Filing-native
Inputs come from SEC filings and derived issuer profiles, not rumors, advisor chatter, or bought-in private deal feeds.
API docs
Q2 2026 reviewNext refresh: mid-Nov 2026
Methodology + Data Dictionary
SE-Cluster maps public-company acquisition appetite from EDGAR disclosures. The methodology below defines what counts, what stays analyst-reviewed, and how Strategic Buyer Maps avoid pretending that filing-derived data is a real-time deal terminal.
Quarterly
The product reads by filing window. Material 8-Ks can enter the data layer between windows, but synthesis stays tied to the review cadence.
Evidence-labeled
Rows can be useful with imperfect data, but weak or uncited claims must be marked before they become client work product.
Counting Rules
Acquisition count
Count annual or event-level acquisition disclosures when the filing supports acquisition activity. Aggregate annual disclosures are included in cadence, but not split into precise single-deal rows unless the filing supports that split.
Disclosed spend
Use reported acquisition spend, consideration, purchase price, or acquired-business cash consideration when available. If no amount is disclosed, the row can support cadence and buyer behavior but not buyer budget.
Double counting
Prefer issuer-year cadence and normalized deal identity when multiple filings refer to the same transaction. Keep duplicate-risk rows out of external claims unless the evidence trail is clear.
Delisted and foreign issuers
Keep public-company behavior when filings are available, but label coverage gaps. Foreign issuers and delisted entities can be useful evidence, not always current outreach candidates.
Evidence Tiers
Definitive
Clear acquisition record with a named transaction, identified parties, and strong filing evidence.
Strong
Acquirer, target, or economics are substantially identified, though one detail may still need review.
Moderate
Acquisition activity is clear, but economics or counterparty detail is partial.
Aggregate
The issuer disclosed multiple acquisitions together; useful for cadence, less useful for single-deal terms.
Weak
Relevant acquisition language is present, but the claim should be treated as a review candidate.
Needs review
The row is retained for workflow continuity, but evidence is too thin for external distribution.
Strategic Buyer Map Policy
Buyer maps rank public acquirers for a target or target profile. The builder uses issuer-level likely-buyer recommendations first, then falls back to covered-market public-acquirer hierarchy when direct recommendations are thin.
Visible output uses ranks, fit labels, cadence, disclosed spend, size band, recency, archetype, and citations. Internal numeric scoring may sort rows, but user-facing pages should not display abstract 0-100 model scores.
A weak row can remain in the workstream when it helps analyst review, but it must be labeled as weak or needs review before export.
Dictionary
Strategic Buyer Map
A target-to-buyer workflow that ranks public-company acquirers by historical acquisition behavior, market fit, size-band discipline, recency, and filing-backed rationale.
Target Slate
An acquirer-to-target workflow for users who already know the buyer and need a ranked target universe.
Recorded acquisition count
A filing-derived count of disclosed acquisition activity. Aggregate disclosures can increase cadence without creating one row per acquired target.
Disclosed spend
Acquisition consideration or spend disclosed by the issuer, normalized to millions of USD when available. Undisclosed rows remain valid for cadence but not spend analysis.
Buyer size band
Historical disclosed deal-size range for a buyer, usually median and p75 when enough valued acquisitions exist.
Core buyer
A repeat public acquirer with enough recorded cadence and evidence to sit high in a buyer map.
Market fallback
A buyer added from the market public-acquirer hierarchy when issuer-level likely-buyer recommendations are thin.
Filing window
The review period currently synthesized from EDGAR filings. Pages should say which quarter or annual window they represent.