The Most Successful SPAC of All Time, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the SPAC you think is the most successful!

Updated on Apr 17, 2024 07:55

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) have reshaped the landscape of public financing and corporate mergers, presenting unique investment opportunities and challenges. Tracking the performance of various SPACs can provide valuable insights, helping investors to make informed decisions and understand market trends. A ranking of the most successful SPACs based on their achievements and impacts offers a clear view of which entities have not only prospered but also positively influenced the market. By participating in this ranking, users have the power to voice their opinions on the effectiveness and success of different SPACs. This interactive process not only enhances user engagement but also enriches the dataset with diverse perspectives, leading to a more robust and comprehensive ranking. Everyone’s input is crucial in painting an accurate picture of the SPAC universe and its key players.

What Is the Most Successful SPAC of All Time?

1

62
votes
Churchill Capital Corp IV (CCIV)

Michael Klein

This SPAC has been the most successful of all time, raising $2.07 billion in its IPO and merging with EV maker Lucid Motors in 2021. The deal valued Lucid at $24 billion, making it one of the largest SPAC mergers to date.
Churchill Capital Corp IV (CCIV) is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) founded by Michael Klein. SPACs are companies created for the sole purpose of raising capital through an initial public offering (IPO) to acquire or merge with an existing operating company. CCIV raised significant funds through its IPO and was widely regarded as one of the most successful SPACs of all time.

IPO Date: September 18, 2020

Ticker Symbol: CCIV

IPO Size: Raised $1.8 billion

Merger Target: Lucid Motors

Merger Announcement Date: February 22, 2021
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29
votes
Social Capital Hedosophia

Chamath Palihapitiya

This SPAC has been responsible for some of the most successful IPOs in recent years, including Virgin Galactic and Opendoor. It raised $1.3 billion in its IPO and has since launched several more SPACs.
Social Capital Hedosophia (SCH) is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) founded by Chamath Palihapitiya and Ian Osborne. It was formed with the vision of merging with and taking public promising technology companies.

Year of creation: 2017

Industry focus: Technology

Number of mergers: 9

Largest merger deal size: $16 billion

Notable mergers: Virgin Galactic, OpenAI, Opendoor, Clover Health
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21
votes
Pershing Square Tontine Holdings

This SPAC, led by billionaire investor Bill Ackman, raised $4 billion in its IPO in 2020, making it the largest SPAC ever at the time. While it has yet to complete a merger, its size and reputation have made it one to watch.
Pershing Square Tontine Holdings is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that was launched in 2020. It is considered the most successful SPAC of all time in terms of size, raising $4 billion in its initial public offering (IPO). The company was created with the intention of merging with a privately held company to take it public.

Launch Year: 2020

Funds Raised in IPO: $4 billion

Intended Purpose: Merging with a private company to take it public

Size: Largest SPAC of all time

Creator: Bill Ackman
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9
votes
Chamath Palihapitiya's SPACs

Chamath Palihapitiya

Entrepreneur and investor Chamath Palihapitiya has launched several successful SPACs, including Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. II, which merged with healthcare startup Clover Health in 2021. His SPACs have raised billions of dollars and are known for their focus on disruptive technology.
Chamath Palihapitiya's SPACs refer to special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) created by Canadian-American venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya. Palihapitiya has gained significant attention for his successful SPAC ventures in recent years.

1: Chamath Palihapitiya is a prominent venture capitalist and tech industry executive.

2: His first SPAC, Social Capital Hedosophia, became one of the most successful SPACs of all time.

3: Palihapitiya's SPACs focus on acquiring technology companies, particularly in the fields of software, e-commerce, and healthcare.

4: He emphasizes finding businesses that have the potential to disrupt traditional industries.

5: Palihapitiya's SPACs often attract substantial investor interest and have been successful in raising large amounts of capital.
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14
votes
Pershing Square Holdings

William A. Ackman

While not a SPAC, Pershing Square Holdings is an investment fund managed by Bill Ackman that has been successful in investing in SPACs. It has made significant investments in several SPACs, including its own Pershing Square Tontine Holdings.
Pershing Square Holdings is a publicly listed hedge fund and special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that aims to serve as a vehicle for investors to access a concentrated portfolio of long-term investments. The company primarily focuses on investing in publicly traded companies with strong fundamentals and attractive growth prospects.

Year of creation: 2012

Stock exchange listing: Euronext Amsterdam

Ticker symbol: PSH

Investment strategy: Concentrated portfolio, long-term investments

Total assets under management: Over $11 billion
6

7
votes
Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp

This SPAC merged with electric vehicle charging company Wallbox in 2021, valuing the company at $1.5 billion. It raised $345 million in its IPO and has been successful in identifying promising companies to merge with.
Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that was formed to identify and acquire a target company within a specific industry. Its focus is primarily on finding businesses in the technology, media, and telecommunications sectors. The company was established to provide growth capital and operational expertise to its target company, with the goal of accelerating its growth and enhancing its value in the long term.

Industry Focus: Technology, Media, and Telecommunications

Target Company Type: Private company

Primary Objective: Identify and acquire a target company

Capital Provided: Growth capital

Operational Expertise: Provided to the target company
7

11
votes
DiamondPeak Holdings

David T. Hamamoto

This SPAC merged with electric vehicle startup Lordstown Motors in 2020, valuing the company at $1.6 billion. It raised $250 million in its IPO and has been successful in identifying companies in the EV space.
DiamondPeak Holdings is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that went public in 2020. It was created by David T. Hamamoto, a successful real estate investor and former CEO of NorthStar Realty Finance. DiamondPeak Holdings focuses on acquiring businesses in the technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) sectors. With a strong management team and a robust network of industry connections, it has become one of the most successful SPACs of all time.

Year of IPO: 2020

Sector Focus: Technology, Media, Telecommunications

Management Team: Experienced and knowledgeable

Industry Connections: Robust network

Acquisition Focus: High-growth TMT businesses
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15
votes
Switchback Energy Acquisition Corp

Scott McNeill

This SPAC merged with electric vehicle charging company ChargePoint in 2020, valuing the company at $2.4 billion. It raised $300 million in its IPO and has been successful in identifying companies in the EV infrastructure space.
Switchback Energy Acquisition Corp is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that focuses on energy and sustainability companies. It was created with the aim of merging with a target company in order to take it public. Switchback Energy Acquisition Corp completed its initial public offering (IPO) in July 2019.

Ticker Symbol: SBE

IPO Date: July 25, 2019

Industry Focus: Energy and Sustainability

IPO Proceeds: $300 million

Merger Completion: October 6, 2020
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10
votes
Foley Trasimene Acquisition Corp

William P. Foley II

This SPAC merged with fintech company Paysafe in 2021, valuing the company at $9 billion. It raised $1.2 billion in its IPO and has been successful in identifying promising companies in the financial technology space.
Foley Trasimene Acquisition Corp is a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) that was founded with the purpose of merging with or acquiring a target company in the technology, healthcare, financial services, or business services sectors.

Initial public offering (IPO) date: July 26, 2019

IPO size: $900 million

Number of shares offered: 90 million

Over-allotment option: 15 million shares

Target industries: Technology, healthcare, financial services, and business services
10

3
votes
Landcadia Holdings

Tilman Fertitta

This SPAC merged with online sports betting company Golden Nugget Online Gaming in 2020, valuing the company at $745 million. It raised $300 million in its IPO and has been successful in identifying companies in the online gaming and betting space.
Landcadia Holdings is a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) founded by Tilman Fertitta, a well-known businessman and CEO of Landry's, Inc. It was established with the goal of merging with an operating business and taking it public. Landcadia completed its initial public offering (IPO) in 2016 and has since become one of the most successful SPACs of all time.

IPO Date: June 17, 2016

Stock Symbol: LCA

IPO Offering Size: $345 million

Merger Target: Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG)

Merger Date: December 30, 2020

Missing your favorite SPAC?

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Discussion

Ranking factors for successful SPAC

Size of deal

The larger the deal size, the more impressive the SPAC's performance.
Acquisition target

The quality of the acquisition target and its subsequent performance post-merger is a crucial factor.
Return on investment (ROI)

The SPAC's return on investment over a specified period is a crucial metric to measure its success.
Timeframe

The shorter the time it takes for the SPAC to find and acquire an attractive target, the better its performance.
Industry or sector

Some sectors are known for their ability to generate high returns and exceptional performance. Therefore, SPACs in such sectors are more likely to be successful.
Reputation

SPACs managed by reputable management teams with a proven track record of success in leveraging special purpose acquisition companies to generate returns are more likely to be successful.
Liquidity

Finally, the liquidity of the SPAC's stock after the merger is completed is also crucial. SPACs with liquid stock generally perform better.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most successful SPAC of all time. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or SPAC is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

5743 views
189 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each SPAC once every 24 hours. The rank of each SPAC is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most successful spac of all time

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) have become a popular investment tool in recent years, allowing companies to go public without the traditional initial public offering (IPO) process. SPACs are essentially shell companies that raise funds through an IPO with the sole purpose of acquiring another company within a certain timeframe. Once the acquisition is complete, the acquired company takes over the SPAC's public listing. SPACs have been around for decades, but they gained significant attention in 2020 as the pandemic disrupted the IPO market. Many companies turned to SPACs as a quicker and less risky way to go public. This resulted in a surge of SPAC activity and a number of high-profile mergers. So, what is the most successful SPAC of all time? It's a question that's difficult to answer definitively, as success can be measured in different ways. Some might consider the size of the merger or the market capitalization of the resulting company, while others might focus on the returns for investors. However, there are a few notable examples that often come up in discussions of successful SPACs, including DraftKings, Virgin Galactic, and Nikola.