Consumer retail and AI most attractive sectors
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / June 18, 2026 / Public market performance, securing PIPEs and managing redemptions are top-of-mind among participants at the recent SPAC Conference. One-hundred percent of attendees completing our market sentiment survey report that public market performance after the merger is the greatest challenge currently facing SPACs. About 69% said they were dissatisfied with the performance of recent de-SPAC transactions.
About 57% said PIPE financing terms are the most important factor in evaluating the merits of a SPAC deal. No other factor came close. About 14% cited redemption risk as an important factor in deal structure. Less than 10% said quality of the target company, valuation and experience of the sponsor team were among the top considerations.
More than half of survey respondents said their threshold for acceptable redemptions is over 75%. PIPE financing is often a backstop to protect a deal if investors deplete a SPAC's trust fund by redeeming their shares.
Survey respondents in their write-in comments said they'd like to see restrictions on redemptions in SPAC deals with PIPE investors taking the lead in attracting quality targets with clean terms. "Anything that reduces redemption rates," one respondent noted.
Revenue share arrangements would decrease liabilities in the event of a liquidation, one respondent wrote. Another called for a change in the use of termination fees if a proposed business combination sours.
As for general market sentiment, 73% were neutral in their outlook while 27% said the sector is somewhat healthy.
Regulatory scrutiny and SEC oversight is not significantly impacting sponsors' approach to SPACs in 2026, survey results show.
Consumer/retail is the most attractive sector for future SPAC deals, according to the survey results, followed by AI/robotics, space and aerospace, energy, technology, industrials and fintech.
About a fourth of respondents predict no change in SPAC activity over the next 12 months, however, 64% foresee a significant decline in the market.
"We need less dilution, no resettable issuances, and honest valuation and disclosures," one respondent wrote. Echoing that sentiment, another said, "What's needed is more direct communication of goals and firm requirements to encourage resolution of prospective transactions."
Full risk factor disclosure would help reduce redemption rates, added another.
Hosted by DealFlow Events, the 9th annual SPAC Conference was held June 9-10 at the Westchester Country Club in New York, which welcomed record attendance this year.
Learn more about DealFlow Events here.
Media Contact:
Steve Evans
(516) 876-8006
sevans@dealflowevents.com
SOURCE: DealFlow Events
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/spac-conference-2026-market-survey-pipe-funding-remains-crucial-to-successful-1179045
