC IPOs from 64 in Q2. We also saw many of the largest de-SPAC M&A deals of all time announced in Q3, including MSP Recovery ($32.5B), Polestar ($20B), and Aurora Innovation ($11B). Despite these very large deals being announced, there is still plenty of SPAC dry powder available for more acquisitions in Q4 and into 2022. As of Sept 30th there were 452 SPAC IPOs still seeking a target, representing a total of $115.1B in gross proceeds raised. Read more

SPAC Market Study 2021 – 2nd Quarter Update

In our 2nd Quarter Update to the initial SPAC Market Study released in April we researched SPAC IPO and de-SPAC M&A activity through June 30th. Although increased scrutiny from the SEC certainly decelerated the pace of SPAC deal activity from Q1 to Q2, many of the largest de-SPAC M&A deals of all time were announced in Q2, and the level of activity was still very robust in comparison to previous years. Read more

Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) Market Study 2021

Deal Point Data researched every Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) that filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2021. We observed these deals throughout the SPAC lifecycle – from registration to IPO pricing to the announcement of a de-SPAC M&A transaction. We reviewed the relevant stock purchase agreements, asset purchase agreements or merger agreements to evaluate key negotiated M&A deal points. Read more

Update on the Prevalence of SPAC IPOs

In our research note dated June 24, 2020 we highlighted the increased prevalence of initial public offerings by special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) as one of the most notable trends in IPOs in the last few years. What we did not discuss at that time is the explosion of SPACs filing to go public, which are at unprecedented levels. Read more

Increasing Prevalence and Size of SPAC IPOs

The increased prevalence of initial public offerings by special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) has been one of the most notable trends in IPOs in the last few years. SPACs are blank check companies formed for the purpose of merging with another company following the IPO. Read more

Observations on Recent Poison Pill Activity

As a follow up to our recent note regarding companies increasing use of poison pills to guard against opportunist acquirers and activist investors as a result of the coronavirus pandemic (Corporate America's Medicine Against Coronavirus) here are some additional observations: Read more

Coronavirus Pandemic's Impact on Stock Swap Valuations

Target companies in agreed fixed exchange stock swap transactions have seen the value of the acquirer's shares they are to receive as consideration in the transaction decrease, in some cases significantly, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact stock prices. Read more

Corporate America's Medicine Against Coronavirus

Faced with myriad problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, including significantly depressed stock prices and the ensuing threat of shareholder activism and hostile takeovers, corporate America is turning to an old standby - poison pills. Read more

Coronavirus Impact on M&A Agreement Drafting

Given the uncertainty and rising public health concerns around the coronavirus (COVID-19), Deal Point Data decided to take a look at how practitioners are drafting the material adverse change (MAC) definitions in recently announced transactions. Specifically, we wanted to see whether the target MAC definition included a carveout related to the coronavirus and similar concepts. The inclusion of specific carveouts protects the target in the event that the acquirer attempts to terminate the transaction based on a material adverse change. Read more

Second Most Active U.S. Public M&A Environment on Record

The dollar value of newly announced Merger and Acquisition deals with U.S. publicly traded target companies surged to its highest first half level since the record was set in 2015. According to Deal Point Data’s research, $508 billion dollars of M&A deals were announced during the first six months of 2019. First half activity was only 1.7% below the all-time high and 85% above the 10-year average level. On a year-over-year basis, dollar volume increased 15.1% in June, 4.6% in Q2, and 10.2% for the half year. On a sequential basis, the first half of 2019 was up 94.4% compared to the second half of 2018. In a sign that the market was not overheating, the average unaffected control premium was a moderate 29.96% during the first half, 20.4% below the ten-year average. Goldman, Sachs topped the Deal Point Data investment banking league table for announced U.S. public target deals during the first half advising on $162.3 billion in deals. Wachtell Lipton advised on $142.4 billion in announced deals to earn the number one ranking among legal advisers.

Market Leaders - U.S. Public Mergers

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz was the top ranked legal adviser on U.S. public M&A deals announced during the first half of 2019. Wachtell advised on 14 public deals valued at $249.4 billion. Kirkland & Ellis ranked second in the high-profile public M&A advisory market while Skadden rounded out the top three.

M&A Adviser Fee Watch

As of July 1, 2019, record M&A advisory fees of $2.03 billion have already been disclosed on U.S. public deals announced during the first half of 2019. Goldman led the market with $447 million in fees disclosed. JP Morgan took second place among financial advisers. Morgan Stanley rounded out the top three in disclosed fees.