We study characteristics of Specified Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) and examine the performance of their securities over time. We find that SPACs represent a fairly unique way to raise capital. The incentives of their founders, underwriters, and investors are interdependent and...

A Specified Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) is formed to purchase operating businesses within a priori determined time period. SPACs existed in U.S capital markets since the 1920s. Their corporate structure has recently become debated in the legal and financial literatures, especially their...

This study documents the changes in the corporate design of modern Specified Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) for the years 2003–2012. Do institutional characteristics of SPACs determine the success of their merger outcomes? The paper finds that SPACs significantly redesigned their...

We study characteristics of Specified Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) and examine the performance of their securities over time. We find that SPACs represent a fairly unique way to raise capital. The incentives of their founders, underwriters, and investors are interdependent and...