The clock is ticking on FinTech Acquisition Corp.
FinTech Acquisition Corp, believed to be the only “blank check” company in the fintech sector today, has by rule until Aug. 19 to consummate an acquisition with its $100 million, or face dissolution. A “blank check” company’s sole purpose is to make an acquisition with the money its investors have given it.
FinTech Acquisition Corp, which today issued its 10-K for the fourth quarter of 2015, was founded in November of 2013. It went public last April [ticker: FNTCU].
With each passing day, the likelihood that FinTech Acquisition will finalize the purchase of a company dwindles. Six months is not a lot of time to consummate a deal with these parameters, as specified by the company:
We will seek to acquire one or more businesses with annual revenues of approximately $50 million to $250 million and an enterprise value of approximately $200 million to $800 million.
That means FinTech Acquisition is planning to supplement its $100 million with financing.
Just who is behind FinTech Acquisition? Ex-The Bancorp Inc. executives, it turns out. Specifically, the principals of the venture are Betsy Z. Cohen, the founder of The Bancorp and its former chief executive officer, and her son, Daniel G. Cohen, also listed as a founder of The Bancorp, which, in part, provides banking services to fintech companies.
In the face of regulatory difficulties, The Bancorp’s stock [ticker: TBBK] has lost 58% of its value since Betsy Z. Cohen retired as CEO at the end of 2014.
The “blank check” company has a narrow focus for companies it would consider acquiring. Here’s how the company describes it:
We have concentrated and intend to continue concentrating our efforts in identifying businesses which provide disruptive technological innovation to the financial services industry, with particular emphasis on businesses that provide data processing; transactional and data security; rewards, loyalty, and consumer engagement platforms by which financial services engage their clients and market and provide services to them; digital marketing; and payment processing services.
FinTech Acquisition Corp is “not, however, required to complete our initial business combination with a financial technology business and, as a result, we may pursue a business combination outside of that industry.” With each passing day, that might become a more likely option.